Open Letter to the Prime Minister on Climate Finance: Canadian Coalition on Climate Change and Development

April 2, 2026

RE: Advancing Canada’s International Climate Finance Leadership

Dear Prime Minister,

This Tuesday, March 31st marked the end of Canada's $5.3 Billion Climate Finance envelope. The Canadian Coalition on Climate Change and Development, a coalition of more than 50 international development and environmental organizations, is deeply concerned that Canada is now one of the few major contributor countries with no official climate finance commitment.

In Davos, you shared a clear vision for Canada and the world. You said we will build global security and resilience through coalitions and cooperation. Amidst rapid trade diversification and recalibration of international engagements, Canada must deliver on its promises and be viewed as a reliable, mutually beneficial partner in navigating this new era of geopolitics.

As you know, climate change represents one of the most significant threats to the security and prosperity of our nation – and that of our international partners. A strong way to demonstrate Canada’s leadership as a middle power is to maintain our support for climate action around the world with an ambitious climate finance commitment for the coming five years.

Specifically, and urgently, Canada must signal its continued commitment to high-quality international climate finance through an ambitious financial allocation in the Spring Economic Statement.

By renewing this commitment, Canada will bolster its credibility on the global stage and reinforce its reputation as a reliable partner on climate and nature for the Global South. As Canada’s climate finance commitment expires, we are falling behind other peer countries that have post-2025 funding commitments. In particular, the European Union and Switzerland, along with several other individual European states, have commitments running through 2027 and beyond. To keep pace with this leadership around the world and uphold our international standing, Canada must act now.

In addition to the timely renewal of overall funding, how climate finance is delivered also matters. High-quality funding vehicles must be flexible enough to enable:

• Building resilience to climate change and strengthening governance through grants for adaptation alongside loss and damage finance to reduce humanitarian needs, in partnership with the most vulnerable and least developed countries. In these contexts, loans are rarely effective and they burden already poor countries with increased debt.
• Strengthening Canadian leadership in nature through nature-based solutions that support both climate adaptation and biodiversity protection, both fundamental to global food supply chains and ecological stability.
• Forming partnerships to support governments in the Global South as they build sustainable policies and regulatory frameworks that stimulate broad and inclusive development, not just lending in support of private sector investment.

Under your leadership, we hope Canada will step up to deliver high-quality climate finance that serves the needs of Global South partners, meets global climate goals, and advances Canada’s strategic objectives. We urge your government to exhibit partnership, solidarity, and cooperation in its international commitments through an announcement of Canada’s post-2025 climate finance pledge in the upcoming Spring Economic Update.

Sincerely,

Alexandria Novokowsky and Soomin Han
Co-Chairs of the Canadian Coalition on Climate Change and Development (C4D)