At the opening of COP30 in Belém, Brazil, conference president André Corrêa do Lago warned that rich nations are losing energy in the fight against climate change. Thirty years after the first COP, global greenhouse gas emissions have climbed by about one-third, and the gap between promises and real action keeps widening.
What is COP30?
COP stands for Conference of the Parties—the annual meeting of countries under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). COP30 is the 30th session, held from 10–21 November 2025 in Belém, Brazil.
Corrêa do Lago said wealthy nations in the Global North—once the strongest voices for climate leadership—are now less motivated. This slowdown matters because they have the money, the technology, and the historical responsibility to act first. When they hesitate, the whole world feels the delay.
The numbers tell the story:
• The world is heading toward 2.5 °C of warming, far beyond the 1.5 °C Paris goal.
• The Global Methane Pledge, signed by 159 countries in 2021, aimed to cut methane by 30% by 2030—but emissions from six major signatories, including the United States and Australia, are now 8.5% higher than in 2020.
• The US oil and gas sector alone has raised methane emissions by 18% since 2020.
• The promised $100 billion per year in climate finance for poorer nations has still not been delivered.
Meanwhile, China leads both in carbon emissions and clean-energy growth. It produces the largest share of solar panels and renewable systems—showing that large-scale transition remains possible.
For developing countries, especially across Asia, Africa, and the Pacific, the situation is urgent. They face stronger storms, longer droughts, and higher seas while still waiting for the help promised years ago. The growing silence from rich countries isn’t just political—it’s felt in flooded homes, failed crops, and rising prices of basic goods.
If climate action were a song, the rich countries were once the lead guitarist, setting the tone for the world. Now they’re slowing down while the drummer—the climate crisis itself—keeps pounding louder. The rest of the band—the developing nations—must keep the beat alive.
Because Earth is the stage, and there’s no backstage to escape to when the lights burn out. The performance must go on—for everyone.
⌨ ᴛʸᵖⁱⁿᵍ ᴏᵘᵗ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵉ ʙˡᵘᵉ ᵈᵃʳᵉᵐ ᵐᵘˢⁱᶜ ᵇˡᵒᵍ
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