In November 2025, Bethlehem has become the focus of global climate discussions. For the first time, a Conference of the Parties (COP) It was held in the heart of the Amazon, a powerful symbol of the climate emergency and the centrality of tropical forests in solutions to the crisis. COP30 It brought together more than 513,000 participants across the official and parallel zones, making it one of the most attended editions in history.
But the what is the COP? What was decided in Bethlehem?? And what was left out?This article brings together the main information to understand the conference, its historical trajectory, and an overview of the Brazilian edition.
What is COP?
To the Conferences of the Parties (COPs) are official meetings that bring together countries that are signatories to international treaties (called Country Parties) to discuss global commitments, opportunities and needs. Discussions may involve representatives from governments, civil society, the private sector, and academia. In addition to formal sessions, side events, which often influence the course of decisions.
To the Climate COPs have been held annually since 1995, within the scope of United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC): an international treaty created in 1992, during the Earth Summit (ECO-92), in Rio de Janeiro. These conferences were born as a global response to growing scientific concern about climate change.
Objective
The conference aims to mobilize countries to adopt effective measures to address the climate crisis.
In this global forum, governments and other stakeholders assess collective progress towards Paris Agreement and negotiate new concrete commitments, such as reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and the climate finance.
At the end of each COP, a document is signed with formal agreements, political commitments, action plans and guidelines for implementing the agreements, which must be consensual and valid for all signatory countries to the UNFCCC. All parties have the right to vote.
How did the COP come about?
The origin of COPs dates back to United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (RIO-92 or ECO-92), held in Rio de Janeiro. Three legally binding international conventions emerged from it:
- United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
- United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)
These conventions defined global commitments for national policies and international cooperation actions aimed at tackling socio-environmental crises.
RIO-92 brought together representatives from 175 countries and generated guiding documents, such as Agenda 21 and the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, which still influence global environmental governance today.
COP Highlights
Below is a brief timeline of key milestones since the first edition:
COP 1 | Berlin, Germany (1995)
- The first COP resulted in the Berlin Mandate, which established greenhouse gas emission reduction targets for developed countries and incentives for technology transfer.
COP 2 | Geneva, Switzerland (1996)
- Discussed the creation of a fund to support developing countries in implementing programs with climate objectives.
COP 3 | Kyoto, Japan (1997)
- Created the Kyoto Protocol, the first major COP agreement, with a target of reducing emissions by 5.2% compared to 1990, with greater responsibilities on industrialized countries.
COP 4 | Buenos Aires, Argentina (1998)
- Discussed the practical implementation of the Kyoto Protocol.
COP 5 | Bonn, Germany (1999)
- It included discussions on land use and the role of forests and reforestation in global warming.
COP 6 | The Hague, Netherlands (2000)
- Marked by the lack of consensus between other countries and the US, which left the Kyoto Protocol, stalling negotiations on the carbon market and climate finance.
COP 7 | Marrakech, Morocco (2001)
- It established the Marrakech Accords, detailing the rules for implementing the Kyoto Protocol and created the Special Fund for Climate Change.
COP 8 | New Delhi, India (2002)
- Expanded the participation of civil society, NGOs and the private sector in climate actions.
COP 9 | Milan, Italy (2003)
- Focused on reforestation projects and the carbon credit market.
COP 10 | Buenos Aires, Argentina (2004)
- It consolidated the rules for implementing the Kyoto Protocol, which would come into force the following year.
COP 11 | Montreal, Canada (2005)
- The first conference after the Kyoto Protocol came into force. It addressed deforestation and land use as critical factors in global warming.
COP 12 | Nairobi, Kenya (2006)
- Assessed the initial results of the Kyoto Protocol. Brazil presented a pioneering proposal to reduce emissions caused by deforestation in developing countries.
COP 13 | Bali, Indonesia (2007)
- It set a deadline for developing countries to present targets to reduce emissions from deforestation.
COP 14 | Poznań, Poland (2008)
- Negotiations for a new global agreement officially began, in addition to expanding the engagement of emerging countries.
COP 15 | Copenhagen, Denmark (2009)
- Despite high expectations, there was no consensus on a new treaty. However, the goal of limiting global temperature rise to 2°C was agreed upon.
COP 16 | Cancun, Mexico (2010)
- Created the Green Climate Fund to support developing countries in the transition to low-carbon economies.
COP 17 | Durban, South Africa (2011)
- Discussions have begun on new emissions reduction targets.
