Deadlock in Belém: U.N. Climate Talks Split Over When and How to Phase Out Oil, Gas and Coal

Delegates at the U.N. climate conference in Belém, Brazil, struggled to bridge deep differences Saturday over draft proposals that many say fail to clearly identify the burning of oil, gas and coal as the primary driver of global warming or to set a concrete roadmap for phasing them out.

The summit, convened at the edge of the Amazon and known as COP30, ran past its scheduled close after a package of texts from the Brazilian presidency drew objections from 36 countries. Critics argued the proposals lacked specific timelines, mechanisms to accelerate cuts and meaningful guidance to strengthen national climate plans submitted earlier in 2025.

Sharp objections and stalled talks

Panama’s lead negotiator, Juan Carlos Monterrey Gomez, warned the U.N. process risked "becoming a clown show" because the draft omitted an explicit transition plan away from fossil fuels. Host presidency negotiator André Corrêa do Lago initially said delegations were close to agreement, but when plenary negotiations faltered he shifted to smaller pairings and then convened a closed session of senior officials to try to break the impasse.

“Under no circumstances are we going to accept this,” EU Climate Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra said in a closed meeting, criticizing the draft for lacking scientific rigour, a clear global stocktake response and language on transitioning away from fossil fuels.

Small island states and vulnerable nations echoed sharp criticism. Tuvalu’s environment minister, Maina Vakafua Talia, said the drafts failed to even name the main threat to their survival. More than 80 nations—backed by calls from Brazil’s president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva—have pushed for clearer, stronger language and a roadmap to phase out fossil fuels.

Key sticking points

One presidency text seeks to address four difficult issues, including finance for vulnerable countries and stronger national emissions targets. The most contentious item is whether to expand on the Dubai agreement’s brief call to "transition away" from fossil fuels by adding a timetable or process for a phaseout. Major oil-producing states including Saudi Arabia and Russia oppose an explicit phaseout roadmap, complicating consensus.

The draft acknowledges the global shift toward low-emission, climate-resilient development and affirms the Paris Agreement’s trajectory, while urging faster action. Yet negotiators note that the 119 national emissions pledges submitted this year remain insufficient to limit warming to the Paris target of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.

Logistics, delays and next steps

The conference was further disrupted by a pavilion fire that briefly spread through exhibition areas on Thursday, costing a day of work and contributing to what negotiators described as a 24-hour delay. With full plenary talks stalled, the presidency attempted smaller consultations and a senior-level closed session, but those meetings adjourned without a breakthrough.

Observers say the presidency’s texts could be revised into a new draft, or a separate, more detailed roadmap could be developed in coming days. Agreements at COP typically require either consensus or adoption by the presidency while noting objections, so negotiators will likely continue intensive consultations as the conference’s end date moves into uncertainty.

Key voices: Juan Carlos Monterrey Gomez (Panama), André Corrêa do Lago (Brazil), Wopke Hoekstra (EU), Maina Vakafua Talia (Tuvalu), Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (Brazil), and other negotiators and observers advocating for stronger fossil-fuel transition language.