🔗 Share this article

Today, in the Brazilian Amazon, the Belém summit opens ahead of the UN's 30th climate summit (Conference of the Parties 30). I have convened world leaders in the days leading up to the conference so that we can all commit to acting with the urgency that the environmental emergency requires.

If we fail to move beyond rhetoric to tangible steps, public trust will diminish – not only in the Cops, but in multilateralism along with global diplomacy in general. This is the reason for convening officials to the rainforest: to make this the “Cop of truth”, the moment we demonstrate our collective dedication's gravity to the planet.

Humanity has shown its ability to overcome great challenges when it acts together and scientific guidance. The ozone layer was safeguarded by us. Worldwide actions during the Covid-19 crisis proved that the world can act decisively with bravery and governmental determination.

Brazil hosted the Earth Summit in 1992. Agreements on climate, biodiversity, and desertification were endorsed, and adopted principles that defined a fresh model for protecting Earth and humankind. During the last three decades, these gatherings have produced important agreements and goals for cutting emissions – including halting deforestation by 2030 to increasing renewable energy threefold.

After over thirty years, the world returns to Brazil to confront climate change. It is no coincidence that Cop30 takes place in the heart of the Amazon rainforest. It offers a chance for leaders, envoys, researchers, campaigners, and reporters to observe the Amazon's actual conditions. Our aim is for global observation of 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 must be moments of contact with reality and opportunities for real steps against environmental shifts.

To jointly address this emergency, we need resources. It's crucial to acknowledge that the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities stays as the fixed basis for all climate agreements. This is why developing nations call for increased resource availability – not out of charity, but as fairness. Wealthy nations have gained the most from fossil fuel economies. They should now fulfill their obligations, not only by making commitments but by honouring their debts.

Brazil is doing its part. In only two years, we have already halved deforestation in the Amazon, showing that concrete climate action is possible.

At Belém, we are introducing a novel program for forest conservation: the TFFF fund. Its novelty lies in functioning as a financial investment tool, rather than a charity system. The fund will compensate forest preservers and those who invest in the fund. A genuine win-win approach for addressing environmental issues. Setting an example, Brazil has pledged $1 billion to the TFFF, and we expect equally ambitious announcements from other nations.

We also demonstrated leadership through being the second nation to submit a fresh NDC. Brazil has vowed to cut its emissions by 59% to 67%, covering all greenhouse gases and all sectors of the economy. In this spirit, we urge all nations 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, with 88% of our electricity coming from renewable sources. We excel in biofuel production and are progressing in wind, solar, and green hydrogen.

Channeling oil earnings to finance a just, orderly and equitable energy transition is vital. Over time, oil companies worldwide, such as Brazil's Petrobras, will evolve into energy providers, because a growth model based on fossil fuels is unsustainable.

People must be at the centre in climate policy choices and the energy transition. We must recognise that society's most at-risk groups suffer the most from environmental effects, this is why equitable transition and adjustment strategies should target reducing disparities.

It's crucial to remember that two billion individuals have no access to clean technologies and fuels for cooking, and 673 million people still live with hunger. To address this, we are introducing in Belém a statement on hunger, poverty, and climate. Our commitment to fight global warming must be directly linked to the effort to end hunger.

It is equally essential that we advance the reform of global governance. Today, multilateralism suffers from the paralysis of the UN security council. Created to preserve peace, it has failed to prevent wars. It is our duty, therefore to fight for the reform of this institution. At Cop30, we will advocate for establishing a UN climate council linked to the general assembly. This would form a fresh governance framework with the force and legitimacy to guarantee nations fulfill their pledges, 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 moment for implementation plans is here. This is why we commence today the “Cop of truth”.