COP 18 | Doha, Qatar (2012)
- Approved the second phase of the Kyoto Protocol, extending it until 2020, but without defining details.
COP 19 | Warsaw, Poland (2013)
- Despite expectations of reaching an agreement to replace the Kyoto Protocol, there were disagreements between developed and developing countries regarding climate finance.
COP 20 | Lima, Peru (2014)
- It defined the draft of the Paris Agreement, which would be negotiated and approved the following year.
COP 21 | Paris, France (2015)
- Signed the Paris Agreement, which united almost all countries in the world in the commitment to limit global warming to 1.5°C.
COP 22 | Marrakech, Morocco (2016)
- The first COP after the Paris Agreement. It focused on creating national plans to implement the goals.
COP 23 | Bonn, Germany (2017)
- He highlighted the importance of reducing the use of fossil fuels and expanding renewable sources.
COP 24 | Katowice, Poland (2018)
- The meeting established a set of detailed guidelines on how countries should transparently report on their efforts to reduce emissions.
COP 25 | Madrid, Spain (2019)
- There have been calls for more ambitious initiatives against global warming to curb climate change.
COP 26 | Glasgow, Scotland (2021)
- Approved the Glasgow Climate Pact, which defined the guidelines for the Paris Agreement and encouraged more ambitious targets.
COP 27 | Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt (2022)
- A financing fund was established to support developing countries in the fight against climate change. However, discussions related to the use of fossil fuels and the carbon credit market have not made progress.
COP 28 | Dubai, United Arab Emirates (2023)
- It officially recognized the need to gradually reduce the use of fossil fuels and accelerate the energy transition, although without clear targets.
COP 29 | Baku, Azerbaijan (2024)
- It signed a new climate finance agreement, committing developed countries to mobilize US$300 billion per year until 2035, an amount considered insufficient by experts.
COP 30: Belém at the center of the world
The choice of Belém (PA) as COP 30 headquarters was announced in November 2022, during the COP 27. The conference must increase the visibility of the challenges and solutions aimed at conserving the Amazon. The event highlights Brazil's potential to lead the transition to a low carbon economy, based on renewable energy, bioeconomy and sustainable agriculture.
Scheduled to take place between November 10 and 21, 2025, The COP 30 will transform Belém into the center of global climate discussions, bringing together leaders and experts in plenary sessions, side events, and cultural activities that engage with Amazonian diversity.
COP 30 Structure and Agenda
Place
The event was held in City park, a former airport specially adapted for the conference, with an area of 500,000 m² and accessibility approved by the UNFCCC. After the event, the site will be transformed into a public park, one of the legacies of COP 30.
Conference areas
- Blue Zoneexclusive space for official negotiations between country delegates, accredited NGOs and other observer entities. It is also the place where the country pavilions are located and where the local organizer's events and other parallel activities are held;
- Green Zone: open area for parallel events, workshops and exhibitions promoted by NGOs, companies and academic institutions. It is a space to engage different sectors in the climate agenda.
- Yellow Zone: An unprecedented civil society initiative in Belém, created to decentralize the climate debate and promote actions directly in the city's peripheral communities. These events will be held in spaces that aim to expand public participation and raise environmental awareness.
COP 30 Agenda:
- November 6th and 7th: Leaders Summit, with heads of state and government representatives.
- November 10-21: main period of the conference, with official negotiations.
COP 30 Thematic Days
THE COP 30 it was structured in themed days, focusing on different axes of the climate agenda:
| November 10–11 | Adaptation, Cities, Infrastructure, Water, Waste, Local Governments, Bioeconomy, Circular Economy and Tourism; |
| November 12–13 | Health, Employment, Education, Culture, Justice and Human Rights, Information Integrity, and Workers. These days also introduce the Global Ethical Assessment, reinforcing equity and moral responsibility in climate governance; |
| November 14–15 | Energy, Industry, Transportation, Commerce, Finance, Carbon markets and non-CO₂ gases; |
| November 17–18 | Forests, Oceans and Biodiversity, while highlighting Indigenous Peoples, Local and Traditional Communities, Children and Youth and Small and Medium Entrepreneurs, showcasing inclusive solutions, based on reality and aligned with nature; |
| November 19–20 | Agriculture, Food Systems and Food Security, Fisheries, and Family Farming. Discussions related to Women, Gender, and Black People will also be emphasized. Additionally, the final themed days will focus on Science, Technology, and Artificial Intelligence. |
Main Themes
Amazon and Bioeconomy – Brazil will have the opportunity to place the Amazon at the center of climate solutions, boosting the bioeconomy, a model that combines innovation, environmental conservation, and social inclusion.
