COP30, the United Nations climate conference for 2025, will face multiple financial and political challenges when it arrives in November 2025.
The event, set for November 10-21 in Belém, Brazil, will allow "world leaders, scientists, non-governmental organizations and civil society representatives" to "discuss actions to combat climate change." Andre Correa do Lago (pictured above) -- Brazil's secretary for climate, energy and environment -- will lead COP30 as president.
What's At Stake for Climate Conference?
This is the first climate conference in the Amazon rainforest, Channel News Asia noted. And the stakes will be high: COP30 must analyze and tackle global climate priorities even after President Trump in January 2025 pulled the United States out of the Paris Climate Accord (for the second time).
The annual gathering has delivered mixed results in recent years. The COP29 event, held in Baku, Azerbaijan in 2024, faced heavy skepticism because of the host country's fossil fuel interests.
Still, numerous IT services, software, hardware and cloud companies continue to attend the annual COP conference. Their unified goal: Build and strengthen various sustainability and green IT partnerships.
The timeline below, updated regularly, tracks all news ahead and during the event. Here's the latest...
COP30 News Timeline
March 28 - Hotel Room Shortages: Sky-high accommodation costs are threatening Brazil's stated COP30 goal of inclusion, and the government is racing to multiply the 18,000 beds now available in the Amazonian host city of Belem, turning to motels aimed at amorous couples, ferries that normally ply the rivers, and school classrooms to host visitors, Reuters reported.
March 14 - Timing for Speeches: World leaders will deliver their speeches on climate action several days before COP30 officially kick offs on November 10, in a bid to ease pressure on hotels and transport in the medium-sized Amazon city of Belém, Climate Home News reported.
March 14 - Brazil Climate Finance Plan: Brazil plans to launch an ambitious $125 billion fund to protect tropical forests when it hosts the COP30 climate summit in November 2025. The investment vehicle is part of a broad strategy to turn the talks into action after a U.S. withdrawal from climate diplomacy threatens to slow progress, Bloomberg asserts.
March 10 - COP30 Challenges: After decades of United Nations climate summits, the model of gathering world leaders to negotiate agreements under complex rules is starting to show its limits, COP30's leader said, according to Reuters.
March 6 - United Nations: While addressing the UN, André Aranha Corrêa do Lago called for global unity on climate action as cooperation falters, Climate Home News reported.
March 6 - Trade War Concerns: New U.S. tariffs fueling a global trade war may slow climate progress by draining countries’ resources and eroding trust among countries over green goals, said Brazil’s Environment Minister Marina Silva, Bloomberg reported.
February 28 - China's Growing Influence?: China has a very important role to play in tackling climate change and others may look to the Asian country for additional leadership in the field, COP30 President-Designate Andre Aranha Correa do Lago said, according to Reuters.
February 28 - Trump's Impact: The Trump administration’s withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement will have a “strong impact” on the global pact and the negotiations surrounding it, COP30's president said, according to E&E News.
February 25 - Hotel and Infrastructure Challenges: Countries should reconsider the size of their COP30 delegations and exercise “good judgment” to avoid a rush for COP30 accommodations, according to The special secretary for COP30, Valter Correia da Silva, Valor International reported.
February 6 - Setting Goals: Countries must be "as ambitious as possible" when setting new goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, COP30 President Andre Correa do Lago told AFP in an interview, according to Barron's. Still, the Trump administration's exit from the Paris Agreement continues to raise questions about potential COP30 goals and outcomes.
February 3, 2025 - Hotel and Housing Costs: Expensive lodging prices in the Brazilian host city of Belem may turn off would-be attendees from the COP30 meeting, the Associated Press reported.
January 23, 2025 - China's Progress: COP30 President Andre Correa do Lago praised China's "extraordinary progress" in combatting climate change, Channel News Asia reported.
January 23, 2025 - Developing Countries: COP30 is set to spotlight developing countries' climate finance needs, Reuters reported.
January 23, 2025 - Developing Nations: Brazil sees an opportunity to amplify the voices of developing nations at COP30, Reuters reported.
January 21, 2025 - COP30 President Selected: Brazil selected Ambassador André Aranha Corrêa do Lago as president of COP30. According to Corrêa do Lago professional biography, he has focused on sustainable development-related issues since 2001. For instance, Corrêa do Lago was director of the energy department (2008-2011) and of the environment department (2011-2013), when he served as Brazil's chief negotiator for climate change (2011- 2013) and for Rio+20 (2011-2012). He served as ambassador to Japan (2013-2018), to India (2018-2023) and accredited also to Bhutan (2019-2023). He became the secretary for climate, energy and environment at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in March 2023.
January 22, 2025 - COP30 Opportunities and Challenges: In a prepared statement, host nation Brazil outlined these COP30 opportunities and challenges:
- Opportunity: "COP30 represents a historic opportunity for Brasil to reaffirm its leadership in negotiations on climate change and global sustainability. The event will allow the country to showcase its efforts in fields such as renewable energy, biofuels and low-carbon agriculture, and reiterate its historic role in multilateral processes such as Eco-92 and Rio+20. The event will be attended by heads of State, ministers, diplomats, UN representatives, scientists, business leaders, NGOs, activists, and other members of civil society from more than 190 countries."
- Challenges: "Key challenges at COP30 include aligning commitments from developed and developing countries on climate finance, ensuring that emission reduction targets are compatible with climate science, and addressing the socioeconomic impacts of climate change on vulnerable populations." The statement did not mention the United States' exit from the Paris Accord.
January 21, 2025 - COP30 President Selected: Brazil selected Ambassador André Aranha Corrêa do Lago as president of COP30. According to Corrêa do Lago professional biography, he has focused on sustainable development-related issues since 2001. For instance, Corrêa do Lago was director of the energy department (2008-2011) and of the environment department (2011-2013), when he served as Brazil's chief negotiator for climate change (2011- 2013) and for Rio+20 (2011-2012). He served as ambassador to Japan (2013-2018), to India (2018-2023) and accredited also to Bhutan (2019-2023). He became the secretary for climate, energy and environment at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in March 2023.
Additional United Nations Climate Summit Updates and COP30 News Tips
More News Coming: Check back regularly for news updates involving the global energy transition, green IT services, renewable energy, sustainability, transitions from fossil fuels, and more.
Got COP30 news to share? Email Editorial Director Joe Panettieri the details.
