Fewer promises and more action: Brazil's commitment as host of COP30

On the eve of the first UN climate summit in the Amazon, its president defended the choice of Belém as the host city, even though the scarcity of affordable housing could exclude those that Brazil says it wants to put at the center of the debate.

COP30 President André Corrêa do Lago sent, this Tuesday (12), the fifth open letter to tens of thousands of delegates and observers invited to Belém, a port city of 1.3 million inhabitants, located at the gates of the Amazon rainforest, chosen by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to host the event, which will be held between November 10 and 21.

Corrêa do Lago appears to have ruled out negotiating major new commitments, given a context of diminished interest in more aggressive climate ambition among some key actors.

Instead, Brazil proposes a voluntary “action agenda” that promotes and quantifies the implementation of existing commitments to 30 key goals, including the transition away from fossil fuels.

Following the COPs held in Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and Azerbaijan, Brazil wants to welcome a wide range of participants and give a voice to “the marginalized, the displaced, or those who are unheard,” the letter says.

Check out Corrêa do Lago's interview with AFP below:

QUESTION: You promise to put people "at the center of COP30." How will this Conference of the Parties (COP) be different?

ANSWER: It's special because the objectives, compared to other COPs, are less clear. We must understand that this is a new phase: the ten years since the Paris Agreement have yielded many results.

But we also understand that most people are frustrated with the pace of progress in the fight against climate change. That's why we're so focused on implementing action and how we can translate that into something people understand.

This COP should also be especially diverse because it's being held in the Amazon, in a very diverse society that faces the challenges of poverty and great inequality, but also boasts high-quality science and very good entrepreneurs. Brazil is a bit like a miniature world.

Q: The president of the Alliance of Small Island States said they may have to reduce their delegations due to the prohibitive cost of accommodation in Belém. How will you address this issue?

A: We need inclusivity, we need people to come, and we can't imagine a smaller COP due to accommodation issues. We have to secure accommodations, and we're doing everything we can to achieve that. Otherwise, the COP would truly have a legitimacy problem.

Q: Doesn't this logistical problem obscure what is really important?

A: Brazil chose a city that is not the first option in terms of infrastructure, that's true... But we believe that Belém also has very powerful symbolism.

I believe we can overcome most of these difficulties so that this COP is truly exceptional, with very solid results and delegates who feel comfortable in a city with enormous qualities.

Q: Why have you placed so much emphasis on the “action agenda,” based primarily on voluntary commitments from companies and states?

A: Many people interpret this agenda as something parallel to the COP, which could be considered a distraction. But we decided to transform it into an implementation tool.

Q: But won't this come at the expense of binding commitments in the negotiations?

A: We are working based on what has already been decided by consensus among the countries. But for implementation, we don't need consensus: some countries will go one way, others another. Some sectors may commit to things that the country as a whole cannot promise.

We reviewed the more than 400 initiatives announced since the start of the action agenda (in 2021) to ensure we are building on what has already been done rather than reinventing it.

Q: COP28 ended with an agreement to abandon fossil fuels. Will specific deadlines be set for oil and gas? And is Brazil, where President Lula wants to explore oil near the mouth of the Amazon, the best place for these discussions?

A: We all agree that each country will have its own way of doing this, and companies will have their own way of contributing. It's much more important to take additional measures than to draft new texts.

That said, this issue occupies a very important place on Brazil's agenda, as the country is a champion in renewable energy. At the same time, we have not only become a major oil producer but also have the potential for new discoveries.

Therefore, this debate within Brazil is very important. And it's a debate that, logically, concerns the entire world.

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