- Expectations for COP 30: Strengthening debates on bioinnovation and agreements that facilitate international trade in bioeconomy products; Financing and strengthening sustainable production chains.
Climate Change Mitigation – strategies to reduce GHG emissions, such as decarbonization policies, energy transition, reforestation and energy efficiency.
- Expectations for COP 30: pressure to update NDCs (Nationally Determined Contributions) with more ambitious targets.
Adaptation to Climate Change – urgent measures to reduce the vulnerability of ecosystems and communities, focusing on resilient infrastructure, ecosystem restoration and nature-based solutions (NbS).
- Expectations for COP 30: increased pressure for rich countries to increase climate finance, estimated at US$1.3 trillion/year, well above the US$1.3 trillion/year agreed at COP 29.
Climate Justice – recognition that countries and corporations that have historically been the biggest emitters must bear the costs of the crisis, while the most vulnerable communities need support to adapt.
- Expectations for COP 30: increased financing to US$1 trillion/year and progress on issues such as just energy transition, rights of traditional peoples, climate migration, resilient agriculture, and gender.
Damages Losses – more serious impacts of climate change, such as the destruction of cities and the loss of crops and ecosystems.
- Expectations for COP 30: pressure on developed countries to increase contributions and define innovative financing sources; debates on taxing oil company profits and redirecting fossil fuel subsidies.
Carbon Market – a mechanism that allows emissions offsetting through the purchase and sale of carbon credits. Article 6 of the Paris Agreement defines its rules and transparency.
- Expectations for COP 30: Consolidation of global criteria for carbon projects; Socio-environmental safeguards and harmonization between regulated and voluntary markets.
What we expected from COP 30
THE COP 30 It has already begun with a milestone: for the first time, discussions about the planet's climate future will take place in the heart of the Amazon, which represents, at the same time, the greatest challenges and the most promising solutions to the global climate crisis.
The next few years will be decisive for transform promises into concrete actions. Implementing the commitments made at recent conferences will require international cooperation, fair financing and large-scale innovation. And, in this scenario, Brazil has the opportunity to exercise leadership that unites science, sustainability and social justice.
COP 30 was a call to action. But to generate real results, the impact of this conference needs to echo far beyond the Amazon, inspiring a new era of commitments and effective solutions for the climate and nature.
COP30 in Belém: what was decided
THE COP30 was introduced as the COP of “implementation” — ten years after the Paris Agreement, Countries were expected to demonstrate the capacity to move forward in implementing concrete commitments. The result was significant progress in financing, inclusion, and forests, with significant gaps in fossil fuels and deforestation.
Climate finance
Tropical Forests Forever Fund (TFFF) – the main financial result of COP30 It was the official launch of Tropical Forests Forever Background, This is a Brazilian proposal that creates a permanent compensation mechanism for countries that conserve their tropical forests. The logic is to reverse the economic equation of deforestation: to make conservation more advantageous than destruction. An initial group of countries—including Brazil, Indonesia, France, Germany, and Norway—announced approximately US$6 billion, with a goal of reaching US$25 billion.
Tripling of funding for adaptation by 2035 – a COP30 approved the recommendation of Triple global funding for adaptation by 2035., in response to the expiration of Glasgow's commitment to double these resources. From the goal of US$ 1.3 trillion annually for developing countries, approximately US$ 120 billion/year should be allocated to adaptation. However, uncertainty remains about how these resources will be raised and how they will effectively reach vulnerable populations.
Itinerary “Baku to Bethlehem” – prepared by presidencies of COP29 and COP30, the script It describes actions to expand public and private climate finance and achieve the goal of US$$ 1.3 trillion/year by 2035.. The document acknowledges that all sources of financing must contribute and that the global financial system needs to reorient itself in an integrated way. Countries agreed to move forward "urgently," although the recommendations were not explored in detail during the negotiations.
Historical responsibilities: Articles 9.1 and 2.1(c) – following pressure from developing countries, a plan was approved.a two-year work program on Article 9.1 — which defines the commitment of rich countries to climate finance — and a formal dialogue on Article 2.1(c), This discussion addresses the alignment of global financial flows with the goals of the Paris Agreement. The debate highlights a central tension: it is not enough to mobilize more capital; it is necessary to stop financing what destroys, such as fossil fuel subsidies and supply chains linked to deforestation.
