COP30 struggles over fossil fuels as Indigenous groups demand protection for Amazon

NERVES OVER SUMMIT AMBITION

To avoid early deadlock, organisers agreed to handle contentious issues separately, including climate finance, gaps in national climate plans and global emissions-cutting targets.

Negotiators from 195 countries are working through the main agenda, which includes advancing measures to help countries adapt to worsening climate impacts.

Some delegates fear the summit could deliver a weak response to the climate crisis or collapse without agreement. Andrew Wilson of the International Chamber of Commerce warned that the talks risked becoming “a washout” unless ambition increases.

Brazil and several others want a strong signal advancing the COP28 commitment to “transitioning away from fossil fuels”. It is unclear if COP30 will deliver such language before talks conclude on Nov 21.

Because fossil fuels are not on the formal agenda, one option is to embed progress in the summit’s “cover text”, a negotiated statement seen as the conference’s central political outcome.

Norwegian climate minister Andreas Bjelland Eriksen told Reuters a clear message on fossil fuels would be welcome, even if difficult to negotiate.

Momentum is building for a cover deal to show global climate unity remains intact, despite the United States stepping back from international climate leadership.