“Climate Is Our Biggest War,” Warns Cop30 CEO Ahead of UN Summit in Brazil
“Climate Is Our Biggest War,” Warns Cop30 CEO Ahead of UN Summit in Brazil
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With just four months until the UN climate summit Cop30 in Belém, Brazil, Ana Toni, CEO of Cop30, warns that global focus is dangerously diverted by military and trade conflicts, The Guardian reported. “Climate is our biggest war,” she said, emphasizing the urgent need to prioritize the climate crisis, which threatens the planet for the next century.
Fewer than 30 of the 200 countries expected at Cop30 have submitted updated national climate plans, known as nationally determined contributions (NDCs), required under the 2015 Paris Agreement to limit warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. This target was breached recently as global land temperatures soared, intensifying extreme weather events worldwide.
The summit faces challenges from geopolitical tensions, including the US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, stalled EU negotiations, and China’s rumored weak emission targets despite its renewable energy leadership. Experts fear some countries and fossil fuel interests deliberately slow progress.
Finance remains a critical issue. Developing nations demand concrete plans to meet the $1.3 trillion annual climate finance pledge made at Cop29. However, many multilateral development banks have shown limited engagement, raising concerns about funding gaps.
Brazil’s Cop30 agenda avoids reopening contentious fossil fuel debates, despite global calls for a clear transition plan. Indigenous voices and civil society will play key roles in the summit, but the ultimate success depends on national governments delivering ambitious NDCs ahead of the event.
