COP30 in Belém: RIFS Researchers Take Stock

Delegates and representatives from governments, non-governmental organisations, science and the media gathered on the edge of the Amazon rainforest from November 10-22 for the UN Climate Conference (COP30). The final declaration fell short of the ambition that many had hoped for. Several RIFS researchers on location shared this criticism alongside observations of promising approaches.

The absence of leadership from the USA and China – the world’s largest historical emitter and the world's largest current emitter – created a significant vacuum that cannot be filled by any other country. However, RIFS Director Mark Lawrence noted that representatives of civil society organizations praised Germany's commitment to issues crucial to the Global South, such as its support for the Colombian initiative to improve the integration of climate, biodiversity, and land use decisions.

Lawrence also highlighted a lack of progress on reducing methane emissions:

“Methane is responsible for about one-third of the warming we are currently experiencing, and because it responds much more quickly to emissions reductions than CO2, it offers a great opportunity for rapid climate protection action. is also an important factor in forming ozone, another greenhouse gas and important air pollutant. In discussions at the Super Pollutants Pavilion and elsewhere, it was made clear that the world is still falling far short on its commitment with the Global Methane Pledge from the COP26 in Glasgow, which is regrettable, given that many technologies are already available for substantially reducing methane emissions, and often the investments in their implementation would bring direct economic benefits on short timescales (like reduction in methane leaks from pipelines).”

Among the RIFS experts at COP30 were Maria Cecília Oliveira and Bernardo Jurema, who presented their research project Democratic Governance for Ecopolitical Transformations (EcoPol). Their research work also examines the lived realities of Indigenous peoples in the Amazon basin.

Oliveira concluded: “My main message following COP30 is the need for a new format for climate justice. The current segregation of official spaces fails to adequately consider the roles of science and Indigenous groups within the negotiations. COP30 demonstrated that unless challenged by civil society, climate diplomacy will perpetuate a worldview that reduces nature to a commodity. This was the first time a COP was held in one of the territories most impacted by both climate change and climate politics. At the conference and related events, Indigenous communities led the call for greater support for those who live in harmony with nature. In addition, a pavilion dedicated to science presented current research on climate change with the aim of informing policy and practice. My main takeaway comes from the words of an outstanding Indigenous leader, Alessandra Munduruku: ‘The advance of capitalism is killing us. We do not want a forest in a contract; we want a living forest.’”

Jurema’s experience at COP30 strengthened his conviction that civil society plays a key role in the fight for climate justice: 
“In the run-up to the 30th session of the UNFCCC Conference of the Parties, I was deeply sceptical. Since its inception in the 1990s, this gathering has had little to show for itself by most relevant metrics: the increase in greenhouse gas emissions, record-breaking profits for fossil fuel companies, the consistent rise in global average temperatures, the growing frequency of extreme weather events and the decline in biodiversity. While the official proceedings confirmed my scepticism, what I saw outside the Blue Zone gave me hope that things could change for the better. The vibrancy and strength of global civil society were in evidence across a range of venues—from the People’s Summit and the Indigenous Village at COP30 (Aldeia COP) to the Belém Action Mechanism, to name but a few of the channels for grassroots participation.”

RIFS Fellow Adenike Oladosu is studying the link between floods and food insecurity. Her approach aims to eliminate or minimise the effects of these crises. Oladosu criticised discussions on this topic at the COP as superficial:

“What I would have liked to see at COP30 is a focus on the non-economic aspects of loss and damage. The loss and damage fund isn't just about providing money; it's also about pursuing climate justice in all parts of society. The non-economic aspects of loss and damage still need to be measured. How do we quantify lives lost in floods, heatwaves, or droughts? Neither the communities whose histories have been wiped out by rising sea levels and forced displacement, nor refugees—since these are irreversible changes—can have what they've lost restored once gone. The climate crisis is multifaceted, including heatwaves, floods, and other disasters that countries like Nigeria face. The longer these issues remain unaddressed, the more complicated they become. That’s why, as a fellow at the Research Institute for Sustainability, I’m working on the connection between floods and food insecurity with an anticipatory approach that aims to eliminate or reduce the impacts of these crises, because once a crisis happens, we are only left to deal with the aftermath.“

RIFS Affiliate Scholar Deborah Lika attended COP30 as part of the Albanian delegation. Lika moderated a side event at the Mediterranean Pavilion on the topic of “Advancing Regional Collaboration for Climate Action in the Mediterranean”:
“The panel brought together government representatives, UN bodies, civil society leaders, and climate negotiators from across the Western Balkans, the EU, and the MENA region. Our discussion explored shared vulnerabilities in the Mediterranean, the need for harmonized adaptation strategies, and the growing importance of youth and regional diplomacy in shaping coherent climate action. The message was clear: progress in the Mediterranean will depend on stronger cross-border cooperation, improved data and governance systems, and meaningful inclusion across all levels of society.”

Lika concluded, “Attending COP is humbling. It reinforces the responsibility we all share to carry these insights home, strengthen national efforts, and deepen regional cooperation so that every climate-vulnerable region can navigate the coming decade with clarity, solidarity, and resilience.”