An Age of Fine Addresses and Noble Aims is Over: Brazil's UN Climate Conference Will Be About Action
Today, within Brazil's Amazon region, the Belém conference commences prior to the UN's 30th climate summit (Conference of the Parties 30). Leaders have been gathered by me world leaders in the days leading up to the conference to ensure collective dedication to taking swift measures with the necessary speed the climate crisis demands.
If we fail to move beyond rhetoric to tangible steps, public trust will diminish – not just in climate conferences, and in international cooperation along with global diplomacy in general. This is the reason for convening officials to the rainforest: to establish this as the "truthful Cop", the occasion where we prove the seriousness of our shared commitment toward Earth.
Humanity has shown its ability to conquer major obstacles when it acts together and is guided by science. We protected the ozone layer. The global response to the Covid-19 pandemic proved that the world can act decisively when there is courage and political will.
The Earth Summit was held in Brazil back in 1992. We approved the conventions on climate, biodiversity and desertification, and adopted principles that defined a fresh model for protecting our planet and our humanity. During the last three decades, these meetings have yielded key accords and targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions – including halting deforestation by 2030 to tripling renewable energy capacity.
After over thirty years, the world returns to Brazil to confront climate change. There's a reason why Cop30 is being held deep within the Amazon jungle. This is an opportunity for politicians, diplomats, scientists, activists and journalists to observe the Amazon's actual conditions. We want the world to see the true state of the forests, the planet’s largest river basin, and the millions of people who live in the region. Cops cannot be mere showcases of good ideas or annual gatherings for negotiators. They should serve as encounters with actuality and of effective action to tackle climate change.
To confront this crisis together, we need resources. It's crucial to acknowledge that the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities remains the non-negotiable foundation of any climate pact. This is why developing nations call for greater access to resources – not as aid, but justice. Wealthy nations have gained the most from the carbon-based economy. They must now rise to their responsibilities, not only by making commitments but by honouring their debts.
Brazil is doing its part. Within just two years, we have already halved deforestation in the Amazon, showing that concrete climate action is possible.
In Belém, we will launch a novel program for forest conservation: the TFFF fund. It is innovative because it operates as an investment fund, rather than a charity system. The fund will compensate forest preservers and contributors to the fund. A true mutually beneficial strategy to tackling climate change. Setting an example, Brazil has pledged $1 billion to the TFFF, and we expect equally ambitious announcements from other countries.
We also demonstrated leadership through becoming the second country to present a new nationally determined contribution (NDC). Brazil has vowed to cut its emissions from 59% to 67%, including all emission types and every economic area. In this spirit, we call on all countries to present equally ambitious NDCs and to execute them thoroughly.
The energy transition is fundamental to meeting Brazil’s NDC. Our energy matrix is among the cleanest in the world, as 88% of our power is renewable. We are a leader in biofuels and are progressing in wind, solar, and green hydrogen.
Redirecting revenues from oil production to finance a just, orderly and equitable energy transition is vital. In the long run, oil companies worldwide, including Brazil’s Petrobras, will transform into energy companies, because a growth model based on fossil fuels is unsustainable.
People must be at the centre in climate policy choices and the shift to clean energy. It's important to acknowledge that the most vulnerable sectors of our society are the most affected by the impacts of climate change, this is why equitable transition and adjustment strategies should target reducing disparities.
It's crucial to remember that 2 billion people lack access to clean technologies and fuels for cooking, and 673 million people still live with hunger. To address this, we will launch in Belém a declaration on hunger, poverty and climate. Our pledge to combat climate change must be directly linked to the fight against hunger.
It is also fundamental that we push for changes in international governance. Currently, international cooperation is hindered by the stagnation within the UN Security Council. Established to maintain peace, it has not stopped conflicts. It is our duty, therefore to fight for the reform of this institution. During Cop30, we will push for the creation of a UN climate change council linked to the general assembly. It would be a new governance structure with the force and legitimacy to ensure that countries deliver on their promises, and a practical move towards reversing the current paralysis in global cooperation.
During each environmental summit, numerous commitments are made but see too few real commitments. The era of declarations of good intentions has ended: the time for action plans has arrived. That is why today we begin the "truthful Cop".