Climate Change Action Ls

𝗙𝗥𝗢𝗠 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗠𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗧𝗔𝗜𝗡𝗦 𝗧𝗢 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗔𝗠𝗔𝗭𝗢𝗡: 𝗟𝗘𝗦𝗢𝗧𝗛𝗢 𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗦 𝗔𝗧 𝗖𝗢𝗣𝟯𝟬🇱🇸🇧🇷

At the COP30 Leaders’ Summit in Belém, Brazil, 𝑯𝒐𝒏. 𝑵𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒈 𝑴𝒂𝒋𝒂𝒓𝒂, 𝑳𝒆𝒔𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒐’𝒔 𝑫𝒆𝒑𝒖𝒕𝒚 𝑷𝒓𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝑴𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓, delivered one of the most profound speeches of the conference. Her words placed Lesotho firmly on the global stage not as a small, landlocked nation, but as a champion of moral clarity and progress in the fight against climate change.

Speaking from the heart of the Amazon while echoing the spirit of Lesotho’s mountains, she called for courage, fairness, and faith in a shared future. “For Lesotho, climate change is not abstract, it is a lived experience,” she declared, pointing to droughts, frost, and floods that already affect every household. For least developed countries, she reminded the world, 𝟭.𝟱°𝗖 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗮 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱.

Despite contributing less than 0.01% of global emissions, Lesotho has shown leadership through its 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗡𝗗𝗖), committing to reduce emissions by 6% unconditionally and up to 24% with international support by 2030. Guided by its Climate Change Policy, National Adaptation Plan, and Long-Term Strategy, the country is advancing adaptation across water, food systems, health, energy, and biodiversity. Examples include expanding climate-resilient water infrastructure, accelerating solar and wind energy, restoring wetlands and rangelands, and strengthening early warning systems

Her call was clear: 𝗮𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲. Africa, warming at twice the global rate, faces escalating costs with adaptation needs of US$70 billion annually but receiving less than US$15 billion, and loss and damage projected at US$290–440 billion by 2030. She urged tripling adaptation finance, stronger Global Goal on Adaptation indicators, and scaling up the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage.

Closing her address, she drew a powerful parallel: “The forests of the Amazon and the mountains of Lesotho are part of one system, both vital, both vulnerable, and both deserving of protection. In Sesotho we say: a home is built by many hands. Let us protect our home, our Earth, with courage, fairness, and faith.”

Lesotho’s voice at COP30 was a reminder that leadership is not measured by size, but by substance.

Lesotho Leads the Way in Gender-Inclusive Climate Planning

Over the course of three days, from September 17th to 19th, 2025 the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) team, in partnership with the Ministry of Gender, Youth and Social Development, hosted a landmark workshop aimed at integrating Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) into Lesotho’s climate strategy. This initiative places Lesotho among five African countries piloting the mainstreaming of GESI into the NAP process, with support from the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and the NAP Global Network.

The workshop brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including government officials, civil society organizations, youth representatives, and gender experts. Their shared mission was to ensure that climate adaptation planning reflects the lived experiences and voices of those most vulnerable to climate change, particularly women, youth, and people with disabilities. Through interactive sessions and technical training, participants explored how climate change disproportionately affects these groups and developed tools to embed gender-responsive approaches into national frameworks.

Lesotho’s NAP is currently progressing through its second phase, which focuses on conducting a Climate Risk and Vulnerability Assessment (CRVA). This assessment is scheduled for completion by the end of September 2025 and will inform the next steps of the NAP process, including the identification of adaptation priorities, economic evaluations of proposed interventions, and the compilation of the final NAP document.

Throughout the workshop, participants emphasized the importance of inclusive planning. Discussions highlighted how daily survival task such as water and firewood collection are often carried out by women and children, exposing them to environmental hazards and social risks. These realities underscore the need for climate policies that are not only technically sound but also socially just.

Lesotho’s approach to climate resilience is evolving, not just through data and infrastructure, but through the deliberate inclusion of every voice. By centering equity and participation, the country is laying the foundation for a climate strategy that is locally grounded, socially responsive, and globally relevant.