The UN Climate Talks (COP30) scheduled to be held next month in Belém, Brazil, represent a critical opportunity for global cooperation and to demonstrate real progress in combating the accelerating impacts of the climate crisis.
Taking place a decade after the 2015 Paris Agreement, COP 30 marks the tenth anniversary of its adoption and the midpoint of this decisive decade for climate action--making it a pivotal moment to assess progress and set more ambitious goals.
It is also the first climate conference to be held in the Amazon rainforest, shining a spotlight on one of the planet’s most vital ecosystems. The meeting comes at a crucial time for global climate action, with high expectations for delivering on previous commitments and tackling issues like climate finance, inclusiveness, climate justice, and nature-based solutions.
Although organizing the conference in Belém--a city at the mouth of the Amazon-- poses many logistical challenges, the choice of location makes a powerful statement. Brazil aims to use COP30 as an opportunity to highlight the vital role of rainforests in regulating climates and ecosystems, as well as to showcase the Amazon as a model for sustainable development.
Conference Expectations
The conference is expected to push for concrete action and financial commitments to halt deforestation, particularly in the Amazon. Key priorities include promoting nature-based solutions, enhancing environmental monitoring, and establishing deforestation-free supply chains.
Following the "global stocktake" at the Dubai climate talks (COP28), COP30 is expected to be an implementation conference. Brazil will seek to demonstrate that countries are capable of delivering on their promises, particularly when it comes to the goal of tripling renewable energy.
COP30 represents a crucial milestone, as it is the last of the major climate negotiations before the 2035 deadline to submit updated climate targets, known as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Brazil is urging all countries to submit ambitious plans consistent with the 1.5°C goal.
Indigenous People
COP30 will give unprecedented importance to Indigenous peoples and their communities. The Brazilian presidency has prioritized the participation of Amazon Indigenous representatives in official negotiations and various side events, with thousands expected to attend the conference.
Indigenous peoples are calling for formal recognition of their traditional knowledge and territorial rights--long proven to be among the most effective strategies for environmental conservation. Their traditional knowledge includes sustainable resource management, a deep ecological understanding, and practices that enhance biodiversity and climate change resilience.
Passed down through generations, this knowledge is often holistic and spiritually grounded, fostering harmonious relationships with nature and providing valuable insights for scientific research and modern conservation efforts. A key request from Indigenous leaders at COP30 will be the establishment of climate finance mechanisms that bypass bureaucratic intermediaries and ensure that funds reach their communities directly.
Finance Roadmap
Frustration is mounting among climate activists and many nations over the issue of climate finance. This frustration stems from the failure to meet climate targets, the insufficient and unfair distribution of funds, and a system that favors loans over grants, exacerbating the debt burden in developing countries.
For instance, the promised annual commitment of USD 100 billion has only recently been fulfilled and is still insufficient to meet the needs of developing countries, many of which continue to face obstacles in accessing funds. In fact, COP30 follows COP29, whose financing target outcome was lower than expected, making the issue of financing especially urgent.
Thus, it is expected that the round of climate negotiations in Belém will finalize a roadmap for scaling up climate finance, including strategies to mobilize private capital to achieve the target of USD 1.3 trillion annually by 2035 for developing countries.
The conference will also push for embedding equity in all aspects of climate action. Discussions are expected to address critical issues such as debt relief for low-income countries and the activation of the Loss and Damage Fund, designed to support the most vulnerable countries in coping with the impacts of climate change.
In addition, Brazil, in collaboration with the United Nations, has launched a "Global Ethical Assessment" to guide these discussions. This initiative will focus on the ethical dimension of the climate crisis and its far-reaching social implications.
What Does the GCC Expect?
At COP30, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries will continue working on balancing energy security, economic prosperity, and emissions reduction, with a focus on climate finance, carbon market mechanisms, and climate change adaptation. Their unified stance demonstrates a commitment to safeguarding the region's economic interests while acknowledging their responsibility in addressing global climate challenges. The GCC countries are expected to call for more financing and foreign investment to support the transition to clean energy. They also seek to further develop carbon market mechanisms and circular carbon economy plans.
Progress on climate finance is expected to be a key objective, particularly regarding the "Baku to Belém" roadmap, which aims to raise USD 1.3 trillion in climate finance by 2035. GCC countries also expect to negotiate fair and equitable financing mechanisms to ensure a just energy transition. In addition, they emphasize that the shift away from fossil fuels must be both just and inclusive, protecting workers and communities whose livelihoods depend on carbon-intensive industries.
Gulf countries expect significant attention to be given to the issue of adaptation to the impacts of climate change, especially in the most vulnerable areas. GCC countries will advocate for finding practical solutions to address the challenges posed by climate change to their communities, especially in coastal areas, where much of the region’s population resides.
Finally, the GCC countries consider COP30 to be an opportunity to enhance international cooperation in technological innovation and knowledge transfer. Such collaboration on energy transition and green transformation supports the Gulf countries' broader plans to diversify their economies and reduce their dependence on oil revenues in line with their long-term national goals.
References
1. Columbia University, Center on Global Energy Policy. "Renewable Energy Development in the GCC: Progress Made and Challenges Ahead." https://www.energypolicy.columbia.edu/renewable-energy-development-in-the-gccprogress-made-and-challenges-ahead/. Accessed on 19 October 2025.
2. ESG News. "GCC Nations Pledge $100B for Renewable Energy to Cut Emissions by 20% by 2030." https://esgnews.com/gcc-nations-pledge-100b-for-renewable-energy-to-cutemissions-by-20-by-2030/. Accessed 10 October 2025.
3. GCC Business Watch. “GCC Reaffirms Climate Commitment to Protect Marine Ecosystems and Coastal Communities.” https://gccbusinesswatch.com/news/gccreaffirms-climate-commitment-to-protect-marine-ecosystems-and-coastalcommunities/#:~:text=The%20GCC%27s%20environmental%20agenda%20gained,The %20SGI%20targets%20include. Accessed 18 October 2025.
4. KUNA. "Arab negotiators agree 'unified stance' ahead of UN COP30 summit." https://www.kuna.net.kw/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=3250192&Language=en. Accessed 17 October 2025.
5. Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Qatar). "GCC Reaffirms Commitment to Tackling Climate Change with International Partners." https://mofa.gov.qa/en/qatar/latest-articles/latestnews/details/2024/09/14/gcc-reaffirms-commitment-to-tackling-climate-change-withinternational-partners. Accessed on 16 October 2025.
6. ThinkLandscape. "Is there room for climate activists at COP30?" https://thinklandscape.globallandscapesforum.org/98351/cop30-climate-activistsinclusivity/. Accessed on 13 October 2025.
7. The Nature Conservancy. "COP30: Your Guide to the 2025 UN Climate Change Conference." https://www.nature.org/en-us/what-we-do/our-priorities/tackle-climatechange/climate-change-stories/cop-climate-change-conference/. Accessed on 18 October 2025.
8. Trade Arabia. “GCC states call for gradual, balanced transition to climate action.” https://www.tradearabia.com/News/296503/GCC-states-call-for-gradual%2c-balancedtransition-to-climateaction#:~:text=GCC%20Ambassadors%20Council%20during%20the%20interactive%20 dialogue,the%20Special%20Rapporteur%27s%20report%2C%20which%20are%20overl y. Accessed on 15 October 2025.
* Dr. Mohamed Abdelraouf is the Director of the Environmental Security and Sustainability Research Program at the Gulf Research Center.
