Anticipation and hope in Belem as Cop30 is set to open in Brazil

Thousands converge on the city, bringing global climate hopes to the heart of the Amazon

Belem’s humid air hangs heavy inside the bustling Cop30 registration hall, but volunteer Kalilo Lacerdo keeps his cool, greeting every delegate with a broad smile.

“I know my city is a really hot place,” said Mr Lacerdo, 23, “so I attend to everybody here with a perfect smile while handing out badges.”

Outside, the city braces for the start of Cop30 on Monday. Streets around the venue are lined with security barricades, Cop-designated buses weave through traffic and workers rush to add final touches as tens of thousands of visitors descend on this Amazonian city where, for the first time, the UN’s annual climate summit is being held in the heart of a rainforest.

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Over the next two weeks, negotiators from nearly 200 nations will debate how to speed up global action on emissions and climate funding. Among the key issues are increasing finance for developing countries, implementing the global stocktake under the Paris Agreement and protecting biodiversity in rainforest regions.

Dr Sarah Green, professor emeritus at Michigan Technological University, is at Cop30 with several colleagues and students. “We bring students every year to the Cop to learn about climate science and climate policy,” she said.

Dr Green said the summit in the UAE in 2023 was an “amazing experience“ for her students.

“It’s really mindblowing for the students to meet so many colleagues from other countries. We come from small places in the US and they don’t have a lot of experience meeting such a diverse group of people.”

Leah Dundon, left, from Vanderbilt University, and Sarah Green, professor emeritus of Michigan Technological University, at Cop30. Nilanjana Gupta / The National

Dr Green said it will be “very interesting to see how this Cop develops, especially with the US being really absent in an official role … because this is really an implementation Cop. We are interested to see new commitments and new programmes that actually will make on-the-ground change”.

The White House said it will not send high-level officials to the annual conference, after US President Donald Trump made his views clear at the UN General Assembly in September when he described climate change as the world's "greatest con job".

Dr Green’s message for the international community is one of optimism. “Students really understand about climate change, and they are totally motivated to help to bring out a new world … it’s just exciting to see them here, meeting their peers from other countries.”

For Brazil, hosting Cop30 marks a symbolic moment, and a chance to reassert itself as a climate leader after years of deforestation and political turmoil.

Among those proud to welcome the world is Vittor Ferreira, 26, who is also volunteering at the registration desk. “For me, it’s so exciting because it’s one of the first times that an international event about climate change is taking place here. Now, if you want to live many more years, we need the Amazon.”

Marcos da Silva, an interpreter from the north-eastern city of Natal, arrived three weeks ago to assist at the event. “This will be a very great event for Brazil and also for many countries, to make sure that they have an agreement to have a better world for everybody,” he said. “The event will help put Belem on the global map.”

The sense of anticipation extends across Latin America. Benjamin Sanchez Adam, 24, travelled from Chile to attend as a youth panelist.

“I’m pretty excited to be here at the Cop summit,” he said. “More than one billion kids are in danger because of the climate crisis. We need a strong voice on the panel sessions. We need someone from the youth. That’s why I am happy to be here.”

Benjamin Sanchez Adam travelled from Chile to attend as a youth panelist. Nilanjana Gupta / The National

For Sahar Zavareh Hofmann, an assistant professor at the University of York in the UK, Cop30 is a chance to see how global climate finance policies are shaped. “I am focusing on the Cop finance agenda to gain first-hand insights into cutting-edge policy discussions, financial innovations and climate action strategies,” she said.

”I am happy that climate finance is embedded as part of the agenda. Without really considering finance, it is difficult to prioritise meaningful change.”

Jack Wakefield, Global Affairs Lead on Climate at WaterAid, is urging negotiators to place water at the centre of climate commitments at Cop30.

Jack Wakefield, Global Affairs Lead on Climate, at Cop30. Nilanjana Gupta / The National

“We really implore leaders at Cop30 to get an agreement on adaptation over the line. One that puts water and sanitation at its heart, that prioritises the needs of impacted communities, and ensures the finance is available to resource it,” he said.

WaterAid, a non-governmental organisation, operates in 22 countries across Africa, Asia, South America and the Pacific, working to expand access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene for vulnerable communities.

As dusk fell on Sunday, the calm in Belem felt fleeting. By Monday morning, the world’s attention will turn to the city, with the commitments made here shaping the future of the planet for decades to come.