Brazil Outlines Vision for COP30 in Belém: A Turning Point for Climate Action

Brazil has unveiled its vision and priorities for the forthcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30), which will take place from 10–21 November 2025 in Belém, in the heart of the Amazon rainforest. The briefing, hosted by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in Geneva, brought together diplomats, climate officials, and civil society representatives to discuss how COP30 can move the world from pledges to concrete action.

Brazil’s Vision: A COP of Implementation and Truth

Ambassador André Corrêa do Lago, Brazil’s COP30 President-designate, set out an ambitious agenda that emphasizes inclusivity, science, and implementation. He stressed that COP30 will not only involve governments but also businesses, civil society, and indigenous communities.

“It is an agenda for job creation and people’s lives. President Lula wants this to be the COP of truth,” Corrêa do Lago said. “He wants people to be told the truth about how climate change will affect their countries, their democracy, their elections, and their access to technology and finance.”

Brazil has designated COP30 as the “implementation COP,” urging countries to adopt more ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) — the climate action plans that underpin the Paris Agreement. The meeting is particularly significant because it coincides with the tenth anniversary of the Paris Agreement, a milestone that places additional pressure on countries to deliver stronger commitments.

The Context: Worsening Climate Crisis

The urgency is underscored by the sobering scientific context. The last decade has been the warmest on record, and 2024 marked the first calendar year in which global average temperatures exceeded 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. The lower Paris temperature goal — limiting warming to 1.5°C — is now in jeopardy, raising fears of crossing dangerous climate tipping points.

WMO: Science as Compass for COP30

In her welcome address, WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo framed COP30 as a potential turning point in global climate governance.

“COP30 aspires to be a moment when the world shifts from ambition to implementation. At the heart of this transformation lies science. Science is our compass,” she said.

Saulo warned that extreme weather and climate impacts are worsening and that the real choice before the world is not whether to act, but whether to act in time, together, and with courage. “The cost of action may seem high. The cost of inaction is much higher,” she cautioned.

She identified three key imperatives:

1. Scaling up systematic observations and research to strengthen climate science.

2. Delivering on adaptation and universal early-warning systems to protect vulnerable populations.

3. Increasing the volume and accountability of climate finance, ensuring funding commitments are transparent and equitable.

A “Global Mutirão” for Sustainability

The Brazilian Presidency has branded COP30 a “Global Mutirão for Sustainability” — a term that evokes a collective effort rooted in solidarity and cooperation. To reinforce this inclusive approach, Brazil has appointed 30 special envoys tasked with creating direct bridges between the Presidency and sectors ranging from business and finance to indigenous and grassroots organizations.

Corrêa do Lago highlighted that Brazil is deliberately involving stakeholders outside the formal government negotiating process. He cited the importance of engaging Brazil’s influential agribusiness sector alongside indigenous groups that have long been guardians of the Amazon.

“We aim at a completely new dynamic — and this dynamic is driven by science,” he said.

Why Belém Matters

The choice of Belém, a city at the gateway to the Amazon, is symbolic. Hosting COP30 in the Amazon places the spotlight on the world’s largest tropical rainforest — a vital carbon sink that plays a critical role in regulating the Earth’s climate. The Amazon is under increasing pressure from deforestation, illegal mining, and climate-driven droughts, making its protection central to global climate goals.

By bringing global leaders, scientists, activists, and businesses to Belém, Brazil hopes to not only emphasize the Amazon’s ecological importance but also showcase sustainable development models for the region.

Looking Ahead to November

With the countdown to COP30 underway, expectations are high. Delegates will be under pressure to agree on:

• More ambitious NDCs to align with the 1.5°C pathway.

• Clearer commitments on climate finance, especially for adaptation.

• Stronger mechanisms for transparency and accountability.

• Practical steps to scale up early warning systems and climate resilience.

Brazil’s vision for COP30 emphasizes that the conference must go beyond diplomatic rhetoric. It must deliver real solutions for people, jobs, and ecosystems, guided by truth, inclusivity, and science.