UN Climate Conference 2025: A Crucial Gathering for the Planet's Future
The 2025 UN climate conference, which kicked off today in Belém, a city located in the Brazilian tropical forest, is generating significant headlines about global efforts to prevent a climate catastrophe. It is well-known that the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change established the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities in the fight against climate change, meaning that rich countries, responsible for the majority of emissions warming the planet, assume a greater responsibility in solving the problem. As a result, the Conference of the Parties (COP) has become a major hub for geopolitical and financial discussions, especially since it is open to civil society, businesses, and financiers.
This Year's Focus: Delivering on Past Promises
This year, Brazil has called on countries to work on delivering on past promises, such as the commitments made at COP28 to gradually eliminate the use of fossil fuels, rather than making new ones. The COP30 will also be the first to acknowledge the failure to meet the previous goal of keeping warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius.
The Negotiation Process
During the first week of the summit, country negotiators will present their priorities and assess each other's positions. Themes will begin to emerge, and countries and companies will announce action plans and funding commitments for projects. Negotiators are usually joined by national ministers during the second week to negotiate final decisions, including legal and technical details.
A Challenging but Crucial Process
The COP rarely takes place without incident. Countries maneuver to secure agreements in their national interest and draw red lines. Towards the end, negotiators often work through frantic sleepless nights to find compromises. Countries then meet to approve decisions by consensus, rather than unanimously. You can follow the summit's progress and key decisions closely on Managers. Stay tuned.
