An Age of Fine Speeches and Good Aims is Finished: The UN Climate Conference Focuses On Action

Today, in the Brazilian Amazon, the Belém summit opens ahead of the 30th United Nations climate change conference (Conference of the Parties 30). I have convened global heads of state during the period before the conference to ensure collective dedication to acting with the urgency that the environmental emergency requires.

If we fail to move beyond rhetoric to tangible steps, public trust will diminish – not only in the Cops, and in international cooperation and international politics more broadly. That is why I have summoned officials to the rainforest: to establish this as the "truthful Cop", the occasion where we prove the seriousness of our shared commitment toward Earth.

People have demonstrated their capacity to overcome great challenges through united efforts and is guided by science. The ozone layer was safeguarded by us. The global response to the Covid-19 pandemic proved that the world can act decisively when there is courage and political will.

The Earth Summit was held in Brazil back in 1992. Agreements on climate, biodiversity, and desertification were endorsed, and adopted principles that defined a fresh model for protecting Earth and humankind. During the last three decades, these gatherings have produced important agreements and targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions – from ending deforestation by 2030 to increasing renewable energy threefold.

More than three decades later, global attention returns to Brazil to address the climate issue. It is no coincidence that Cop30 takes place in the heart of the Amazon rainforest. It offers a chance for leaders, envoys, researchers, campaigners, and reporters to observe the Amazon's actual conditions. We want the world to see the true state of the forests, Earth's biggest river system, and the millions of people who live in the region. Cops cannot be mere showcases of good ideas or yearly meetings for delegates. They should serve as encounters with actuality and opportunities for real steps against environmental shifts.

To confront this crisis together, financial support is essential. It's crucial to acknowledge that the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities stays as the fixed basis of any climate pact. This is why developing nations call for increased resource availability – not out of charity, but as fairness. Rich countries have benefited the most from the carbon-based economy. They should now fulfill their obligations, not only by making commitments but by repaying what they owe.

Brazil is fulfilling its role. In only two years, Amazon deforestation has been cut by half by us, demonstrating that real environmental measures can work.

In Belém, we will launch a novel program for forest conservation: the TFFF fund. It is innovative because it operates as an investment fund, not a donation mechanism. The TFFF will reward those who keep their forests standing and contributors to the fund. A genuine win-win approach to tackling climate change. Setting an example, Brazil has pledged $1 billion to the TFFF, and we expect equally ambitious announcements from other countries.

We also demonstrated leadership through being the second nation to present a new nationally determined contribution (NDC). Brazil has vowed to cut its emissions from 59% to 67%, covering all greenhouse gases and all sectors of the economy. With this mindset, we urge all nations to propose similarly bold NDCs and to implement them effectively.

The energy transition is fundamental to meeting Brazil’s NDC. Our energy mix is one of the globe's greenest, as 88% of our power is renewable. We excel in biofuel production and are progressing in wind, solar, and green hydrogen.

Redirecting revenues from oil production to finance a just, orderly and equitable energy transition will be essential. In the long run, global petroleum firms, including Brazil’s Petrobras, will evolve into energy providers, because a growth model based on fossil fuels is unsustainable.

People must be at the centre in climate policy choices and the shift to clean energy. We must recognise that society's most at-risk groups suffer the most from environmental effects, which is why just transition and adaptation plans must aim to combat inequality.

We cannot forget that 2 billion people lack access to clean cooking methods and fuels, and 673 million people still live with hunger. In response, we will launch in Belém a statement on hunger, poverty, and climate. Our commitment to fight global warming should be closely tied to the effort to end hunger.

It is equally essential that we advance the reform of global governance. Currently, multilateralism suffers from the paralysis of the UN security council. Created to preserve peace, it has not stopped conflicts. Hence, it is our responsibility to advocate for reforming this body. At Cop30, we will advocate for the creation of a UN climate change council linked to the general assembly. This would form a fresh governance framework with the power and credibility to guarantee nations fulfill their pledges, and an effective step toward overcoming the present deadlock of the multilateral system.

During each environmental summit, we hear many promises but see too few real commitments. The era of declarations of good intentions has ended: the time for action plans has arrived. This is why we commence today the "truthful Cop".