Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
As the United Nations prepares to convene the 30th Climate Conference (COP30) in Belém, Brazil, global leaders and UN officials have issued stark warnings that the world is failing to meet its commitments under the Paris Agreement to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. The high-level gathering, held ahead of the November 10–21 conference, brought together approximately 50 heads of state and government in a city located in the heart of the Amazon, highlighting the urgency of climate action.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres did not mince words, describing decades of inaction as both a moral failure and a “deadly neglect” of the planet. “The world has failed to stay below 1.5 degrees compared to pre-industrial levels,” he said, emphasizing that urgent, immediate action is required to avoid catastrophic consequences.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva echoed these concerns, warning that the window for meaningful climate action is rapidly closing. He criticized extremist political forces for spreading misinformation to serve electoral agendas, a practice he said directly undermines global environmental efforts. French President Emmanuel Macron urged countries to embrace “multilateralism over isolationism” and “science over ideology,” framing the climate crisis as a test of international cooperation and rational policymaking.
Other leaders also highlighted systemic challenges. Félix Tshisekedi, president of the Democratic Republic of Congo, expressed frustration at insufficient and poorly targeted international climate financing. Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin observed that attention is increasingly diverted to other geopolitical and economic crises, leaving fewer leaders willing to speak candidly about climate risks.
China used the occasion to press for the removal of trade barriers on “green products,” reflecting ongoing tensions in global commerce while linking environmental policy to economic interests. Meanwhile, UN officials warned that 2025 is projected to be among the three hottest years on record, underscoring the rapid pace of climate change despite decades of warnings.
Belém itself, a city of approximately 1.4 million residents, half of whom live in informal settlements—presented logistical challenges for the summit. Limited infrastructure, high hotel costs, and security requirements necessitated the deployment of roughly 10,000 security personnel alongside 7,500 military troops. Despite these constraints, participation from nearly all countries signals a shared recognition of the climate emergency. The United States, however, announced it would not send a delegation, reflecting the former administration’s stance that climate concerns are exaggerated.
In parallel with these discussions, Brazil unveiled a $1 billion investment fund dedicated to forest protection, with Norway pledging three times that amount and Indonesia committing an additional $1 billion. France announced plans to contribute an extra 500 million euros by 2030, while Germany and Portugal indicated they would also participate, though Portugal’s initial pledge is symbolic at one million euros.
Unlike symbolic gestures of the past, Brazil is pushing for COP30 to deliver concrete commitments and enforceable follow-ups on previous promises, particularly in renewable energy development and forest conservation. The summit in Belém underscores the urgent need to translate climate rhetoric into measurable action, as the planet edges ever closer to critical temperature thresholds.
With 170 countries participating, COP30 presents an opportunity to reinvigorate stalled international climate efforts and hold nations accountable for their pledges, while also confronting the geopolitical and economic tensions that continue to complicate global cooperation on climate change.
