See what is moving forward — and what is stalling — in the negotiations of the final week of the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference.
Friday, November 21 | 10 a.m., Belém time
New draft texts. COP30 participants woke up to a new proposal of draft texts from the Brazilian Presidency that, in a quick analysis and considering experts’ assessments, falls far short of the outcomes expected for this conference.
- Finance. The issue appears completely watered down throughout Article 9 of the Paris Agreement and does not go into the responsibility of developed countries to mobilize public funds for developing countries.
- Adaptation. The language on tripling financial flows earmarked exclusively for adaptation is very weak — in terms of reference year, public finance commitments, and implementation responsibility — and is not aligned with what developing countries and civil society experts have called for.
- Fossil fuels. There is no mention of the much-anticipated roadmap to guide a transition away from fossil fuels.
Thursday, November 20 | 7:30 p.m. Belém time
A fire on the grounds temporarily paused the conference. At 2 p.m. local time, a fire broke out in one of the pavilions in the Blue Zone — where the official negotiation agenda and parallel activities of organizations, countries, and institutions take place. According to a joint statement issued by the Convention and the COP30 Presidency, the fire was brought under control in six minutes, and 13 people required medical attention after being exposed to smoke from burning plastic.
The exact cause of the fire is still unknown, but according to someone from the main affected pavilion, the fire started at the back of the structure where the electrical connections are located. They reported that several devices were plugged in, some with questionable compatibility with the power source, and the area is consistently hot because it lacks air conditioning.
All participants were required to evacuate the site. Updates on whether activities will resume are expected at 8 p.m. Belém time. The priority appears to be restarting tonight’s negotiation meetings between the Presidency and country groups. So far, there is no updated information on new draft texts.
Thursday, 20 November | 1 p.m. Belém time
On the political front. Before departing for South Africa to take part in the G20 annual meeting, UN Secretary-General António Guterres held an in-person press conference in Belém and warned that “no delegation (from any country) will leave Belém with everything it wants.”
Regarding the negotiation issues still being discussed politically behind closed doors, Guterres said that tripling adaptation finance by 2030 is essential, that emissions must be reduced drastically and more rapidly, that a just transition must be aligned with the 1.5°C warming limit, and that the world must begin a transition that leaves fossil fuels behind.
He also stressed that none of this can happen without financing and that a credible pathway is needed to reach the funding goal agreed in Baku — the well-known NCQG.
On the technical front. There are still no updates on a new version of the draft texts for Belém’s first package. Discussions continue behind closed doors among the more politically influential actors within delegations and — something heavily criticized in the hallways by delegates and observers — with priority being given to certain countries or groups of countries.
Opening image: Delegates follow negotiations throughout the day. Photo: Kiara Worth/UN Climate Change
