janeiro, 21 2025

By WWF-Brazil 

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva announced on Tuesday, January 21 that Ambassador André Corrêa do Lago will be the president of COP30, the United Nations Climate Change Conference, scheduled for November this year in Belém, Pará.

Ambassador Corrêa do Lago holds a degree in economics from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and has served in Brazilian embassies around the world. He was Brazil's chief climate negotiator from 2011 to 2013, including during the Rio+20 Summit (2011–2012). In March 2023, he assumed the role of Secretary for Climate, Energy, and Environment at Brazil's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The National Secretary for Climate Change at the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (MMA), Ana Toni, will be the Executive Director (CEO) of the conference.

COP30 is set to be a pivotal moment for securing ambitious commitments and concrete measures to limit the rise in global temperatures to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, as outlined in the Paris Agreement.

By 2024, this critical threshold has already been reached, leading governments and companies to experience the consequences of this level of global temperature rise. Last year's 10 major extreme weather events alone caused losses of US$ 229 million and over 2,000 deaths. In Brazil, extreme rainfall devastated the state of Rio Grande do Sul, while drought and wildfires hit the Amazon in 2024.

In order to address the climate emergency with the necessary speed and ambition, the COP30 president will need to ensure that the conference is a space for dialogue and collective construction. This means bridging the divide between developed and developing nations while ensuring the voices of Indigenous peoples, marginalised communities, quilombolas, and traditional populations are central to the decision-making process.

WWF-Brazil hopes that COP30 will secure robust mitigation actions that respond to the urgency of the climate crisis. To this end, countries that are signatories to the Paris Agreement must present more ambitious NDCs (Nationally Determined Contributions) aligned with promoting a fair energy transition, focused on renewable energy sources and the phased elimination of fossil fuels.

COP30 must also pay special attention to adaptation measures, including concluding negotiations on the Global Goal on Adaptation, advancing discussions on nature-based solutions, and allocating resources to a dedicated fund to support the most vulnerable and climate-affected populations.

Furthermore, a strong COP30 presidency needs to work to secure resources for financing climate actions, particularly for adaptation and addressing loss and damage in island nations and least-developed countries. Among other challenges, COP30 is also expected to address the Baku-Belém Route for climate finance.

WWF-Brazil has called for Brazil to lead by example, eliminating deforestation and phasing out fossil fuels. The organisation hopes COP30 will leave a lasting legacy for the Amazon, its people and the nation, driving positive change in public policies, strengthening local governance, and promoting sustainable, low-carbon development models.