COP30: Will it be "the COP of truth" for implementing the Paris Agreement?

Paris – COP30 President André Corrêa do Lago is advocating for the summit in Belém to be the “COP of truth,” focused on the effective implementation of the commitments of the Paris Agreement and guided by science, data, and investments.

Corrêa do Lago stressed that the main challenge of COP30, to be held next November, will be "to move from negotiation to implementation" and mobilize all actors, not only governments, but also financial institutions, the private sector and multilateral organizations, to accelerate the ecological transition.

"The truth is science, numbers, investments; that's where it's proven that the fight against climate change is right," Corrêa do Lago said during his speech at the first edition of Climate and Nature Week in Paris, a new European event dedicated to the ecological transition and organized by Sciences Po.

The Brazilian diplomat acknowledged the difficulty of the international context, particularly the United States' withdrawal from climate commitments, but argued that the goal of COP30 will be "to bring them back into the conversation," relying on the leadership of governments, businesses, and local actors who remain committed to climate action.

"We need to work harder to convince the public that this is not a negative agenda, but a positive one," he said.

Oil in the Amazon

Corrêa do Lago also addressed the challenges facing Brazil, the host country of COP30, in light of the recent authorization to explore a new oil field off the Amazon.

He noted that "we need to have an informed debate about oil exploitation in the Amazon, because it is not a simple or emotional issue," and stressed that, despite these tensions, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is committed to the fight against climate change.

He added that Brazil's energy transition, with almost 99% of the population having access to electricity and 90% of generation coming from renewable energy sources, demonstrates that "it is possible to move forward by combining development and sustainability."

Forests as a key climate solution

He also highlighted the role of forests as a key solution against climate change: "Forests can be one of the great climate solutions; they don't offset all emissions, but they do so very significantly."

He cited a new, innovative financing mechanism, managed by the World Bank, that integrates biodiversity and local communities and will allow participants to obtain returns, showing concrete examples of positive action in Brazil and other countries.

He also insisted that the implementation of the decisions adopted since the Paris Agreement "will be the true tribute" to the work of the former presidents of climate summits, gathered in the French capital under the presidency of Laurent Fabius.

At the same event, Fabius stressed that the 2015 agreement remains "a decisive diplomatic success," despite current geopolitical tensions.

For her part, the Vice-President of the European Commission for Ecological Transition, Teresa Ribera, warned of the need to maintain the pace of industrial decarbonization and not to "delay technological transformations" that Europe is already in a position to undertake.

Ribera, who inaugurated the event on Tuesday, referred specifically to the automotive sector, stressing that swift action is key to guaranteeing employment and competitiveness in the green transition. EFEverde

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