An Age of Eloquent Addresses and Noble Aims is Finished: The UN Climate Conference Will Be About Concrete Steps
Today, within Brazil's Amazon region, the Belém summit opens ahead of the UN's 30th climate summit (Conference of the Parties 30). Leaders have been gathered by me world leaders during the period before the conference to ensure collective dedication to acting with the urgency the climate crisis demands.
Should we not progress past speeches into real action, our societies will lose faith – not only in the Cops, but in multilateralism and international politics more broadly. That is why I have summoned officials to the rainforest: to establish this as the "truthful Cop", the moment we demonstrate the seriousness of our shared commitment 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 when there is courage and political will.
The Earth Summit was held in Brazil back in 1992. We approved the conventions on climate, biodiversity and desertification, and principles were embraced that established a new paradigm for preserving Earth and humankind. Over the past 33 years, these meetings have yielded key accords and goals for cutting emissions – from ending deforestation by 2030 to increasing renewable energy threefold.
More than three decades later, global attention returns to Brazil to address the climate issue. There's a reason why Cop30 is being held in the heart of the Amazon rainforest. 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 true state of the forests, Earth's biggest river system, and the millions of people who live in the region. Climate conferences must not just display concepts or yearly meetings for delegates. They should serve as encounters with actuality and opportunities for real steps against environmental shifts.
To confront this crisis together, financial support is essential. And we must recognise that the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities stays as the fixed basis for all climate agreements. This is why developing nations call for greater access to resources – not out of charity, but as fairness. Rich countries have benefited the most from the carbon-based economy. They must now rise to their responsibilities, not only by making commitments but by repaying what they owe.
Brazil is fulfilling its role. In only two years, Amazon deforestation has been cut by half by us, demonstrating that real environmental measures can work.
At Belém, we are introducing a novel program for forest conservation: the Tropical Forests Forever Facility (TFFF). It is innovative because it operates as a financial investment tool, rather than a charity system. 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 expect equally ambitious announcements from other nations.
We also demonstrated leadership through being the second nation to submit a fresh NDC. Brazil has committed to reducing its emissions by 59% to 67%, including all emission types and all sectors of the economy. In this spirit, we call on all countries to propose similarly bold NDCs and to execute them thoroughly.
Shifting energy sources is crucial to meeting Brazil’s NDC. Our energy matrix is among the cleanest in the world, with 88% of our electricity coming from renewable sources. We are a leader in biofuels and are progressing in wind, solar, and green hydrogen.
Redirecting revenues from oil production to finance a just, orderly and equitable energy transition will be essential. Over time, oil companies worldwide, including Brazil’s Petrobras, will evolve into energy providers, because a growth model based on fossil fuels is unsustainable.
Individuals should be the focus in climate policy choices and the shift to clean energy. It's important to acknowledge that the most vulnerable sectors of our society 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 two billion individuals have no access to clean technologies and fuels for cooking, and over 673 million face hunger. To address this, we are introducing in Belém a statement on hunger, poverty, and climate. Our pledge to combat climate change must be directly linked to the effort to end hunger.
It is also fundamental 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 not stopped conflicts. Hence, it is our responsibility to advocate for reforming this body. During Cop30, we will push for establishing a UN climate council connected to the General Assembly. This would form a fresh governance framework with the power and credibility to ensure that countries deliver on their promises, and a practical move towards reversing the current paralysis in global cooperation.
At every climate conference, we hear many promises yet few concrete actions follow. The era of declarations of good intentions has ended: the moment for implementation plans is here. That is why today we begin the “Cop of truth”.