The UN has increased a subsidy for diplomats from most developing nations to attend COP30, after complaints about the high costs of attending the climate summit in Brazil’s Amazon region – but limited resources mean fewer people can now receive the payment unless more money is raised. With more than half of all countries yet to secure accommodation in the city of Belém due to soaring costs, UN climate chief Simon Stiell said on Wednesday that the daily subsistence allowance (DSA) had been raised from $144 to $197 per day. The payment usually helps cover lodging and meals for two delegates each from 144 eligible developing countries, with small island states and least developed countries receiving support for an additional representative. But Climate Home News understands that the money currently available in a special funding mechanism supported by donations is not enough to guarantee the higher allowance to the usual number of beneficiaries. The trust fund for participation in the UN climate process had received $2.1 million in voluntary contributions by the end of August – with the vast majority of funding provided by Denmark. That amount falls far short of the nearly $8 million the UN climate body had budgeted for the fund in 2025. Brazil wants UN to fork out more money Brazil’s COP30 presidency, which had been pushing for a top-up of the daily allowance rate, welcomed the decision, calling it “a step forward” in helping developing nations attend November’s climate talks. But its statement added that was still not enough because the amount remains below the rate applied in other Brazilian cities and does not “fully cover local costs”. The COP30 hosts urged the UN climate body (UNFCCC) to consider giving extra money to delegates from developing nations through an “emergency supplement”. A UNFCCC spokesperson declined to comment on the feasibility of this request. Sep 15, 2025 News COP observers invited to reveal who is bank-rolling their participation at climate talks As UN climate change body introduces new voluntary transparency measures, campaigners welcome “much needed step” to keep fossil fuel influence out of the talks Read more Sep 12, 2025 News Countries trail COP30 clash over global response to shortfall in national climate plans China, India and Saudi Arabia rejected a COP30 dialogue on an upcoming UN review of climate plans, widely expected to show the world is not on track to limit global warming to agreed levels Read more In recent years, the UN climate body has been struggling for funding as contributions from governments and other donors fail to match the ever-growing list of activities countries have asked it to carry out. In its budget proposal for the next two years, the UNFCCC Secretariat said that insufficient funding and unpredictable contributions to the trust fund for participation can cause cancellations of important events and limit options for inclusive participation. Most inclusive COP ever? Brazil has vowed that COP30 will go down in history as the “most inclusive” climate summit ever. But that promise risks breaking under the weight of an accommodation crisis in the remote Amazonian city where hotels are charging up to 15 times their regular rates during the conference period. To help the situation, the COP30 presidency has made a set number of rooms available to poorer countries at a fixed price range. Brazil insists it will host COP30 in Belém, despite accommodation worries So far, 79 countries have confirmed their accommodation in Belém, while another 70 are still negotiating their lodging options, the COP30 presidency told members of the COP bureau – a committee that advises on COP matters – on Wednesday. Valter Correia, Brazil’s special secretary for COP30, said the hosts have maintained “active dialogues” with delegations and “have shown flexibility in addressing their concerns”, for example by supporting them in negotiations with hotels and rental providers. But speaking to Climate Home, Richard Muyungi, chair of the African Group of Negotiators who is also a member of the COP bureau, said he was still not satisfied with the cost, available types of rooms and the number allocated to delegations. “Still the problem is there – it hasn’t been solved as we had expected,” he said, adding that he had hoped for more support for African countries from Brazil. “I complained and I will keep complaining.” The few rooms still available on the official accommodation platform cost $420 a night – more than double the daily allowance provided by the UN. Speaking on Wednesday ahead of the bureau meeting, Ilana Seid, chair of the AOSIS group of small island states, said the cost of the rooms offered by the presidency needs to match the daily allowance rate. “There are still quite a few things that need to be ironed out, and we are working with Brazil,” she added. The post UN raises COP30 allowance to help with Belém accommodation crisis appeared first on Climate Home News.

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