COP30 Ends with Modest Climate Pact in Brazil: Boost for Adaptation Finance but No Clear Fossil-Fuel Phaseout

Nearly 200 countries concluded COP30 in Belém, in Brazil's Amazon region, with a modest agreement that drew both praise and criticism. Delegates described the outcome as a pragmatic achievement given difficult negotiations, while many climate advocates and some national leaders said it did not go far enough—notably on a clear plan to phase out fossil fuels.

Brazil — Lula

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who promoted the summit as "the COP of truth," welcomed the result, saying that "science prevailed" and "multilateralism won." He highlighted unusually broad participation from civil society, academia, the private sector, Indigenous peoples and social movements, noting the summit's high turnout.

Europe

EU Climate Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra said Europe "would have preferred more ambition on everything," but called the outcome "the right direction." France's ecological transition minister Monique Barbut was more critical: "I couldn't call this COP a success," she said, while adding that the agreement does not undermine previous climate momentum. British energy secretary Ed Miliband emphasized the incremental nature of COP negotiations, noting that progress often comes over many conferences.

Colombia

Colombian President Gustavo Petro criticized the declaration for failing to state explicitly, as he argued science demands, that fossil fuels are the root cause of the climate crisis and for lacking a clear phaseout plan. He said Colombia "does not accept" the omission.

BASIC and China

A representative speaking for the BASIC coalition (Brazil, South Africa, India and China) described the agreement as "meaningful" and praised the COP presidency's efforts to secure an outcome in Belém. China said it was "happy with the outcome," with Vice Minister Li Gao calling COP30 a "success in a very difficult situation."

Less-developed countries

Evans Njewa, representing a group of 44 less-developed countries, acknowledged they "didn't win on all fronts," but hailed a pledge to triple adaptation finance by 2035 as a major victory and a red line for vulnerable nations. The Alliance of Small Island States described the deal as "imperfect" but a step toward progress.

United Nations — Guterres

UN Secretary-General António Guterres acknowledged the hard work behind the agreement but said many stakeholders—especially Indigenous peoples, young people and those already suffering severe climate impacts—may feel let down. "I cannot pretend that COP30 has delivered everything that is needed," he said, warning that the gap between current commitments and what science requires remains "dangerously wide." He pledged to keep pushing for higher ambition and greater solidarity.

NGOs

Non-governmental organizations delivered mixed assessments. Ani Dasgupta of the World Resources Institute praised breakthroughs to triple adaptation finance, strengthen forest protection and elevate Indigenous voices, while also criticizing the negotiations for failing to secure a clear fossil-fuel phaseout and calling the final text "weakened" in that respect. Ilan Zugman of 350.org said the lack of concrete commitments favors the fossil-fuel industry and the ultrarich over communities facing the climate crisis every day.

Outlook

The COP30 text represents a compromise: it secures significantly increased adaptation finance for vulnerable countries but stops short of stronger language on fossil-fuel phaseout that many scientists and campaigners insisted was necessary. The agreement will frame climate diplomacy and finance discussions in the coming months as leaders and civil society press for more ambitious targets.