Brazil, the host of the upcoming COP30 climate conference, issued a statement on Saturday, August 19. urgent appeal all countries: submit updated and ambitious climate plans (NDCs – Nationally Determined Contributions) by 25 September, to produce a global interim report on the effectiveness of these commitments. However, so far only one has delivered them to the UN 28 countries, while larger emitters such as China and the EU have not yet submitted their proposals. This creates a serious problem in assessing the global shift towards the goal of 1.5°C warming above pre-industrial levels.

The Symbolism of the NDC: More than 2035 Targets

André Corrêa do Lago, Brazilian diplomat and COP30 president, called on countries not only to submit NDCs, but also to submit ambitious plans that symbolize a shared vision of the future with the goal of a sustainable planet, prosperous economies and an aligned standard of living for allHe warned that obvious weak proposals would require compensatory measures directly at the conference.

Diplomatic effort or early preparation?

As host of COP30, Brazil has stepped up its diplomatic activity – President Lula da Silva spoke by phone with Chinese President Xi Jinping to highlight the importance of climate commitments. However, Do Lago assured that he is confident that China will submit an ambitious NDC on time.The Guardian)

In parallel, to avoid the inefficiencies of past climate summits, Brazil planned two pre-conference consultation meetings – September 25 (at the UN in New York) and October 15 – for preliminary discussions of participants and clarification of uncertain topics at COP30.(The Guardian)

Practical obstacles and geopolitical tensions

Hosting COP30 in Belém, at the mouth of the Amazon, faces logistical challenges: small capacity, high accommodation prices, poor transport infrastructure and concerns from developing countries that they cannot afford to send full delegations. Brazil has also set aside places on ocean-going ships and created a platform for sharing accommodation, but prices often exceed $400 per night, with prices running into the hundreds of thousands of dollars for the entire period.

Global tensions (e.g. Trump's return to favor with Putin), the US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, and direct oil activity in the Amazon are increasing pressure on Brazilian diplomacy.

Transparency as the basis of trust

Brazil’s original plan excluded NDCs from the COP30 discussions – they were supposed to be addressed earlier and not discussed at the conference itself. However, with increasing demands from other countries, there was a change – NDCs will be part of the COP30 negotiation topics. Corrêa do Lago emphasizes that transparency and trust are key to successful negotiations.(The Guardian)

Brazil issues urgent appeal ahead of COP30: Support ambitious climate plans by September 25th, so that meaningful negotiations can begin at the global conference. The aim is to show a united stance on the future and avoid delays in the discussions. The challenge is taking place in a complex geopolitical situation that threatens the possibility of significant steps towards the 1.5°C climate warming ceiling. COP30 in the Amazon thus becomes a critical test for global solidarity on climate solutions. JRi