BELEM, Brazil: Leaders at a global climate summit in Belem on Thursday criticized the fractured international consensus on climate action, taking aim at countries that have delayed measures to curb emissions. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned nations for failing to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, highlighting billions spent on lobbying and fossil fuel subsidies.
Missing from the summit were leaders from four of the world’s five largest polluters – the United States, China, India, and Russia – though European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and China’s vice premier attended. The US administration, represented only by officials in Greece, faced criticism for prioritizing fossil fuel deals over climate talks.
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Speaking at the summit, several leaders emphasized the urgency of climate action. Chilean President Gabriel Boric called climate denial a “lie,” while Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin stressed that political leadership is vital to address the escalating crisis. Meanwhile, Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Barbados’ Prime Minister Mia Mottley urged the formation of a “coalition of the willing” to advance climate initiatives.
The summit also highlighted Brazil’s Tropical Forests Forever Facility, a multilateral fund aimed at conserving endangered forests. Norway pledged $3 billion, and France committed 500 million euros, with the fund expected to reach an initial $10 billion goal sooner than planned. Organizers hope the initiative will attract private investments to meet a $125 billion target within three years.
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The COP30 conference, marking three decades of global climate negotiations, comes amid record global temperatures, prompting calls for immediate multilateral action to prevent extreme warming in the coming decades.