BELEM, Brazil: Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva issued a stark warning on Friday, urging a rapid transition away from fossil fuels to prevent climate catastrophe. Speaking at a summit in the Amazon ahead of COP 30, Lula said humanity could no longer sustain the centuries-old development model reliant on coal, oil, and gas.
“Earth can no longer sustain the development model based on the intensive use of fossil fuels that has prevailed over the past 200 years,” Lula said, emphasizing that the future of energy will determine “success or failure in the battle against climate change.”
The summit highlighted the urgency of action as the last decade has been the hottest on record, marked by severe hurricanes, heatwaves, and wildfires. Lula’s call comes despite Brazil approving new oil drilling in the Amazon, drawing criticism from climate activists.
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Other world leaders echoed concerns about the climate crisis. Rwanda’s environment minister Bernadette Arakwiye noted, “We can continue with incremental progress while the planet burns, or we can rise to meet the scale of this crisis.”
A proposal for a luxury flight tax was backed by France, Spain, and Kenya, aiming to have high-polluting premium travelers pay more for their contribution to global warming. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said, “It is only fair that those who have more and pollute more should pay their fair share.”
Despite setbacks, including the absence of leaders from major polluting countries such as the United States, the summit raised over $5 billion for a new fund to preserve tropical forests, rewarding countries that refrain from deforestation.
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However, NGOs criticized the summit for lacking concrete commitments, especially from wealthy nations, on phasing out fossil fuels and providing climate financing to affected populations.
UN climate chief Simon Stiell highlighted that global cooperation has made progress: “Because of it, the curve has bent below 3C — still perilous, but proof that climate cooperation works.”
COP 30, scheduled to begin next week, will further address the urgent need to reduce emissions and transition to cleaner energy worldwide.
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