A trickle of new emission-reduction plans by latecomer countries has boosted hopes that the Cop30 climate summit will bring about renewed momentum for tackling the climate crisis.
The number of countries that have submitted plans, called nationally determined contributions (NDCs), rose on Sunday to 109, with 89 still to go.
Those countries, however, are responsible for three-quarters of the world’s greenhouse gases so action on their pledges could be a significant help in easing the rise in global temperatures.
India, the world’s third-largest emitter, is continuing to work on its new NDC which it indicated it would like to submit before the end of the two-week summit.
READ MORE
Several other countries have also signalled they expect to be ready to bring new plans when their environment and climate ministers arrive for the second week of the talks.
The anticipated arrival of a sizeable US contingent is also helping to lift the mood around the talks venue in the Brazilian city of Belém.
While the US government has not registered a delegation, scores of representatives from individual states and cities, business groupings and local organisations, are due to attend as part of the America is All In coalition.
Influential Democrat Nancy Pelosi, former speaker of the House of Representatives, is also expected to attend.
For the first time since Cop26, the Fridays for Future student movement will reactivate its climate marches, taking to the streets of central Belém next Friday.
Expectations for Cop30 remained modest, however, as final preparations for talks between delegations from about 150 countries continued on Sunday night amid a backdrop of geopolitical tensions.
UN climate chief Simon Stiell, who will deliver the opening address on Monday, said the summit must speak to ordinary people, gaining their trust that climate action brings real benefits.
In remarks posted on social media, he said the summit must achieve strong outcomes and faster implementation.
“And it must connect climate action to people’s real lives – to help spread its benefits: stronger growth, more jobs, less pollution and better health, more affordable, secure energy.”
[ Cop30: Brazil proposes monetising value of Amazon in new fundOpens in new window ]
André Correa do Lago, who will assume the Cop30 presidency on Monday and chair discussions on behalf of the host county, wrote to delegates yesterday telling them his priority was to transform them from negotiating parties “into one cohesive team”.
The talks begin just days after a deadly tornado tore through Paraná in southern Brazil – a powerful reminder of the lethal destruction caused by extreme weather events.
Scientists warned in the lead-up to Cop30 that even with implementation of all the NDCs submitted so far, the planet will heat beyond the threshold needed to prevent the most severe impacts of climate change.
