Leaders from 50 nations meet in Brazil’s Amazon for climate talks, with US skipping summit and focus on rainforest protection and adaptation funding
BELÉM: World leaders are gathering in the Brazilian Amazon city of Belém for a major climate summit ahead of next week’s UN COP30 negotiations.
Approximately 50 heads of state and government are expected for the two-day meeting starting Thursday in the rainforest city.
The United States is notably absent from the gathering, with President Donald Trump having previously dismissed climate science as a “con job.”
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron are attending, while China and India are sending deputies or climate ministers instead.
The summit location in Belém has faced criticism due to limited infrastructure and expensive hotel accommodations affecting smaller delegations.
Authorities invested in renovations, but building works remained ongoing just hours before the leaders’ summit opening.
Brazil aims to demonstrate continued global commitment to climate action despite broken promises and geopolitical challenges.
The US absence creates an awkward backdrop alongside Brazil’s recent approval of oil drilling near the Amazon River mouth.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has acknowledged the world will miss the target of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Brazil is scrambling to provide affordable accommodation, securing cruise ship cabins for low-income country delegations.
The hosts face challenges rallying climate action amid wars, tariff disputes, and populist backlash against green policies.
A recent vote to reduce global shipping pollution failed under US pressure, highlighting the difficult political landscape.
Greenpeace Brazil executive director Carolina Pasquali said leaders must deliver “a clear mandate to the COP to be ambitious.”
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva emphasized implementation over new discussions, stating “enough talking.”
The country is pushing for a global fund to reward tropical nations for protecting rainforests.
Adaptation funding has become a key focus, particularly for vulnerable nations facing climate disasters.
Developing countries seek concrete details on boosting climate finance to $1.3 trillion annually by 2035.
Current commitments would still lead to 2.5 degrees Celsius warming by century’s end, far exceeding Paris Agreement goals.
Small island states warn they cannot adapt to warming exceeding two degrees Celsius.
Lula said Brazil wants to “propose a roadmap for reducing fossil fuels” but acknowledged the difficulty of this conversation. – AFP
