Belem, Brazil – From November 12 to 16, world leaders and climate campaigners will convene in Belem for the 30th UN Climate Change Conference, COP30. The summit will tackle a range of topics including deforestation, climate finance, and progress ten years after the Paris Agreement.
At COP28 in the United Arab Emirates in 2023, nations agreed to reduce the use of oil and coal, while COP29 in Baku focused on climate financing, promising $300 billion per year by 2035 to help countries in the Global South. Ahead of COP30, no single theme dominates, with multiple pressing issues expected on the agenda, according to Gaïa Febvre, head of international policy at the Climate Action Network.
The conference also provides an opportunity to assess commitments under the Paris Agreement. Countries were expected to submit Nationally Determined Contributions, or NDCs, by the end of September. Many, including the European Union, have delayed submissions, while only Norway and the United Kingdom met compliance standards. China’s roadmap targets a modest 7 to 10 percent emissions reduction by 2035. Febvre warns that the COP will reveal a gap between current pledges and the targets needed to limit warming to 1.5°C.
Financial support for developing countries remains central. Lorelei Limousin, Greenpeace climate campaigner, says COP30 will continue discussions from Baku, aiming to scale up financing to $1.3 trillion annually by 2035. Strategies under consideration include solidarity taxes on financial transactions, fossil fuel emissions, and airline tickets. Limousin stresses the need for public funding from fossil fuel profits to close the finance gap.
Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is expected to focus on forest protection, proposing the Tropical Forests Forever Facility. The fund aims to raise $125 billion to invest in financial markets, with profits returned to tropical forest nations. Brazil, China, and the United Arab Emirates have already pledged $1 billion each. Clément Helary, Greenpeace forest campaigner, stresses safeguards are needed to prevent investment in industries that drive deforestation.
Recent data shows forest loss remains alarming. In 2024, 8.1 million hectares of forest were lost, including 6.7 million hectares of primary tropical forest, vital for biodiversity and carbon storage, according to Climate Focus.
COP30 organisers aim to make this summit inclusive and participatory. Fanny Petitbon, France manager of 350.org, says a concurrent “people’s summit” will give voice to indigenous communities, women, and vulnerable populations. Indigenous coalition “The Answer is Us” is advocating for direct participation in official negotiations rather than being mere observers.
Discussion about this post