COP30, held between November 10 and 22, 2025 in Belém (PA), came to an end this weekend, leaving a mixed result.
On one hand, there has been significant progress in climate finance and adaptation; on the other, frustration over the lack of robust measures to reduce fossil fuels, as well as episodes that have exposed organizational challenges.
The main breakthrough was the agreement to triple global resources allocated to adaptation by 2035, in addition to the endorsement of the Baku-to-Bethlehem Roadmap, which foresees the mobilization of up to US$1,3 trillion per year in public and private funds to combat climate action.
There was also progress on issues such as tropical forest protection and multilateral governance. On the other hand, the conference ended under criticism: the final text did not include a clear commitment to phasing out fossil fuels and frustrated part of the scientific community.
Furthermore, the fire that forced the evacuation of the main event area and the record presence of fossil fuel industry lobbyists were also negative points that caught the world's attention.
See what stood out at the event and what the climate agenda looks like after COP30.
Advances and positive points
Tripling the resources for adaptation
One of the most celebrated outcomes of COP30 was the agreement to triple global funding for adaptation by 2035, expanding support to countries already experiencing the most severe effects of the climate crisis. This measure was seen as a crucial step forward in protecting populations highly vulnerable to extreme events, which are expected to intensify in the coming decades.
In addition to increasing the volume of resources, the agreement establishes clearer rules for monitoring and transparency, and recommends that a significant portion of the funding be directed to local governments, traditional communities, and small producers, who historically face more barriers to accessing international funds.
Strengthening climate multilateralism
Despite global geopolitical tensions, COP30 managed to preserve multilateral consensus and reinforced Brazil's role as a climate facilitator. The host country boosted debates on climate justice, protection of tropical forests, and social inclusion.
The holding of the Leaders' Summit, promoted about a week before the conference and bringing together heads of state from different countries, was also considered a positive point for helping to create a more favorable environment for consensus among the main global nations.
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Unprecedented visibility for indigenous peoples
Because it was held on the edge of the Amazon, COP30 gave unprecedented prominence to indigenous peoples, placing their demands and traditional knowledge at the center of discussions, with expanded participation in panels, ministerial meetings, and negotiation spaces. The event also reinforced the importance of guaranteeing direct funding for indigenous peoples and traditional communities.
Crises and negative points
No target for phasing out fossil fuels.
The biggest criticism of the event falls on the final text, which did not establish a roadmap for phasing out the production and use of fossil fuels. Despite the expectations generated before the conference, the adopted formulation ended up using generic terms, such as "reduction" and "energy transition," without explicit references to the need for the elimination or accelerated reduction of fossil fuels.
Fire in event area prompted evacuation.
One of the tensest moments of COP30 occurred when a fire broke out in the "Blue Zone," causing the evacuation of delegations and journalists. Thirteen people were treated for smoke inhalation. The incident exposed infrastructure flaws and delayed some of the negotiations.
Record presence of fossil fuel industry lobbyists
COP30 saw the largest ever attendance of representatives from the oil and gas industry: more than 1.600 accredited lobbyists. The massive participation of these groups raised concerns about potential corporate influence on the final drafting of the texts, especially given the absence of clear mitigation targets.
The situation generated an immediate reaction from civil society organizations: activists protested inside and outside the event, demanding the exclusion of large fossil fuel corporations from climate negotiations and calling for greater transparency in the decision-making process.
What was approved at COP30
COP30 concluded with the approval of 29 official texts, the result of a consensus involving 129 countries. Among the main ones:
- Mutirão (CMA.6): reaffirmed its commitment to the global low-emissions transition and the acceleration of national targets aligned with the 1,5°C limit.
- Just Transition Work Programme: Creating a mechanism to support policies that guarantee jobs and inclusion during the energy transition.
- Global Stocktake: Maintaining the process of continuous evaluation of climate actions, based on the recommendations of COP28.
- Article 2.1 (c): It reinforced the alignment of international financial flows with low-emission and more resilient economies.
- Response measures: It established a forum dedicated to the socioeconomic impacts of the transition, focusing on employment and competitiveness.
- Loss and damage fund: Progress has been made in operationalizing the fund, allowing for direct financing between 2025 and 2026 under the Barbados model.
- Adaptation fund: increased the funding ceiling per country from US$10 million to US$25 million.
- Global Adaptation Goal (GGA): approved the first global framework of indicators to measure vulnerabilities and resilience actions.
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