COP30, the United Nations climate conference for 2025, faced multiple financial, political, housing and logistical challenges during the gathering in Brazil.
The event, which ran November 10-21 in Belém, Brazil, allowed "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, led COP30 as president.
However, some political leaders and climate technology companies skipped COP30 amid high costs for accommodations, a shortage of hotel rooms, and geopolitical headwinds in certain countries and regions.
What Was At Stake for Climate Conference?
This was the first climate conference in the Amazon rainforest, Channel News Asia noted. The stakes were high. Indeed, COP30 had to 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). Moreover, many attendees were concerned about the high cost of hotel rooms and other types of accommodation challenges for the conference.
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.
Despite the Trump administration's dismissal of climate change, American companies did not shy away from COP30. Indeed, sixty representatives from Fortune 100 companies attended COP30, compared to 50 representatives at COP29. (Source: Reuters)
The timeline below, updated regularly, tracked all news before and during the event. Here's the recap...
COP30: Closing Deal Recap and November 2025 News Updates
November 23 - COP31 Location: Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan praised a deal reached with Australia for Turkey to host COP31, calling the compromise a meaningful achievement for multilateralism. Moreover, Australia will play a major role in the overall lead up to the event. (Sources: Reuters,. and the Australia Minister of Foreign Affairs)
November 22 - Closing Deal: The closing COP30 deal didn't detail plans for shifting away from oil, gas and coal, and dodged an explicit mention of them, leaving some countries unhappy with the outcome. Indeed, the closing deal aims to boost finances for poor nations coping with global warming, but lacks any mention of fossil fuels.(Sources: Bloomberg and ABC)
November 21 - Fossil Fuel Debate: International climate negotiations were in disarray on November 21 after Arab nations and Russia objected to further talks on shifting away from fossil fuels and taking stronger steps to counter global warming. International climate negotiators were weighing a potential compromise deal later in the day. The EU is preparing to veto the final deal if countries do not agree to stronger efforts to cut planet-warming emissions. (Sources: Bloomberg and Politico)
November 20 - Fire: A fire forced an evacuation of COP30 on November 20. The fire is under control but it's unclear whether delegates would return immediately to continue negotiations. (Source: Reuters). Related: COP30 news recap.
November 20 - Weak Agreement?: Brazilian officials are readying a preliminary agreement that ignores demands from about 80 nations to further develop plans to transition away from fossil fuels. (Source: Bloomberg)
November 20 - COP31 Conference Location: Turkey will host COP31, while Australia will lead the conference's negotiations among governments, according to a compromise deal taking shape at COP30. (Source: Reuters)
November 18 - Standing Up to Trump: Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, the US federal government representative at COP30, has a message for conference attendees: When you’re facing President Donald Trump’s ire, don’t back down. (Source: Bloomberg)
November 18 - What Is BAM?: At the conference, civil society activists are wearing badges that read “Bam!” -- which indicates their support for the Belém Action Mechanism (Bam). Specifically, Bam is a proposal for states to drive action on a just transition towards a low-carbon economy.
November 18 - Energy Transition Aspirations: Dozens of countries want the summit to deliver a road map away from fossil fuel use as its key outcome, setting the stage for a frantic few last days of talks. (Source: Bloomberg)
November 18 - Location Debate: Australia will not oppose a successful Turkish bid to host COP31, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said, warning a prolonged standoff over hosting rights could undermine unity required to help the Pacific island nations. (Source: Reuters)
November 17 - Money Matters: Richer nations must move faster toward net zero and do more to help developing economies meet climate targets, India’s Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said at the conference. (Source: Bloomberg)
November 16 - More COP31 Location Debate: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Australia would not co-host COP31 with Turkey amid an ongoing stalemate between the two countries over which one should stage the 2026 conference. (Source: Reuters)
November 15 - China's Influence: Amid the U.S. absence from COP30, China is stepping into the limelight as a leader in the fight against global warming. (Source: Reuters)
November 15 - More Protests: Thousands of climate protesters marched through the Brazilian city of Belem in a noisy, diverse and peaceful display to demand more action to protect the fate of the planet and to vent their anger at governments and fossil fuel industries. (Source: Reuters)
November 13 - COP31 Location Debate: Australia and Turkey are both vying to host COP31 in 2026, a contest that broke into full view at COP30 in Brazil. (Source: Bloomberg)
November 13 - Conference Complaints: A top UN climate official demanded Brazilian authorities immediately develop a plan for addressing security lapses, soaring temperatures, flooding and other poor conditions at the conference. (Source: Bloomberg).
November 13 - Australia and COP31?: Australia’s main opposition Liberal Party dropped a commitment to hit net zero emissions by 2050, potentially complicating Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s efforts to win support to host COP31 in 2026. (Source: Bloomberg)
November 12 - American Executives Lacking: Many American business leaders are skipping the event or attending events in other cities. (Source: The New York Times)
November 12 - Protests: Dozens of Indigenous protesters forced their way into the summit and clashed with security guards at the entrance to demand climate action and forest protection. (Source: CNN)
November 12 - U.S. Energy Policy: California Governor Gavin Newsom assured conference attendees that his state would continue to prioritize green technology, while blasting U.S. President Donald Trump's "dumb" decision to reverse the federal government's course on climate action. (Source: Reuters)
November 11 - IT Services: Schneider Electric is one of the key sustainable IT companies making multiple announcements and presentations at the conference.
