The COP of the Amazon Begins

by Klara Butz, Finance Campaigner at The Climate Reality Project Europe & Urgewald

COP 30 starts today. Government delegations, civil society organizations, Indigenous leaders, and many others have traveled to northern Brazil to tackle the climate crisis together. This year’s conference carries heavy expectations. Negotiators must finally agree on indicators for the Global Goal on Adaptation so countries can track real progress. They must also adopt and advance the Baku to Belém Roadmap, which aims to scale climate-mitigation finance to USD 1.3 trillion. You may remember last year’s disappointing outcome, when countries committed only USD 300 billion, far below what we actually need. This year, they must do better.

Ahead of COP 30, governments were supposed to submit updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Many have yet to deliver, and others submitted weak plans, including the EU just days ago. But the world needs a transition that is fast, fair, and funded. And we need it now!

The COP Host’s Oil Plans

Brazil plans to become the world’s fourth-largest oil and gas producer and is currently expanding more fossil fuel resources than any other country in the region. Petrobras, the national oil and gas company, still generates 98% of its revenue from fossil fuels and has no intention of slowing down. These choices stand in stark contrast to what we expect from a COP host.

Even so, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva opened the COP 30 Leaders Summit with a clear message: the world must “get rid of fossil fuels” and “accelerate the energy transition.” His tone differs sharply from last year’s host. UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell said what is at stake, “History will not ask what we intended. It will ask what we approved.” The next two weeks must deliver results that match these words.

The Climate Reality Project at COP 30

We are on the ground at COP 30 alongside organizations from around the world to push for ambitious, people-centered outcomes. The Climate Reality Project’s international branches have organized a strong program to reinforce what this conference should be about: protecting people’s livelihoods and building a livable, equitable future for everyone. You can find our events here.

I especially invite you to The Climate Reality Project Europe’s webinar on 14 November at 18:00 CET. Marie-Claire Graf and Veena Balakrishnan from the Youth Negotiators Academy will break down the key developments from week one and share what to watch in week two. Register now and see you soon.