Why in news?
The city of Belém in Brazil’s Amazon region will host the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP‑30) to the UNFCCC from 10–21 November 2025. It is the first time that a climate summit will be held in the Amazon, and it is expected to spotlight deforestation, indigenous rights and climate finance ahead of the next round of national commitments. Brazil’s government has invited the world to witness the “lungs of the Earth” and discuss pathways to curb global warming.
Background
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is a treaty adopted at the United Nations Headquarters on 9 May 1992 and opened for signature at the Rio Earth Summit in June 1992. It entered into force on 21 March 1994 and today has universal membership with 198 parties. The Convention’s goal is to stabilise greenhouse gas concentrations “at a level that will prevent dangerous human interference with the climate system”. It establishes the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, meaning that all countries must act to curb emissions but developed nations should take the lead and support developing countries.
Annual meetings of the parties are known as Conferences of the Parties (COPs). These summits review progress, negotiate new commitments and set the agenda for global climate action. COP‑3 in Kyoto (1997) produced the Kyoto Protocol; COP‑21 in Paris (2015) adopted the Paris Agreement aimed at limiting global temperature rise to well below 2 °C; and COP‑27 in Sharm el‑Sheikh (2022) agreed to establish a loss‑and‑damage fund. COP‑30 in Belém will mark the first global stock‑take under the Paris Agreement and is expected to raise ambition for 2035 nationally determined contributions.
Significance of COP‑30 in the Amazon
- Focus on forests: Holding the summit in the world’s largest tropical forest is meant to draw attention to deforestation, biodiversity loss and the need to protect carbon sinks. Brazil hopes to showcase its efforts to curb illegal logging and restore degraded landscapes.
- Platform for indigenous voices: The Amazon is home to hundreds of indigenous communities. COP‑30 is expected to provide a platform for these communities to demand recognition of land rights and equitable climate finance.
- Bridging the North–South divide: Developing countries argue that wealthy nations must scale up finance and technology transfer to enable low‑carbon development. Brazil intends to use the summit to push for greater support for the Global South.
- Global stock‑take: Under the Paris Agreement, 2023–24 saw the first assessment of collective progress towards the treaty’s goals. COP‑30 will translate that assessment into stronger national commitments for 2035 and beyond.
Source: UNFCCC – The Convention; Down To Earth