Ahead of the first UN climate summit in the Amazon, its president defended the choice of Belém as the venue, although the shortage of affordable accommodation could exclude those Brazil says it wants to put at the center of the debate.
COP30 President André Correa do Lago sent a fifth open letter on Tuesday to the tens of thousands of delegates and observers invited to Belém, a port city of 1.3 million people located at the gateway to the Amazon, chosen by President Luiz Inácio Lula for the event, which will be held from November 10 to 21.
Correa appears to have ruled out negotiating major new commitments, amid waning interest in more aggressive climate ambition among some key players. Instead, the Brazilians propose a voluntary “action agenda” that promotes and quantifies the implementation of existing commitments for 30 key goals, including the transition away from fossil fuels.
Giving a voice to “the marginalized, the displaced”
Following the COPs held in Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and Azerbaijan, Brazil aims to welcome a wide range of participants and give a voice to “the marginalized, the displaced, or those who are not heard,” according to the letter.
Below is Correa’s interview:
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 by the pace of progress in combating climate change. That’s why we’re so focused on the idea of implementing action and how we can translate that into something people understand.
This COP should also be especially diverse because it’s taking place 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.
The president of the Alliance of Small Island States said they may have to reduce their delegations due to the prohibitive costs of accommodation in Belém. How will you address this issue?
A: We need inclusivity, we need them to come, and we can’t imagine a smaller COP due to accommodation issues. We have to secure rooms, and we’re doing everything we can to achieve that. Otherwise, the COP would really have a legitimacy problem.
Doesn’t this logistical problem overshadow what’s truly important?
A: Brazil has chosen a city that isn’t the first choice in terms of infrastructure, that’s true… But we believe that Belém also has very powerful symbolism.
I think we can overcome most of these difficulties to make this COP truly exceptional, with very solid results and delegates who feel comfortable in a city with enormous qualities.
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 COPs, which could be considered a distraction. But we have decided to turn it into an implementation tool.
But won’t that come at the expense of binding commitments in the negotiations?
A: We are working from what has already been decided by consensus among 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 have 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.
COP28 concluded with an agreement to abandon fossil fuels. Will specific timelines be set for oil and gas? And is Brazil—where Lula wants to explore for oil near the mouth of the Amazon—the best place for these discussions?
A: We all agreed that each country will have its own way of doing this, and companies will have their own way of contributing. It is much more important to take additional measures than to draft new texts.
That said, this issue is very high on Brazil’s agenda, as the country is a champion of renewable energy. At the same time, we have not only become a major oil producer, but we also have the potential for new discoveries.
Therefore, this debate within Brazil is very important. And it’s a debate that, of course, interests everyone.
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