10 years after the Paris agreement, what are the challenges of COP30?

It is at the gates of the Amazon, in the remote town of Belém, that the 30th conference of the parties – the signatory countries – of the United Nations climate convention will be held, from November 10 to 21.

A choice desired by Lula da Silva to highlight a recurring subject of the negotiations: tropical forests and those who live there. Around 3,000 representatives of indigenous peoples (including 500 Brazilians) are expected. After three COPs where civil society was kept aside, it will be back with a People’s Summit, from November 12 to 16.

“Accelerate the implementation” of the rules

Furthermore, despite the difficulties in finding accommodation, around a hundred States will send a delegation to participate in decisive discussions to make the Paris Agreement (2015) a reality, after a decade spent negotiating its instructions. “The central task for Belém and future COPs is not to create more rules, but to accelerate their implementation,” said Paul Watkinson, expert on climate negotiations.

COP30 will have to find a response to the lack of ambition of States to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, the famous “nationally determined contributions”. Supposed to be increased every five years (2025 precisely) to gradually align with the core objective of the Paris agreement of aiming for 1.5°C of warming, these remain far from the mark.

The other major subject will be the financing of climate policies in developing countries. A working group is expected to present measures to free up $330 billion per year. A sum that does not include compensation for the damage already caused by the climate monster.