Climate Hope Remains as Aid Cuts Threaten Progress at Cop30
Belém, Brazil – As the Cop30 climate summit gets underway, a sense of urgency pervades negotiations despite recent cuts to overseas development aid, leaving vulnerable nations grappling with increasingly severe climate impacts. World leaders and negotiators are tasked with charting a course to limit global warming to 1.5C,a goal experts say is increasingly at risk given current national emissions reduction plans.
The conference, hosted by Brazil, follows last year’s Cop28 where a commitment was made to a “just, orderly and equitable energy transition.” However, progress is threatened by dwindling financial support for developing countries already facing devastating consequences like extreme droughts, floods, and landslides.
Kenya’s deputy president, kithure Kindiki, highlighted the crisis facing his nation, stating, “Extreme drought alternating with floods continues to threaten livelihoods and wipe out the gains of our development agenda. As I am here, scores of people are being searched for after being buried under a landslide. Such incidents have become common.” He condemned the lack of climate finance as “an insult and an injustice” to those suffering the effects of the climate crisis.
Despite the challenges, African nations are positioning themselves as key players in the global energy transition. Kindiki noted that Kenya already generates 93% of its electricity from clean energy sources and is a notable supplier of critical minerals essential for renewable energy technologies like wind turbines, solar panels, and batteries, stating, “We can definitely help the world in its transition to clean energy.”
Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva emphasized the need to move away from fossil fuels, declaring, “The Earth can no longer sustain the development model based on the intensive use of fossil fuels that has prevailed for the last 200 years.” Despite Brazil being a top 10 oil and gas producer, Lula signaled his negotiators would prioritize a fossil fuel phaseout, countering resistance from countries like Saudi arabia.
Zimbabwe’s environment minister, evelyn Ndlovu, underscored the interconnectedness of the climate crisis, stating, “The climate crisis is not a competition. There is no winner or loser. Either we all win or we all lose.”
Over the next two weeks, Cop30 negotiations will focus on phasing out fossil fuels, protecting forests, and mobilizing financial aid for vulnerable countries. current national emissions pledges are projected to lead to a 2.5C temperature rise, a scenario scientists warn would result in widespread devastation and extreme weather events.