Social inclusion and climate justice
THE COP30 The conference registered a record presence of historically marginalized groups in climate negotiations: indigenous peoples, riverine communities, family farmers, residents of peripheral areas, young people, and communities affected by disasters. More than 2,500 indigenous representatives participated, with three documents recognizing their role both as guardians of the forest and as agents of innovation.
It was created Just Transition Mechanism, which strengthens international cooperation and recognizes that the climate transition requires integrating social justice with environmental goals. A new [law/regulation] was also approved. Gender Action Plan, with gender-sensitive funding and strengthening the leadership of indigenous, black, and rural women.
Forests, nature and bioeconomy
The commitment Forest and Land Tenure It was renewed with US$$ $1.8 billion until 2030, expanding the scope beyond forests—including savannas, mangroves, and other ecosystems. It was launched... Bioeconomy Challenge, a global platform to boost investments in sustainable forestry economy markets. Brazil has also joined the Ocean Panel, focused on the sustainable management of territorial waters by 2030.
NDCs and ambition gaps
Until the end of COP30, 119 countries — representing 74% of global emissions — had submitted new NDCs (Nationally Determined Contributions). However, estimates indicate that, added together, these targets deliver less than 15% of the reductions needed by 2035 to limit warming to 1.5°C.
In response, the COP launched the Global Implementation Accelerator and the Mission to Bethlehem to 1.5°C, initiatives to support the implementation of NDCs and National Adaptation Plans. Both avoid mentioning fossil fuels, one of the main sticking points of the conference.
What was left out of COP30
The most obvious frustration was... absence of any guidance on reducing the use of fossil fuels. Despite pressure from over 80 countries for a global roadmap for phase-out, the final text made no explicit references to the topic.
There was also no agreement on a global plan to eliminate deforestation. Brazil's launch of the TFFF was a significant unilateral step forward, but the conference did not produce a multilateral roadmap with targets and deadlines.
In the adaptation process, the 59 indicators of the Global Adaptation Target (GGA) were formally adopted, but last-minute changes to the text generated objections regarding measurability and technical rigor. The topic will be revisited in Bonn in 2026 through the... Belém Vision – Addis.
What COP30 made clear
THE COP30 This reinforced a conclusion that has been gaining consensus in multilateral negotiations: Without robust, predictable, and accessible financial mechanisms, no amount of progress in mitigation, adaptation, forest protection, or climate justice will be sufficient..
Climate finance It's not just a matter of mobilizing new resources, but rather about... To reorient the global financial system to respond to the urgency of the crisis and the needs of the most vulnerable countries.He emphasized that the financial choices made now will determine the speed and effectiveness of the climate transition in the coming decades.
It is in this field that the Sitawi Finanças do Bem acts: Developing and managing innovative financial mechanisms that connect public, private, and philanthropic actors to enable concrete solutions to the most urgent climate and socio-environmental challenges.. With expertise in blended finance, philanthropic fund management, and conservation finance, Sitawi acts as a bridge between funders and local initiatives, ensuring that resources reach those who need them, with traceability, transparency, and impact measurement..
Frequently asked questions about the COP
This is the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC, the main multilateral forum on climate change, held annually since 1995. It brings together governments, civil society, the private sector, and academia to negotiate commitments and assess collective progress in the face of the climate crisis.
COP30 was held in Belém (PA), between November 10 and 21, 2025, with the Leaders' Summit on November 6 and 7. It was the first COP hosted in the Amazon.
The most notable outcome was the launch of the Tropical Forests Forever Fund (TFFF), a permanent compensation mechanism for countries that conserve their forests. There were also advances in financing for adaptation, climate justice, and indigenous participation.
The Paris Agreement was signed at COP21 (Paris, 2015) and establishes a global commitment to limit warming to 1.5°C. Subsequent COPs monitor its implementation, update national targets (NDCs), and negotiate the financing mechanisms necessary to achieve it.
NDCs (Nationally Determined Contributions) are each country's plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change. They must be updated periodically and are the main instrument for implementing the Paris Agreement.
Climate finance is one of the central themes of each COP, especially the commitment of developed countries to financially support developing countries in mitigation and adaptation. At COP30, the debate revolved around the goal of mobilizing US$1.3 trillion/year by 2035 and how to structure more efficient and accessible financial flows.
