COP30: Key issues, agenda and what to expect

Frequently asked questions

When does COP30 start?

COP30 starts on November 10, 2025, and will run until November 21, 2025. The conference will be held in Belém, Brazil, in the heart of the Amazon region.

What is the theme of COP30?

The central theme of COP30 is about translating ambition into implementation, especially through updated national climate plans (NDCs), scaling up finance, advancing the fossil fuel transition, and protecting nature, with a strong lens on equity and Amazon leadership.

The “Global Mutirão” slogan captures Brazil’s broader messaging, emphasizing global cooperation and climate justice rooted in Amazonian stewardship.

What are the main points of COP30?

1. New National Climate Targets (NDCs)

Countries must submit updated climate plans through 2035. COP30 is the first major checkpoint since the Paris Agreement to assess if global ambition aligns with the 1.5° C goal.



2. Climate finance
A key focus is delivering on the new $300 billion per year finance goal by 2035, while scaling toward $1.3 trillion annually for developing countries. Trust in the process will hinge on real, accessible funding rather than vague or recycled promises.

 

3. Fossil fuel transition
Building on COP28, COP30 may push for clearer language on phasing out fossil fuels, national roadmaps to guide just energy transitions, and targeted support for economies that rely heavily on fossil fuels.



4.  Amazon and nature protection
With Brazil hosting in the Amazon, COP30 will spotlight the goal of ending deforestation by 2030, the preservation of forests and oceans, and the importance of Indigenous rights.

 

5.  Loss and damage fund
A focus on scaling up the new fund to support vulnerable countries, ensuring rapid, grant-based access to resources, and addressing the significant gap between pledged contributions and what is actually needed.



6. Climate justice and inclusion
Themes include promoting equity in climate burden-sharing, involving Indigenous and frontline communities, and making COP30 more inclusive and accessible.

 

Frequently asked questions continued

Who is attending COP30?

COP30 will be attended by representatives from nearly 200 countries, including heads of state, climate ministers, UN officials, and negotiators, along with thousands of observers from civil society, Indigenous groups, youth organisations, businesses, and the scientific community.

Notably, the United States is not expected to send a high-level delegation, following its announced withdrawal from the Paris Agreement under the Trump administration. This absence marks a significant shift in global climate diplomacy.

 

What were the outcomes of COP29?

COP29, held in Azerbaijan in 2024, produced three major outcomes:

1.       New Global Climate Finance Goal
Countries agreed to a new target of mobilising $300 billion per year by 2035, with an aspirational pathway toward $1.3 trillion annually for developing nations. However, critics said the goal still falls far short of what’s needed.



2.       Operationalisation of the Loss and Damage Fund
The fund was officially launched, with initial disbursements planned for 2025. But actual contributions remained limited, and funding levels were seen as dramatically inadequate.



3.       Pressure to Update National Climate Plans
COP29 reinforced the 2025 deadline for countries to submit updated NDCs (climate targets through 2035), setting the stage for COP30. However, most countries had not submitted their plans by the agreed timeline.

Overall, COP29 made procedural progress but is viewed as lacking the urgency and ambition needed to close the gap to 1.5°C.