COP30 (Belém, Brazil) — Climate Diplomacy in the Spotlight
At COP30 in Belém, Brazil, tensions are rising as Indigenous protesters—many demanding land rights and forest protections—have forcefully entered the summit venue, clashing with security personnel. Their slogan, “We can’t eat money,” underscores deep frustration over extractive projects like mining, oil drilling, and logging in the Amazon. Despite record attendance of Indigenous representatives — only about 14% have access to formal decision-making spaces. Meanwhile, UNFCCC’s Simon Stiell has criticized lax security and infrastructure issues at the venue, prompting Brazil to bolster its protections. Climate finance remains central, with calls for transparency and a new adaptation-fund goal, as negotiators push to mobilize US$ 1.3 trillion annually for developing countries by 2035.
