Brazil, the host of this year’s COP30 climate summit, urged nations to come together to reach a global climate deal as negotiations stretched beyond the conference’s scheduled end, with countries split over how to address fossil fuels.
COP30 has been framed by Brazil as a critical moment for international climate cooperation, with organizers stressing the need to overcome differences and present a united front in tackling global warming.
“This cannot be an agenda that divides us,” COP30 President André Corrêa do Lago told delegates during a plenary session, urging negotiators to find common ground before resuming discussions behind closed doors.
Yet deep divisions remain, particularly over the future of oil, gas, and coal. A draft agreement released early by Brazil removed all references to fossil fuels, sparking criticism and highlighting the challenge of achieving consensus at a summit that annually tests the world’s commitment to climate action.
Major oil and gas producers opposed the removal, while roughly 80 nations supported keeping the options. Fossil fuel combustion is the leading contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and global warming, making the stakes of this debate exceptionally high.
Standoff Over Fossil Fuels
The deadlock continued as negotiators struggled to reconcile competing interests. Panama’s Juan Carlos Monterrey warned that excluding fossil fuels could turn COP30 into a “clown show,” calling failure to address the main drivers of the climate crisis “denial, not compromise.”
Sources revealed that the Arab Group, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE, insisted that their energy industries remain untouched in negotiations, with Saudi Arabia signaling that targeting fossil fuels could collapse the talks. The European Union, meanwhile, declared the draft unacceptable, emphasizing that emission reduction measures must be strengthened even if financial support for developing nations is increased.
Brazilian officials indicated that language on fossil fuels was unlikely to be reintroduced, with summit leaders seeking only minor adjustments to the draft agreement.
Extended Talks Highlight Multilateral Pressure
The two-week COP30 summit in Belem, Brazil, officially ended on Friday evening but, as with previous summits, negotiations extended late into the night. Any agreement requires consensus among nearly 200 countries, a process made more challenging by the absence of the United States delegation.
“The world is watching,” Corrêa do Lago reminded attendees, emphasizing that unity is crucial for preserving the multilateral climate process.
Climate Finance and Trade Discussions
The draft text proposes tripling funds available to help nations adapt to climate impacts by 2030, though it remains unclear whether these resources will come from governments, development banks, or the private sector. This uncertainty may concern developing nations that rely on public financing for critical adaptation measures.
The agreement would also initiate a dialogue on trade at future UN climate talks, a move welcomed by countries like China but potentially sensitive for the EU, given criticism of its carbon border levy from emerging markets.
As COP30 continues, the human element of the summit is clear: behind every negotiation, country, and industry, people’s lives and futures hang in the balance. The world is watching not just for words on paper, but for the tangible commitments that will shape generations to come.