November 10 - Opening Statement: The conference opened with the U.N. climate chief urging countries to cooperate rather than battle over priorities, as efforts to limit global warming are threatened by a fracturing international consensus. (Source: Reuters).
November 7 - Carbon Market Coalition: The European Union and China agreed to join Brazil in a coalition aimed at improving collaboration on carbon markets. (Source: Bloomberg)
November 6 - Singapore Perspectives: Momentum on global climate action is waning as geopolitical issues pile uncertainties on businesses and governments, Singapore's environment minister Grace Fu said. (Source: Reuters)
November 5 - Brazil Climate Finance Plan: After a year of talks, COP30 host Brazil laid out a plan to scale climate finance to $1.3 trillion a year. (Source: Reuters)
November 4 - Focus on Truth: With a UN report warning that worldwide carbon emissions remain too high to halt global warming, Brazil's president said the conference would be a "COP of Truth" and offer real solutions. (Source: Reuters)
November 4 - United Kingdom: The UK will not be investing in a key fund meant to protect global rainforests that Brazil wants to launch at the conference. Without British investment, it will be increasingly difficult for Brazil to meet its goal of raising at least $10 billion for the fund by 2026. (Source: Bloomberg)
November 4 - Argentina's Plan: Argentina hasn’t registered to attend the conference, , suggesting the country may join the US in sitting out the event. (Source: Bloomberg)
November 4 - EU Policy Debate: EU climate ministers will make a last-ditch attempt to pass a new climate change target on November 4, in an effort to avoid going to COP30 empty-handed, Reuters reported. Ministers are meeting in Brussels to discuss a deal on emissions cuts to be delivered over the next 15 years, aiming to cut emissions by 90% by 2040 relative to 1990 levels.(Sources: Reuters, Bloomberg)
November 3 - Marching Forward Without the United States: EU Climate Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra said the US retreat on green commitments will damage the potential for global impact as well as the overall mood at the conference, but that it points to new “partnerships and opportunities” for other nations to forge progress. (Source: Bloomberg)
November 1 - Housing Strategy: Brazil has offered free cruise cabins as poorer nations struggle for rooms at the conference. (Source: Reuters)
COP30 Preview: October 2025 Updates
October 30 - EU Support: European leaders are likely to attend the conference despite concerns that some of the world's biggest emitters will not attend. (Source: Bloomberg)
October 27 - Biofuels Discussion: Targets for sustainable biofuels use and social aspects of the energy transition will be in focus at the conference, said Francesco La Camera, director-general at the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). (Source: Reuters)
October 24 - Housing Fix? Brazilian authorities said they have made progress in solving the housing shortage at the conference, while also defending a recent decision to allow exploratory drilling in the Amazon. (Source: AP News)
October 21 - United States Question Marks: Some members of Congress are delaying making concrete plans for attending COP30 because of the government shutdown, Politico reported.
October 20 - Fuel Policy: Brazil will ask countries to quadruple the global use of “sustainable fuels”, including controversial biofuels, despite concerns from environmental experts. (Source: The Guardian)
October 12 - Forewarning: Global warming is crossing dangerous thresholds sooner than expected with the world’s coral reefs now in an almost irreversible die-off, marking what scientists described as the first “tipping point” in climate-driven ecosystem collapse, Reuters reported.
October 10 - United States Delegates: A bipartisan group of U.S. senators plans to attend the conference, even as the Trump administration’s presence remains doubtful, Politico reported. Sen. John Curtis (R-Utah)and Sen. Chris Coon (D-Del.) will co-lead a delegation; and at least three other Republicans have expressed interest in joining the trip, the report said.
October 3 - Attendance Concerns: The conference expects roughly 45,000 attendees, though some countries may skip the event because of hotel shortages and expensive room costs. (Source: Reuters)
October 1 - Rainforest Protection Fund?: Brazil wants to launch a $125 billion rainforest protection fund at the conference, but the effort is running behind schedule. (Source: Bloomberg)
COP30 Preview: September 2025 Updates
September 30 - European Union Carbon Reduction Goals: The European Union will set emissions-cutting targets for 2035 and 2040 in time for COP30, the European Commission president said. (Source: Reuters)
September 30 - Crime Prevention: Brazil is ramping up security to combat two of the region’s most entrenched problems: the sexual exploitation of children and teenagers, and organized crime. (Source: Bloomberg)
September 24 - Carbon Market Unification Effort: Brazil is trying to build a coalition of countries, including the European Union and China, to unify carbon markets globally as it prepares to host the COP30 climate summit. (Source: Bloomberg)
September 22 - Housing Construction Strike: A strike by construction workers in Belem has partially disrupted work on a COP30 village that is due to house dozens of world leaders. (Source: Reuters)
September 18 - Lodging Trends: Only 40% of countries have booked lodging for the conference. Also, the Trinidad and Tobago government plans to "downsize" its conference delegation, according to a local news report.
