The first day of Pre-COP30in Brasília, brought together ministers, diplomats and representatives from dozens of countries to debate the next steps in global climate policy before the COP30which will be held in November in Belém.
The meeting, considered a kind of diplomatic warm-up for the main conference, was marked by ambitious promises from the Brazilian government, announcements of new financial initiatives and the absence of the United States, which has not yet confirmed its presence at the main event.
During the opening ceremony, the acting president, Geraldo Alckmin (PSB), reaffirmed the country’s commitment to achieving zero illegal deforestation by 2030. He highlighted that, in the last two and a half years, Brazil managed to reduce deforestation in the Amazon by almost 50%, the result of inspection policies, incentives for the bioeconomy and forest recovery.
Alckmin also announced that the government intends to expand the restoration of degraded areas with resources from the Climate Fund, reinforcing the commitment to a low-carbon economy.
“We are showing that it is possible to grow and reduce emissions at the same time. The target of zero illegal deforestation by 2030 is a commitment that Brazil will fulfill”, stated the acting president. According to him, more than 80% of the national electricity matrix is already renewable, which puts the country in a prominent position in international negotiations on energy transition.
The goal also reinforces the government’s statement that it is possible to reconcile economic growth, social inclusion and environmental preservation.
During the event, the Minister of Finance, Fernando Haddad, presented three initiatives that should make up the COP30 “Action Agenda”, aimed at creating financial instruments that enable the green transition.
The first is the Tropical Forests Forever Fund, which seeks to guarantee continuous financing for countries with large areas of tropical forest, replacing the model of specific donations with long-term investment contributions.
The second proposal is the Open Coalition for the Integration of Carbon Markets, which aims to harmonize rules and allow different carbon credit systems to operate in an interconnected way.
The third is the creation of a “super taxonomy”, aimed at standardizing the sustainability criteria used by the financial sector. The objective is to provide more transparency to green investments and attract private capital for sustainable projects.
Haddad stated that the initiatives represent an advance in environmental economic diplomacy and “translate, in a practical way, what Brazil has defended: cooperation, innovation and scale to transform ambition into concrete results”.
The minister anticipated that the proposals will be presented this week at the World Bank and IMF meetings in Washington, before going to ambassador André Corrêa do Lago, president of COP30.
Despite the government’s positive tone, the event was marked by a notable absence. According to Corrêa do Lago, the United States has not yet signaled the sending of a delegation to COP30. North American participation would be important in negotiations on climate financing and emissions reduction targets.
“There is, so far, no indication of participation from the United States. The invitation is open to all countries, but we still have no response from Washington,” said the diplomat. Even so, he positively evaluated the meeting, which brought together representatives from around 65 countries and reinforced alignment around the defense of multilateralism and the financing of climate adaptation actions.
Holding the Pre-COP in Brazil was seen as an opportunity to consolidate the country’s image as a protagonist in global environmental discussions. The government of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) is betting on COP30, the first to take place in the Amazon, as a symbolic milestone in the resumption of Brazilian leadership on the climate agenda.
The idea is that the event in Belém combines concrete commitments to reduce emissions and proposals for climate justice, balancing the demand for targets with the financing of sustainable actions in developing countries.
The event in Brasília ends this Tuesday (15).
