Belém's COP30: A decisive step toward a green, clean future

Last October, I wrote in this column about COP30 in Belém, its stakes, the priorities set by the Brazilian presidency and its activation groups, and the opportunities for cooperation with the Philippines on climate action. The results reached in November, I believe, strengthen global climate governance at a crucial moment, marked by increasingly severe natural disasters, such as Typhoon Tino, and by rising voices of skepticism and isolationism that threaten biodiversity and could make our planet ever more hostile.

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A few numbers help illustrate the scale of what took place. COP30 welcomed more than 56,000 participants from 193 Parties plus the European Union, representing governments, international organizations, scientists, business leaders, youth networks and civil society. As host, Brazil provided a venue for inclusive debate and reaffirmed its commitment to multilateralism and to the principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities."

Inclusivity was one of the hallmarks of Belém. The Brazilian presidency ensured broad participation of Indigenous peoples and traditional communities across all activation groups and created spaces to address the challenges they face and to showcase conservation strategies rooted in ancestral knowledge. Thousands of Indigenous representatives took part, demonstrating a strong and growing voice for communities whose contributions must be scaled up as creative climate solutions. The "High-Level Session on Indigenous Peoples and NDCs 3.0" underscored the importance of Indigenous stewardship for a sustainable economic transition, while the "Granary of Solutions" featured hundreds of nature-based projects anchored in traditional knowledge. These initiatives reflect the global recognition of Indigenous leadership as central to climate governance.