Select Language:
The upcoming United Nations climate summit is expected to be highly symbolic, commemorating a decade since the Paris Agreement and taking place within the ecologically sensitive Amazon Rainforest. But what are the specific issues on the table?
The extensive negotiations will bring together nearly every nation to tackle challenges that impact us all. Unlike previous conferences, COP30 lacks a singular focus or goal.
However, this does not mean major polluters will escape scrutiny. Climate-vulnerable countries are still frustrated over the lack of ambition and financial support needed to help those most affected by global warming.
Key topics to watch as world leaders convene in Belem on Thursday and Friday before the official negotiations begin include:
Emissions:
Globally, emissions cutbacks are not happening swiftly enough to meet the targets set in the Paris Agreement. No amount of ceremony at COP30 can mask this uncomfortable truth. Signatory nations are required to submit more ambitious greenhouse gas reduction targets every five years to gradually increase collective efforts to curb warming. The latest pledges for 2035 were due in February to give the UN time to review their quality before COP30. By early November, roughly 65 countries had submitted revised plans, though the European Union and India still need to finalize their commitments. Brazil, which praised recent pledges as representing a shared future, faces pressure from the international community to deliver a response.
Funding:
Financial aid remains a major sticking point, particularly the contributions from wealthy nations to support poorer countries in adapting to climate change and transitioning to low-carbon economies. Last year, after tense negotiations, COP29 agreed that wealthy countries would provide $300 billion annually in climate finance to developing nations by 2035 — still short of actual needs. They also targeted raising $1.3 trillion from public and private sources annually by that year, but details are sparse. Developing countries will be pushing for clear, actionable commitments at COP30. A significant focus is on funding adaptation efforts, such as coastal defenses, to help nations vulnerable to climate impacts.
Forests:
Brazil was chosen to host COP30 due to its proximity to the Amazon, drawing global attention to the rainforest’s critical role in combating climate change. The summit will launch the Tropical Forests Forever Facility (TFFF), a new global initiative designed to reward countries with substantial tropical forest cover that successfully preserve their trees. The fund aims to raise up to $25 billion from Ally countries and an additional $100 billion from the private sector, with Brazil committing $1 billion so far. Greenpeace expert Clement Helary noted that the TFFF could be a positive step for protecting tropical forests if COP30 also delivers concrete plans to end deforestation by 2030. Despite these efforts, deforestation in the rainforest reached record highs in 2024, with about 18 football fields of forest lost every minute, mainly due to large-scale fires.
ChatGPT
Perplexity
Gemini AI
Grok AI
