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For the first time in the history of global climate negotiations, a UN Climate Conference will open on November 10 in the heart of the Amazon rainforest. In an impassioned address at the COP30 Leaders’ Summit in Belém, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on November 6 called for a “fair, well-planned, and adequately financed transition” away from fossil fuels — warning that the world’s delay in acting on science risks catastrophic consequences for both people and the planet.
“We must fairly and in a planned way reverse deforestation, overcome dependence on fossil fuels, and mobilise the resources needed for these goals,” Lula told leaders from more than 190 countries. “COP30 will be the COP of truth — the time to take the warnings of science seriously.”
A climate COP in the heart of the Amazon
Lula reminded countries that Belém’s symbolism runs deep — as the Amazon represents both the planet’s greatest climate stabiliser and its most endangered ecosystem. “It is only fair that the Amazonian peoples now ask what the rest of the world is doing to prevent the collapse of their home,” he said.
The Brazilian president’s message was rooted in climate justice and equity, calling for the world to finally reconcile prosperity with preservation. He emphasised that Indigenous and traditional communities are “living examples of sustainability,” and that their knowledge must guide global transition plans.
“The fight against climate change must be at the centre of decisions by every government, every company, every person,” Lula said. “The concept of mutirão — a collective effort toward a common goal — captures the spirit that will inspire Belém.”
From Paris to Belém: A decade of broken promises
Lula marked 10 years since the Paris Agreement, calling it “the greatest milestone of modern multilateralism,” but warned that mutual distrust and zero-sum geopolitics have paralysed global progress. “In a scenario of insecurity and selfish interests, the long-term common good continues to lose,” he said.
He cited new science showing that 2024 was the first year the planet’s temperature exceeded 1.5°C, and that current trajectories point to 2.5°C of warming by 2100 — which could lead to annual losses of 250,000 lives and a 30 per cent decline in global GDP. “We cannot abandon the Paris goal,” he said. “COP30 must reconnect diplomacy with the real world.”
A call for real finance and political courage
The Brazilian leader linked climate finance, inequality, and global governance, arguing that climate justice is inseparable from social justice. He urged rich nations to match rhetoric with delivery, scaling up finance and technology transfer to enable the developing world’s transition.
“It will be impossible to contain climate change without overcoming inequalities — within nations and between them,” Lula said. “Climate justice is an ally in the fight against hunger, poverty, and racism, and in promoting more inclusive global governance.”
Lula stressed that Brazil’s dual presidencies of the G20 and BRICS this year have helped integrate environmental and financial diplomacy, setting the stage for a global financing framework aligned with the $1.3 trillion target agreed at COP29 in Baku.
A battle against disinformation and division
Warning that “extremist forces seek to preserve an outdated model,” Lula said the spread of climate disinformation is undermining public trust and delaying policy action. “Strategic rivalries and armed conflicts are diverting attention and draining the resources that should be directed toward addressing global warming,” he cautioned.
‘Holding up the sky’
Closing his speech, Lula invoked the Yanomami belief that humans must hold up the sky to keep it from falling on the Earth — a metaphor for shared global responsibility.
“That worldview gives us a sense of our duty toward the planet,” he said. “We must embrace a new model of development — fairer, more resilient, and low-carbon. Let this summit help push the sky upward and broaden our vision beyond what we can see today.”