Belém's Call For Climate Justice, Global Finance Reset

As climate impacts intensify and global politics grow increasingly fractured, leaders gathered in Belém with a single message: the world is running out of time.

- Afroza Akther Pervin

The summit delivered a clear call: without a fundamental reset in climate finance and stronger commitments from the world's wealthiest economies, the Paris Agreement's core ambition will remain out of reach.

What was meant to be a moment of shared ambition quickly became a sobering reminder of the widening gulf between scientific reality and political will.

Hosted just days before COP30, the Belém Leaders' Summit sought to revive momentum for climate justice, overhaul the global finance system, and rally support behind the 1.5°C goal. Yet the meeting unfolded under the shadow of absent major emitters and years of unfulfilled financial promises, leaving attendees torn between urgency and frustration.

Even so, the summit delivered a clear call: without a fundamental reset in climate finance and stronger commitments from the world's wealthiest economies, the Paris Agreement's core ambition will remain out of reach.

The Belém Leaders' Summit brought together heads of state, ministers, and global institutions in an urgent appeal for climate justice, financial transformation, and a renewed commitment to the 1.5°C goal. Against the backdrop of rising emissions and growing geopolitical fragmentation, leaders warned that the future of the Paris Agreement depends on fixing the world's broken climate finance system.

A Summit Framed by Crisis and Opportunity

Opening the summit, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva called Belém “a turning point for fairness,” urging nations to resist climate denialism and political paralysis.

“The Amazon is not just a forest — it is a warning. Either we act together now or we will fail together,” Lula declared.