An Era of Eloquent Addresses and Noble Aims is Over: The Cop30 Focuses On Action
Today, within Brazil's Amazon region, the Belém summit opens ahead of the UN's 30th climate summit (Conference of the Parties 30). I have convened world leaders in the days leading up to the conference so that we can all commit to acting with the urgency that the environmental emergency requires.
If we fail to move beyond speeches into real action, public trust will diminish – not only in the Cops, and in international cooperation along with global diplomacy in general. That is why I have summoned leaders to the Amazon: to establish this as the "truthful Cop", the moment we demonstrate our collective dedication's gravity to the planet.
Humanity has shown its ability to overcome great challenges through united efforts and is guided by science. We protected the ozone layer. The global response to the Covid-19 pandemic showed that decisive global action is possible with bravery and governmental determination.
Brazil hosted the Earth Summit in 1992. Agreements on climate, biodiversity, and desertification were endorsed, and principles were embraced that established a fresh model for protecting our planet and our humanity. Over the past 33 years, these meetings have yielded key accords and goals for cutting emissions – including halting deforestation by 2030 to increasing renewable energy threefold.
After over thirty years, the world returns to Brazil to confront climate change. There's a reason why Cop30 is being held deep within the Amazon jungle. This is an opportunity for politicians, diplomats, scientists, activists and journalists to observe the Amazon's actual conditions. We want the world to see the forests' real status, Earth's biggest river system, and the millions of people who live in the region. Cops cannot be mere showcases of good ideas or yearly meetings for delegates. They must be moments of contact with reality and opportunities for real steps against environmental shifts.
To jointly address this emergency, we need resources. And we must recognise that the concept of shared yet varied duties stays as the fixed basis for all climate agreements. This is why developing nations call for increased resource availability – not out of charity, but as fairness. Rich countries have benefited the most from the carbon-based economy. They should now fulfill their obligations, not just through pledges but by repaying what they owe.
Brazil is doing its part. In only two years, Amazon deforestation has been cut by half by us, showing that concrete climate action is possible.
At Belém, we are introducing an innovative initiative to preserve forests: the TFFF fund. Its novelty lies in functioning as a financial investment tool, not a donation mechanism. The TFFF will reward those who keep their forests standing and those who invest in the fund. A true mutually beneficial strategy to tackling climate change. Setting an example, Brazil has announced an investment of $1bn in the TFFF, and we anticipate similarly bold pledges from other nations.
We also set an example by being the second nation to submit a fresh NDC. Brazil has vowed to cut its emissions by 59% to 67%, covering all greenhouse gases and every economic area. In this spirit, we call on all countries to propose similarly bold NDCs and to implement them effectively.
Shifting energy sources is crucial to meeting Brazil’s NDC. Our energy mix is one of the globe's greenest, as 88% of our power is renewable. We are a leader in biofuels and are advancing in wind, solar and green hydrogen energy.
Redirecting revenues from oil production to finance a just, orderly and equitable energy transition will be essential. Over time, global petroleum firms, including Brazil’s Petrobras, will evolve into energy providers, because a growth model based on fossil fuels is unsustainable.
Individuals should be the focus of political decisions about climate and the energy transition. We must recognise that society's most at-risk groups are the most affected by the impacts of climate change, this is why equitable transition and adjustment strategies should target reducing disparities.
It's crucial to remember that 2 billion people lack access to clean cooking methods and fuels, and over 673 million face hunger. To address this, we will launch in Belém a declaration on hunger, poverty and climate. Our pledge to combat climate change should be closely tied to the effort to end hunger.
It is equally essential that we push for changes in international governance. Currently, multilateralism suffers from the paralysis within the UN Security Council. Created to preserve peace, it has failed to prevent wars. It is our duty, therefore to fight for the reform of this institution. At Cop30, we will advocate for establishing a UN climate council linked to the general assembly. It would be a new governance structure with the power and credibility to guarantee nations fulfill their pledges, and an effective step toward reversing the current paralysis in global cooperation.
During each environmental summit, numerous commitments are made yet few concrete actions follow. The era of declarations of good intentions has ended: the moment for implementation plans is here. This is why we commence today the “Cop of truth”.