A A fortnight of marathon talks marred by indigenous protests, the notable absence of the US, the world’s second-biggest polluter, and a massive fire that forced the evacuation of the venue, concluded with an agreement that many consider weak given the scale of the climate crisis.
has been a major point of contention A roadmap to move away from fossil fuels, the burning of which produces most of the emissions that warm the planet and moderate extreme weather.
Over 80 countries – including Colombia, Germany and Kenya had said the final deal would depend on a concrete action plan to deliver on previous hard-earned pledges to move beyond coal, oil and gas.
But this idea faced a lot of opposition A group of Arab countries, including petrostates such as Saudi Arabia, did not make it into the final document.
Instead, the deal proposes a voluntary initiative to accelerate the implementation of national climate plans and encourage international cooperation to keep the Paris Agreement’s 1.5 °C (2.7 °F) target alive.
country aAn annual dialogue was also agreed to monitor progress towards keeping temperatures below the threshold the world is currently on track to reach soon.
At the closing session, COP30 President Andrés Correa do Lago announced that he would lead two voluntary roadmaps – one to transition away from fossil fuels in a fair, orderly and equitable manner, and the other to halt and reverse deforestation.
Although these roadmaps are not part of a formal UN agreement, all countries are invited to join. He also announced the first conference to be held in Colombia in April next year on ending dependence on oil, gas and coal.
Panama’s chief negotiator Juan Carlos Monterrey Gomez Said The COP and the UN system are failing the people “on a historic scale”, and so are the negotiators “Protecting the same industries that created this crisis: the fossil fuel industry and the forces driving global deforestation.”
European Union Climate Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra said Europe would have liked a more ambitious deal, but it was at least going in the “right direction” because it was “taking a very important step forward” in terms of financing adaptation that would benefit poorer countries bearing the brunt of climate impacts.
More money for climate adaptation
thThe final deal includes a call for wealthy countries to at least triple funding to $40 billion (€34.7 billion) annually by 2035 to help vulnerable countries cope with extreme weather.
Problem It was one of the main battlefields of COP.
“The developing world cannot afford the rising costs of adaptation,” said a member of Colombia’s delegation.
Developing countries at the forefront of climate change will need about $310 billion (€266 billion) a year by 2035 to fund projects like strengthening buildings or updating hurricane infrastructure, according to a report by the UN Environment Programme.
Some developing countries were angry with thisHe insisted on linking action on fossil fuels with increased adaptation finance, accusing rich countries, including the EU, of holding poor states to ransom on the issue.
richard Muyun, Tanzania’s presidential envoy and current chair of the Group of African Nations, said the continent emits 4% of total global greenhouse gases and has done little to contribute to global warming.
,It’s like you’re trading our lives for something we never did anything for. So they were saying, ‘If you don’t accept the phaseout, we can’t give you the triple of adaptations.’ We said, ‘We can’t accept this,'” said Muyung, whose country has significant fossil fuel reserves that it wants to develop with Saudi Arabia’s help.
differences on trade
The last text also notes Measures to combat climate change should not result in hidden trade barriers. This involves the establishment of a series of dialogues between countries and international bodies such as the World Trade Organisation. This would leave more room for countries to fight over disagreements over controversial green trade measures.
Climate Think Thanks Jordan Dilworth, policy advisor at E3G, said the inclusion of a forum to discuss trade was key Concessions by parties such as the EU.
,This has been a historic COP for trade, demonstrating how the COP process is adapting to the changing geopolitical landscape by removing long-standing barriers to trade discussions, Dilworth said in a statement.
China and India have clashed with the EU over the carbon border adjustment mechanism. The CBAM adds a levy on carbon-intensive imports that would make products from countries that are slow to transition to renewable energy less competitive in the EU.
But the EU says CBAM is needed to provide a level playing field for companies producing within the bloc, which would be subject to strict carbon pricing under its internal emissions trading scheme, and prevent them from relocating.
Early victories for forests and indigenous rights
Forests, vital for climate stability and biodiversity, were largely under discussion at the talks held on the edge of the world’s largest rainforest, which is also an important CO2 store.
“Without forests, we cannot achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement,” said a spokesperson for the delegation, pushing for a roadmap to stop deforestation to be included in the COP agreement.
An early win came in the form of the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF), which aims to raise $125 billion using bond investments to reward countries that conserve their forests while paying interest to private investors.
Of this total amount, approximately $25 billion will come from public financing in the form of guarantees, designed to leverage and attract an additional $100 billion in private capital.
brazil, Indonesia and Germany pledged €1 billion ($1.15 billion), while Norway pledged about €3 billion. Pledges also came from Portugal, France, the Netherlands and other countries.
Many praised the “innovative approach” to conservation financing. The Rainforest Action Network (RAN) welcomed the goals of the TFFF but warned that “the fund cannot succeed as long as banks and investors remain free to drive deforestation.”
The final agreement emphasized a roadmap to end deforestation by 2030, although this proved unsuccessful. emphasized “Importance of conservation, protection and restoration of nature and ecosystems.”
As protests for greater representation and land rights began alongside COP30 proceedings, Brazil also announced it would create 10 new indigenous territories. This is the first step towards identifying their land, which should be advised aboutApproved by Presidential order.
This is also the first COP agreement Referring to African-descendant communities. This comes shortly after Lula signed Decree 28 recognizing quilombo lands operated by descendants of freed slaves across Brazil.
Providing land rights to indigenous people and communities It is seen as a key measure to fight the climate crisis. Deforestation rates are very low on the lands they call home and manage.
“If forests disappear, we all, humanity itself, will disappear.” Israelita Bejarra Garcia, a vendor at the COP indigenous village and member of the Satere Mawe people, told DW.
putting climate on the agenda
Held a decade after the historic Paris Agreement, COP30 also served as a strong A reminder of how far off track the world is. If policies do not change, scientists estimate a catastrophic temperature rise of between 2.6°C and 2.8°C by 2100.
National Climate Action Plans – known as NDCs, the United Nations requires from countries Present before COP30 – has been criticized for falling far short of meeting the agreed target in 2015.
Turkey will host the two-week summit next year and will share responsibilities for running the summit with Australia, after an agreement was reached between the countries in a long-running standoff over where COP31 would take place.
With additional reporting from Giulia Saudelli in Belém, Brazil
Edited by: Jennifer Collins, Tamsin Walker