At COP30 in Belém, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and UN Secretary-General António Guterres pressed delegates for a united, actionable agreement as the absence of the United States highlighted deep divisions. Scientists advising the summit demanded a concrete roadmap rather than high-level meetings. Key tensions include continued fossil fuel use and the finance needed for a fair transition, while India criticised wealthy nations and suggested it may delay its climate plan until December.
Lula Pushes for COP30 Unity as US Absence Exposes Global Divisions
At COP30 in Belém, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and UN Secretary-General António Guterres pressed delegates for a united, actionable agreement as the absence of the United States highlighted deep divisions. Scientists advising the summit demanded a concrete roadmap rather than high-level meetings. Key tensions include continued fossil fuel use and the finance needed for a fair transition, while India criticised wealthy nations and suggested it may delay its climate plan until December.
02:57 PM, 11/20/2025Environment
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has called for a united front at COP30 in Belém, saying the summit’s impact has been heightened by the notable absence of the United States and underscoring the need for broader cooperation to tackle the climate emergency.
On Wednesday in Belém, Lula and United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres met with senior delegates and other key figures at the climate summit, aiming to secure an agreement that narrows sharp differences between nations on how to move forward.
“We need to show society that we want this without imposing anything on anyone, without setting deadlines for each country to decide what it can do within its own time, within its own possibilities,”Lula said, adding that countries must agree on a shared “roadmap” for climate action.
Sticking points: fossil fuels and finance
Despite presenting himself as a leading voice for climate ambition and deeper cooperation among non-Western nations, Lula has encountered difficulty reconciling divisions over continued fossil fuel use and the financing required to meet global emissions targets. The decision by the US not to attend has amplified concerns about whether COP30 can deliver firm commitments.
Seven prominent scientists — including advisers to the COP30 presidency — urged leaders to set out a practical plan. “A road map is not a workshop or a ministerial meeting. A road map is a real workplan that needs to show us the way from where we are to where we need to be, and how to get there,” they wrote in a letter pressing for concrete, actionable steps.
Voices from the Global South
Some nations, notably India, have criticised wealthy countries for failing to act proportionately, noting that historical emissions place a greater responsibility on richer states to ease access to renewable technologies and finance. Indian Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav warned that the impacts of warming are already materialising and indicated India may submit its updated climate plan in December rather than by the conference’s self-imposed deadline.
With negotiators under pressure to translate broad commitments into specific timelines, the summit faces a central test: whether divergent national priorities can be bridged into a credible, implementable roadmap that limits warming and protects the most vulnerable countries from increasingly severe climate impacts.