Mission Possible: What COP30 Should Do

COP30 is just around the corner and the world is watching its results closely. The Brazilian presidency has presented this moment as an opportunity to demonstrate that cooperation is still possible even in times of division. The stakes are high: COP30 is expected to rebuild trust in multilateralism, reconnect climate policy to people’s everyday reality, and achieve a real impact on global emissions and their ability to adapt to the growing effects of climate change. What practical steps can countries take to accelerate implementation? And what do non-state actors contribute to the dialogue table in Belém? This blog explores how COP30 can meet these expectations, mainly by shifting the focus from new pledges to concrete results and grounding climate action in shared prosperity and social justice.

A crucial COP in difficult times

As the world prepares for COP30 (10-21 November, Belém), its presidency – led by Brazil – has framed this moment as one of profound urgency and, at the same time, of great opportunity. This approach considers the current global economic and environmental crises, as well as the complex geopolitical context, exacerbated, among others, by armed conflicts and trade wars. In addition, recent developments in international environmental negotiations have highlighted the blocking strategies of some countries and the inability to mobilize a critical mass of others to counter them (IDDRI, 2025a). In the face of all this, Brazil’s call is clear: to unite and reaffirm our faith in cooperation, even in the midst of fragmentation and fatigue.

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