Thousands Rally in Amazon for Climate Action Ahead of COP30 Talks

In the lead-up to the second week of the COP30 climate conference, a massive demonstration by tens of thousands of climate, nature, and land activists in Belém, Brazil, has set the stage for the high-level political phase of the negotiations.

As ministers arrive to grapple with the thorniest issues, developing countries are insisting on much higher levels of climate finance from wealthy industrialized nations to assist with the energy transition and compensate for the loss and damage already being suffered due to global heating. There have also been productive talks on a just transition for those affected by the shift to a low-carbon economy, with strong support from the G77 group of countries, China, and labor unions.

However, the conference has been snarled up in disputes over subjects like trade, transparency, finance, and the shortfall between planned emissions cuts and the reductions required to limit warming to 1.5°C. The fossil fuel phaseout, while not officially on the agenda, has been a major point of contention, with Brazil's environment minister calling for the "courage" to address this fundamental issue.

With the world already failing to meet the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C target and global warming projected to reach 2.5°C by the end of the century, the need for urgent action has never been more apparent. As the COP30 host, Brazil is seeking a space within the process for talks on a roadmap to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels, a move supported by many Global South nations and island states.