The next 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30) will take place in Belem, Brazil. This colorful region, home to several indigenous tribes, is often referred to as the gateway to the Amazon rainforest. This momentous event is set to happen in December 2024, a full 10 years after the Paris Agreement was created. Brazil has picked this venue to underscore the Amazon’s crucial role in global climate action. This decision is intended to focus worldwide attention on the necessity of its preservation and protection.
As delegates convene in Belem, they will be faced with the important reality of emissions and climate finance. The urgency of these conversations is, unfortunately, evident. We cannot afford to have a record-high deforestation rate combined with record-low cuts in greenhouse gas emissions globally. Our goal with this year’s conference is to foster an open dialogue about these challenges while elevating emerging collaborative solutions.
A Decade Since the Paris Agreement
COP30 comes a full 10 years after the historic Paris Agreement. This crucial agreement was an ambitious attempt to keep global warming well below 2 degrees Celsius. Even with this ambitious aim, as the recent Global Goalkeeper’s report shows, the world is not on track to meet its emission reduction targets. Brazil has highlighted the latest round of pledges as “the vision of our shared future,” emphasizing collective responsibility in addressing climate change.
Consider that by the beginning of October, about 60 countries had sent in their updated plans for emission reductions. Then came the disappointing climactic twist, as some countries — most notably China — announced plans that were much, much lower than hoped. This gap raises significant alarms over the world’s collective dedication to ensuring we actually achieve the aspirations set out in the terms of the Paris Agreement.
“Could be a step forward in protecting [tropical forests]” – Clement Helary from Greenpeace
With these challenges looming, COP30 will provide a platform for countries to reassess their commitments and actions toward reducing emissions. The conference is an important opportunity for countries to communicate their plans to each other. They’ll be addressing how to best protect our most vulnerable ecosystems, including the Amazon.
Deforestation Rates and Financial Commitments
The urgency of addressing climate change is dramatically underscored by recent worrying deforestation data. Per Global Forest Watch, the rate of destruction of our most critical ecosystem—tropical primary forests—hit historical highs in 2024. Every minute, the area of 18 football fields goes up in flames due to these extreme fires. This shocking statistic highlights just how dire the threats to these important ecosystems truly are.
Financial commitments are set to be another big item on the agenda for COP30. Just Transition developed nations must fulfill the obligation to provide $300 billion per year in climate finance to developing countries by 2035. Experts argue that this amount falls significantly short of what is necessary for nations to effectively adapt to climate change and transition toward low-carbon futures.
The conference’s vision is a daring one. It would seek to raise $1.3 trillion every year by 2035, from both public and private sources, to fund global climate efforts. Brazil has made clear that it is all-in on climate by pledging $1 billion in climate finance – a historic commitment on the part of Brazil.
Diverging Views and Potential Conflicts
As COP30 draws near, it is evident that money will be the main sticking point and probably the biggest point of contention between each of these nations. Countries like the U.S. and other wealthy nations are failing in their commitments to address climate damages. Developing nations desperately require a greater portion of assistance to counter these pressures. Countries such as Brazil are increasingly attuned to the fact that these countries largely depend on consistent financial support to successfully pursue ambitious actions to limit global warming.
COP30 thus seems set to lack a singular, unifying theme or goal as its predecessors, but it remains pivotal nonetheless. This session is an important inflection point in the global climate dialogue. In that context, the conference welcomes countries to make new commitments. It spurs them to enact immediate measures that respond to the serious climate emergency.