September 15 - Hotel Cost Concerns Continue: High hotel prices for COP30 have prompted the United Nations to urge its staff to limit attendance, while government delegations are still scrambling to find rooms within their budgets. (Source: Reuters)
September 3 - Call for Climate Plans: The United Nations urged countries to set more ambitious climate plans during September 2025, seeking to pressure major economies including the European Union and China ahead of this year's U.N. climate summit. (Source: Reuters)
September 3 - COP32 Host Nation Competition: Ethiopia launched a bid to host the United Nations climate change summit in 2027 in the capital Addis Ababa, putting it in competition with Nigeria, which wants Lagos to play host. (Source: Reuters)
COP30 Preview: August 2025 Updates
August 29 - Ignore Trump: The head of COP30 urged CEOs to ignore the Trump-led green backlash and come to the Amazonian city of Belem to step up the fight against global warming. (Source: Bloomberg)
August 29 - Climate Action is a Business Opportunity: Climate action is the "defining business opportunity of our time", and the private sector's participation is "vital", Correa do Lago said. (Source: Argus Media)
August 22 - Conference Housing Debate: Brazil's government rejected the idea of subsidizing delegates' hotel fares at the conference, after what they described as a tense meeting with U.N. officials. (Source: Reuters)
August 19 - Call for Net Zero Plans: Brazil has issued an urgent call for all countries to come forward with strengthened national plans on the climate, in a last-ditch attempt to meet a key September deadline. Only 28 countries have so far submitted carbon-cutting proposals to the United Nations, with some of the biggest emitters of greenhouse gases yet to produce their plans. (Source: The Guardian)
August 7 - Austria Says No Thanks: Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen will not attend the conference, mainly due to the "particularly high costs" when finances remain tight. (Source: Bloomberg)
August 4 - No Plans to Relocate Conference: Brazil is resisting calls to move the global conference, even as it faces mounting pressure over soaring accommodation prices in the host city. (Source: Reuters)
COP30 Preview: July 2025 Updates
July 31 - PR Controversy: Global PR agency Edelman has won an $835,000 contract to support comms activity for the conference. However, critics say the contract represents a conflict of interest since Edelman also supports fossil-fuel clientele. (Source: PR Week)
July 28 - Financial Talks: Brazil is in talks with global investors including TPG and Brookfield to raise nearly $4 billion for climate-focused projects. (Source: Reuters)
July 27 - Cruise Ships Assist Accommodations: Through a partnership between the COP30 secretariat and Embratur, two cruise ships -- MSC Seaview and Costa Diadema -- will be docked at the revitalised Port of Outeiro, expanding COP30 lodging capacity by around 3,900 cabins and 6,000 beds. (Source: Sustainability Online)
July 23 - Protests: A coalition of Indigenous peoples, traditional communities, and social movements from across the Amazon protested COP30. (Source: Amazon Watch)
July 21 - Politics and Wars: The trade war imposed by Donald Trump, recent military conflicts, and the rise of the right in European elections are pressuring countries’ ambitions ahead of COP30, according to conference president André Corrêa do Lago. (Source: Folha de S. Paulo)
July 18 - Press and Media Registration: Press and media registration for COP30 is open through an online registration system (ORS). (Source: Agencia Para)
July 15 - Call for Information Integrity: The COP30 Presidency has called on governments, civil society, academia, and the private sector to submit concrete initiatives that promote information integrity in addressing climate change disinformation. (Source: Earth.org)
July 11 - Conference Priorities: The event will prioritize climate action, financing, adaptation, and socio-biodiversity, according to Ana Toni, executive director of the climate conference in Brazil and national secretary for climate change. Moreover, the event’s agenda will be guided by the Global Stocktake adopted at COP28 in Dubai, she said. (Source: Valor International)
COP30 Preview: May 2025 Updates
May 28 - Priorities: President‑designate André Aranha Corrêa do Lago called on governments, businesses, and civil society to unite in a global mutirão (coordinated effort). He emphasized implementing Global Stocktake outcomes—such as halting deforestation by 2030, tripling renewable capacity, and doubling energy-efficiency improvements—rather than seeking new pledges. (Source: IISD SDG: ISG Knowledge Hub)
May 9 - Time for Implementations: COP30 presidency has called for a shift from climate pledges to implementation. (Source: DevEx)
May 9 - Belated Updates: Only 11% countries have announced updated climate targets ahead of COP30. (Source: DownTOEarth)
May 8 - New Governance Efforts?: The Brazilian presidency of COP30 called for new global climate governance mechanisms to help nations implement their commitments to curb global warming. (Source: Reuters)
COP30 Preview: April 2025 Updates
April 9 - Pre-Conference Meetings: Brazil has scheduled Pre-COP -- a pre-conference meeting -- for October 14-15 -- or roughly one month before the main event starts. (Source: Reuters)
April 7 - New Council?: Brazil has proposed the creation of a new international body to accelerate global climate action, News on Air reported. The council would aim to fast-track decisions made at COP meetings, better coordinate international efforts, and make climate action more effective, the report said.
Continue to next page for earlier COP30 timeline updates.
