Climate Protests Intensify at COP30 in Brazil’s Belém
Belém, Brazil – Demonstrations are defining the tone of the COP30 climate talks in Belém, Brazil, as activists from around the globe converge to demand greater accountability from governments and fossil fuel companies. After a three-year hiatus of restricted protests at previous COP summits – in the UAE, Egypt, and Azerbaijan – demonstrators are visibly shaping the narrative and applying pressure to negotiators.
The protests reflect growing frustration with the pace of climate action and a demand for financial responsibility from oil and gas companies. Activists are seeking increased involvement for Indigenous communities in the COP process and a commitment to more enterprising climate goals. With another week of negotiations ahead, the demonstrations in Belém underscore the urgency and complexity of the climate crisis, mirroring the multifaceted nature of Brazil itself.
Indigenous representatives emphasized the importance of COP30 in bringing attention to land conflicts. “At least [COP30] makes it visible” to the world that people are ”facing conflicts” on their land,” one representative stated. They expressed a desire for greater influence within the COP framework, stating, “We wont to have more influence, and that’s why we believe we have to take ownership of these spaces, we can’t stay out of it.”
The protests are not limited to Indigenous voices. Louise Hutchins, convener of the Make Polluters Pay Coalition International, asserted, “We’re here to say to governments they need to make the oil and gas companies pay up for the climate destruction – they’ve made billions in profits every day for the last 50 years.”
The outcome of COP30 remains uncertain, but the sustained pressure from protesters signals a determination to push for more substantial commitments. The events unfolding in Belém encapsulate the challenges and potential for progress in addressing the global climate crisis.
