Mattias Söderberg is global climate lead at Danish NGO DanChurchAid
Developing countries are set to need hundreds of billions of dollars a year to adapt to climate change but, at the moment, developed countries are providing them with just tens of billions of dollars.
One solution to this ‘adaptation gap’ is a levy on premium flyers—covering business class, first class, and private jet travel. This represents one of the fairest and most politically feasible ways to mobilize new public finance for adaptation and loss and damage.
This would be a ‘polluter-pays’ approach, as business and first-class travel are 3-4 times more polluting than economy flights and private jets travel is up to 14 times more polluting.
This approach would also minimise negative economic impacts, for example on countries which rely on aviation or tourism. Premium air travel has what economists call inelastic demand – wealthy travellers can afford a modest levy so will keep flying.
Such a tax would also be extremely popular, with polling carried out in both developed and developing countries showing around three-quarters of people support more taxes on wealthier airline passengers.
If implemented globally, such a levy could raise an estimated $34 billion annually – enough to double current levels of adaptation finance, which stood at $26 billion in 2023.
While not all revenues would flow to international funds (some would remain in national budgets), even a share directed toward global adaptation efforts could unlock billions in predictable finance.
If a portion of proceeds from a national levy is allocated for the Adaptation Fund and the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage—two mechanisms central to rebuilding trust and supporting vulnerable communities, that would make a big difference.
Coalition set sights on taxing luxury air travel to fund climate action
The Adaptation Fund, in particular, has a proven record of transparent, effective, and locally led action – helping communities build flood defences, protect water supplies, and strengthen livelihoods. Tripling its resources through such levies would be a tangible step toward closing the adaptation gap and delivering on the promise of balanced climate finance.
We no longer need to debate whether adaptation, and loss and damage finance are urgent—it is. The question now is whether countries will seize the practical, fair solutions available to them.
Governments are already moving behind this idea. France, Spain and six other nations are already members of a Premium Flyers Solidarity Coalition – launched at the Finance for Development summit earlier this year.
By joining this coalition at COP30, other governments can turn a decade-old idea into reality and turn promises into delivery. The world’s most vulnerable communities have waited long enough. COP30 is the moment to act—and to make luxury emissions work for lifesaving finance
