The fact that the forthcoming COP30 is being held right here therefore does not seem irrelevant to us: it is a political message as well as a climate one. President Lula himself issues what he calls ‘an urgent appeal’. All the nations of the planet are called upon with a single aim, and we quote: ‘to restore mutual trust and the spirit of collective mobilisation for the common good’.
The document goes on to stress the urgency of closing the gaps and invites countries that have not yet done so to submit NDCs (nationally determined contributions) consistent with the current situation, which must take into account the fact that the 1.5° limit now seems to have been exceeded, while CO₂ in many areas of the world continues to rise unchecked.
President Lula seems to want to point out that concrete action is needed, not a new list of goals to be met or promises to be made. The focus is on practical measures that include, for example, funding for developing countries so that they have adequate means to implement change.
But that is not all: a progressive, binding timetable for the phase-out of fossil fuels is also called for. Funding to preserve forests. A global council on climate change. Sustainable finance.
All commendable proposals, certainly, but the Amazon has been waiting for solutions for many years. Deforestation has accelerated considerably, drought has killed even the pink dolphins – we discussed this in our article ‘The pink dolphin massacre’ – and indigenous communities barely hold out, constantly under siege. But now the country seems to declare that it wants to move towards a socio-bioeconomic approach, which should be founded on a living forest and not a felled one. In this sense, COP30 could prove to be a declaration of intent. We shall see.
Brazil is one of the largest economies in the world, with a developed industry, yet the country faces complex challenges related to access to healthcare and education and to land management. These are all problems that require an approach integrating economic, social and environmental aspects.
It would seem that the Brazilian economy no longer wants to rely only on oil and soy, but also on sustainable products, ethical microfinance and, why not, ancestral knowledge.
The creation of the Circles (support circles) seems to follow a practical line: a proposal to make the COP a less ‘diplomatic’ event and one more oriented towards solutions. This is the purpose for which the ‘Circles’ were created, designed to continue activities in support of the COP30 Presidency even after the conference has ended. The groups will act autonomously and there are in fact four: Global Ethical Stocktake, Climate Finance, the People’s Circle, which aims to represent indigenous peoples, and the Circle of Presidents, which brings together the COP presidents from COP21 in 2015 onwards.
Anyone who has followed the COPs for years knows that they are not just meetings between governments. They are also a stage, a showcase, a theatre. Where indigenous peoples, NGOs, multinationals, young activists and old climate bureaucrats all appear. Could Belém be a blatant attempt at change?
Further reading:
https://cop30.br/en
