The State of Palestine faces an escalating climate crisis—water scarcity, land degradation, extreme heatwaves, and rising food insecurity—worsened by the ongoing Israeli occupation. Restrictions on land, resources, and movement severely limit the ability to implement large-scale climate adaptation and mitigation projects. Therefore, climate action in Palestine cannot be separated from justice, sovereignty, and human rights.
COP30 represents a unique opportunity to confront these challenges by creating pathways to support Palestinian climate resilience through enhanced direct access to international climate finance, including the Green Climate Fund, the Loss and Damage Fund, and other financial mechanisms.
This financial support can enable investment in solar energy, rainwater harvesting, water desalination, drought-resilient agriculture, reuse of treated wastewater for irrigation, and climate-resilient urban infrastructure—strengthening the ability of communities in the West Bank and Gaza to adapt to climate shocks despite political constraints.
Moreover, recognizing the concept of “climate vulnerability under occupation” within international frameworks would legitimize Palestine’s specific climate adaptation needs and help remove political barriers hindering environmental projects.
Building strong alliances with the Global South, Least Developed Countries, the Arab Group, and other vulnerable nations can amplify Palestine’s voice in climate negotiations and strengthen its call for fair climate financing.
Despite these opportunities, Palestine faces significant obstacles. The occupation remains the primary barrier, with Israel controlling borders, Area C, and all access in and around Gaza, preventing integrated planning and large-scale implementation of climate projects.
Geographic fragmentation also disrupts climate data collection and national coordination, limiting access to substantial financing. There is also a risk that regional climate initiatives could be exploited to whitewash the occupation without addressing the root causes of environmental degradation.
Overcoming these barriers requires a strategic focus on “Green Palestinian Sovereignty” through developing occupation-resilient projects such as rooftop solar systems, rainwater harvesting, brackish water desalination, wastewater treatment and reuse, circular economy applications, documentation of environmental violations for legal and political advocacy, and pushing for direct financing channels for occupied territories.
International partners—including UNFCCC mechanisms, donor governments, development agencies, civil society, research institutions, and academia—play a vital role by enabling direct access to finance, supporting adaptation projects, strengthening monitoring systems, and expanding evidence-based advocacy.
COP30 provides a critical opportunity to link climate justice with political accountability. Empowering Palestine to confront climate change is not merely a technical necessity—it is a moral and strategic imperative that strengthens resilience, justice, and sustainable peace.
Prepared by: The Applied Research Institute –Jerusalem (ARIJ)