In an increasingly urgent appeal ahead of COP30, Brazil is imploring nations worldwide to submit their updated and ambitious national climate plans—known as Nationally Determined Contributions, or NDCs—by the United Nations deadline of September 25. As of now, only 28 countries have delivered their proposals, with major emitters like China and the European Union conspicuously absent. The gravity of this call cannot be overstated: these plans form the backbone of the UN’s “synthesis report,” which will reveal how far the planet stands from the critical goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
Brazil is hosting the landmark COP30 climate summit in Belém this November and is now moving beyond rhetoric. In a departure from tradition, it has organized two “presidency consultation” meetings—first on September 25, alongside the UN General Assembly in New York, followed by another on October 15—to help pave the way for smoother negotiations and avoid the historic gridlock that often plagues UN climate talks.
Leading this push is veteran diplomat André Corrêa do Lago, who will preside over COP30. In a powerful plea to world leaders, he emphasized that NDCs are not merely technical targets but represent “the vision of our shared future,” and urged collective responsibility to turn lackluster pledges into commitments capable of safeguarding a livable planet. His message reflects a broader shift in the summit’s tone: Brazil is now ensuring that discussions of NDCs become central to the COP30 agenda itself, reinforcing transparency and rebuilding trust in the climate negotiation process.
Yet the road to Belém is jam-packed with logistical and geopolitical hurdles. The host city, perched at the mouth of the Amazon River, is struggling to accommodate delegates, journalists, and civil society actors. With just 18,000 hotel rooms available against an expected 50,000 attendees, Brazil has turned to unconventional solutions—including cruise ships and a room-sharing platform—to fill the gap. Even then, room rates are soaring, with some hovering around $400 per night and others surpassing $1,000, posing significant barriers for participants from vulnerable nations.
Compounding these operational challenges, Corrêa do Lago has lamented the limits of the current UN climate negotiation model, calling for a new focus on implementation rather than prolonged debate. He warned of a growing “economic denial”—a resistance to seeing the economic viability and benefits of transitioning to a low-carbon future—a paradigm that former U.S. President Donald Trump and populist sentiment feed into. In response, Brazil is leveraging not only the UN platform but also broader international venues like the G20 and IMF to inject momentum into climate finance and policy action.
Belém will also serve as a symbolic canvas for Brazil’s commitment to climate justice. In staging COP30 in a less affluent Amazonian city, Brazil intends to foreground climate action that simultaneously addresses environmental degradation and socioeconomic inequality. With developing countries still waiting on crucial financing and forest conservation efforts, the stakes couldn’t be higher.
With just months to go, Brazil’s clarion call is clear: stronger NDCs, more inclusive logistics, and a renewed commitment to implementation must converge to deliver a COP30 that is not just another conference—but a turning point.
