Only small steps forward in climate change mitigation at Climate Change Conference in Belém

The Climate Change Conference COP30 in Belém, Brazil ended on Saturday evening Finnish time, after having continued almost 24 hours longer than planned. The political commitment achieved was modest relative to the objectives of the Paris Climate Change Agreement. However, in the negotiations during the last night the EU managed to include points in the resolutions that will ensure that the work on energy transition and phasing out fossil fuels will continue, even if this will be less binding than the EU and Finland had hoped. The gap between the targets and the emission reductions needed to achieve these is also mentioned in the resolutions.

“In terms of emission reductions, the outcome was far below what would now be needed. The world’s response to the gap between the target of the Paris Agreement and the actions is insufficient. At the same time, we consider it most important that the work to reduce fossil energy will continue. It is important to continue the international, multilateral climate work and to provide support in climate change adaptation to the most vulnerable countries,” Minister of Climate and the Environment Sari Multala says.

More than a hundred countries submitted their Nationally Determined Contributions extending to 2035 in accordance with the Paris Agreement before or during the conference, but the contributions by these countries in total will reduce emissions much less than would be needed to limit temperature rise to 1.5 degrees. Much higher emission reductions will be needed fast to make it possible to reach the target.

Financing for preparation for climate change to be increased, common indicators for adaptation

Another main theme in the negotiations was the financing to be targeted to preparing for climate change and adapting to it. The countries agreed that the financing targeted to developing countries for adaptation would be tripled by 2035, and this concerns countries other than the traditional finance providers as well. It will also be made easier to access the financing.

Common indicators were agreed in Belém by which the preparations for climate change and adaptation to it can be monitored globally. The 59 common indicators concern e.g. the amounts of climate-resilient investments or the capacity of ecosystems to recover. Over the next two years the indicators will be further specified by experts.

Future of climate conferences requires strategic reflection by EU and its partners

The views of different countries of what they actually expected from the conference in Belém and from climate conferences in general seem to be even further apart. Countries advocating higher climate ambition are becoming a minority and developing countries as a united front are advocating a focus on finance and adaptation. 
 
“The Brazilian Presidency allowed its partners representing the emerging economies to take the outcome in the direction they hoped for. The absence of the United States from the negotiations was surely a major factor in this as well. The EU was very disappointed that now the cooperation with countries advocating ambitious emission reductions did not lead to support for stronger wordings regarding the reductions. In the end, adaptation finance was the only true priority even for these countries. China remained passive and did not take the lead, which means that the EU was left quite alone,” Chief Negotiator Marjo Nummelin says.

The next UN Climate Change Conference COP31 will be held in Antalya, Türkiye in autumn 2026. The Presidency will be divided between Türkiye and Australia, and the negotiations will be led by Australia. 

Inquiries

Lyydia Ylönen
Special Adviser to Minister Multala
Ministry of the Environment
tel. +358 50 476 1341
[email protected]

Marjo Nummelin
Chief Negotiator for Climate Change
tel. +358 295 250 227
[email protected]

Outi Honkatukia (finance)
Director of the Climate and Chemicals Unit
tel. +358 50 341 1758
[email protected]

Riikka Lamminmäki (requests for interviews with Minister Multala and negotiators) 
Director of Communications 
Ministry of the Environment tel. +358 50 576 2604
[email protected]