Every year, the U. N. climate conference, known as COP, draws global attention to efforts to combat climate change. This year’s conference starts on Monday in Belem, Brazil. COP stands for Conference of the Parties, which are countries that signed the U. N. climate treaty in 1992, known as the U. N. Framework on Climate Change Convention (UNFCCC). This treaty committed countries to work together to address climate change and established that rich countries, which emit most greenhouse gases, have a greater responsibility in solving the issue.
Brazil holds the presidency for this year’s summit and has been preparing throughout the year to guide countries towards shared goals. The conference brings together leaders, civil society groups, businesses, and financiers, creating a platform for discussions on geopolitical and financial matters related to climate change. This year’s summit marks 30 years since the original Rio Earth Summit, demonstrating Brazil’s commitment to including the voices of vulnerable communities, particularly indigenous groups, in the discussions.
Brazil is asking countries to focus on fulfilling previous commitments, such as phasing out fossil fuels, instead of making new promises. Additionally, COP30 is the first summit to acknowledge the failure in achieving the goal of limiting warming to below 1.5 degrees Celsius. The summit location in the Amazon underlines the importance of forests threatened by various industries.
National governments typically send delegations, often organizing in groups based on shared interests. Key voices include the Alliance of Small Island States and the G77+China bloc. The United States has reduced its role, allowing countries like China and Brazil to take more leadership. The COP venue is very active, with campaigns for various causes and corporations lobbying for changes in policy.
The first week of the summit focuses on negotiators sharing priorities and forming themes, while the second week involves national ministers finalizing decisions. The negotiations can be tense and led to overnight bargaining sessions for compromises. The conference often concludes with delays before final decisions are made by consensus.
With information from Reuters