Why is the COP30 climate summit important?

The annual UN International Climate Change Summit brings together leaders from all over the world, drawing media attention. This year the COP30 will take place in the Brazilian Amazon city of Belem, from 10 to 21 November.

Why is this year so important?

This year marks 10 years since the Paris Agreement, when nearly 200 countries pledged to limit the temperature rise to 1.5 degrees, but by 2024 global temperatures surpassed that barrier for the first time.

According to scientists, if Earth's temperature is 1.5 degrees warmer than in the previous industrial period, the effects of climate change will be more severe.

Brazil, which is holding the COP30 presidency, has asked the other participating countries to work to meet their previous commitments (for example, at the COP28 summit they agreed to gradually eliminate the use of fossil fuels) instead of trying to reach new agreements.

These will be the five main axes of the summit:

-   Abandonment of fossil fuels

-   How to end deforestation

-   How to establish climate financing instruments

-   How to implement adaptation policies

-   Multilateralism

Two weeks of summit.

During the first week, negotiators from participating countries set out their priorities and assessed the positions of others.

The High Representative of the Countries (Ministers) usually begin to participate in the negotiations in the second week, to agree on technical and legal details and to conclude agreements.

Negotiations are usually extended into the early morning, and it is customary not to reach agreement until the last minute.