The Fourth International Financing for Development Conference (FfD4) in Seville will convene critical discussions about how to reshape the global financial architecture in an era of converging crises. As we grapple with persistent development challenges and the escalating impacts of climate change, this conference presents a vital moment to re-evaluate how climate and development finance intersect.

These deliberations come at an opportune moment, and with a deadline on the horizon: last year at COP29 in Baku, climate negotiators agreed to an ambitious target to mobilize $1.3 trillion by 2035 to support developing countries in meeting their climate targets. The task at hand is now to deliver on this goal by developing a ‘Baku to Belem Roadmap’ that guides the transformation of our current climate finance system, unlocking drastically higher sums of finance and boosting the quality and impact of those funds.

While negotiations on the climate finance goal concluded in Baku, the politics of climate finance remain challenging. Unresolved tensions over developed country obligations to provide greater public resources derailed the opening of the Bonn Climate Conference last week, delaying urgent talks intended to set the agenda for COP30. Still, we walked away from Bonn with a more conciliatory, but tenuous, spirit to work constructively with the COP30 Presidency and others to build an impactful framework for enhanced climate finance.

Now, as FfD4 gets underway, it will be vital to consider how proposed reforms within the broader financial architecture can help move climate finance in the right direction. The reality is clear: our conversations on development finance and climate finance are intrinsically connected. Whether we’re striving to reach the ambitious $1.3 trillion target in climate finance or scale up financing to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), we need to think about them holistically as discussions unfold from Bonn to Seville and onward to Belem at COP30.

Here are the intertwining themes and opportunities to align progress for climate and development finance:

Scale up finance by mobilizing every available finance tool and solution.

The sheer scale of the climate challenge means no single source of finance will be sufficient. Public finance from developed countries will remain central to support a just energy transition and fulfill obligations under the Paris Agreement. In addition, further work is needed to support developing countries in raising domestic revenue, mainly through more robust tax regimes (noting ongoing discussions around a UN Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation), as well as preventing illicit financial flows exiting their economies.

Equally important is private sector investment, which must be strategically leveraged to align global financial flows with the Paris Agreement. The “Billions to Trillions” concept was a major focus at the last Financing for Development conference in 2015, centered on leveraging public money to mobilize vast private investment. Unfortunately, the concept has not come to fruition—but the opportunity still stands.

We must push for innovative ways to catalyze private sector action: a comprehensive toolkit that opens the door to all stakeholders to engage based on their capacities and needs.

This involves de-risking investments, creating enabling environments, and using innovative financial instruments – such as green bonds, blended finance and carbon market revenues.

Reimagine our finance system to ensure the money reaches those who need it most. The climate finance system remains difficult to navigate and costly – developing countries on the frontlines of the climate crisis often face the highest barriers to accessing and affording support. Without ensuring that climate finance is actually reaching those who need it most as agents of change, our efforts could fall flat. Reforms must be inclusive, engaging all stakeholders in finding solutions that improve readiness and capacity, open channels for direct access, and tackle the high cost of capital in developing countries which discourages private investment.

Boost the impact of every dollar by investing in actions that accomplish both climate and sustainable development goals.

Taking advantage of synergies is essential – especially when public resources remain scarce. For example, funding renewable energy projects not only reduces greenhouse gas emissions (climate goal) but also creates green jobs (SDG 8), improves air quality (SDG 3), and expands energy access in underserved communities (SDG 7). Similarly, investing in sustainable agriculture practices can enhance food security (SDG 2) and rural livelihoods (SDG 1) while simultaneously sequestering carbon (climate goal). By strategically allocating resources to initiatives that generate these co-benefits, we can achieve more with less, accelerating progress towards a more equitable and resilient future for all.

Align FfD4 with the Baku to Belem Roadmap

The FfD4 outcome document, approved ahead of the conference, offers promising potential to align climate and development finance priorities. It is encouraging to see clear language on the need for reforms to lower the cost of capital, scale affordable and accessible resources, and better align with the goals of the climate funds to maximize their potential.

As the COP29 and COP30 Presidencies continue efforts to design the Baku to Belem Roadmap, they should reflect relevant elements from the FfD4 outcome as part of the pathway to scaling climate finance, holding stakeholders to account for what they have agreed to across processes. After all, these efforts are complementary, and aligning pathways in the same direction will be essential to making them a reality.

More than ever, we must find the most impactful, fast, and fair pathways toward building a more equitable and resilient world. There has never been a stronger opportunity to align our efforts and ensure finance allows us to mitigate emissions, enhance adaptation, and improve lives and livelihoods all at once. Aligning our ongoing efforts around climate finance in the UNFCCC, sustainable development finance at FfD, and other critical environmental processes is key to unlocking the better future we all seek.