UN climate talks have become too large for their own good

This month's Cop30 in Belem, Brazil, will see 50,000 delegates. But bigger Cops are not better Cops, says

- Jen Allan

Leaders pose for a family photo during the UN Climate Change Conference COP 30 in Belem, Brazil

IF YOU'RE still heading to this year's UN climate conference in Belém, Brazil, I hope you booked early.

Hotels long sold out, and latecomers face extortionate rates or the prospect of a dubious “love hotel”.

The incredible cost and variable quality of accommodation have sparked outrage. It's been the subject of high-level meetings and dialogues. But it's also a symptom of a wider problem: these climate summits have grown so large they're no longer fit for purpose.

I have been to 11 of these summits over the years, and follow them closely for my academic work, and with the Earth Negotiations Bulletin a free, curated summary of global environmental negotiations. Cop30, which started on November 10 in Belém, is the first I have missed since Cop18 in Doha in 2012.

I have seen first hand how these annual negotiations and accompanying summit and events (together, broadly called Cops) have grown. They are now MegaCops enormous conglomerations of events, parallel workshops, receptions, exhibitions and photo ops that attract over 50,000 people. They are the largest events on the UN calendar.

Even with a population of 1 million, Belém is too small. Most cities are. Only a handful of wealthy countries can hope to host them. Many negotiators from poorer countries, along with Indigenous and civil society groups, simply can't afford to attend this summit.

All this means power is subtly shifting further towards those with the money to participate and host. This bodes poorly for global climate governance.