Key Takeaways from COP30 in Belém

The 30th UN Climate Change Conference (COP30), held in Belém, Brazil, was widely framed as a summit of implementation, emphasizing turning climate commitments into tangible action. Unlike previous conferences, where headline pledges dominated discussions, COP30 focused on concrete mechanisms to deliver measurable results. The conference concluded with the adoption of the Belém Package, a set of 29 decisions covering adaptation, just transition, gender, trade, technology, and more.

Scaling up adaptation and resilience

A key highlight was the commitment to triple adaptation finance by 2035, aimed at helping vulnerable countries build resilience against the growing impacts of climate change. To track progress, countries agreed on 59 voluntary indicators under the Global Goal on Adaptation, covering sectors including water, health, and ecosystems. This move reflects an increasing emphasis on accountability and measurable outcomes in international climate negotiations.

New mechanisms for climate action

Two flagship mechanisms were launched to bridge the gap between pledges and implementation. The Global Implementation Accelerator aims to help countries scale up their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans, ensuring that climate strategies move from paper to action. Meanwhile, the Belém Mission to 1.5°C serves as a multiyear platform to maintain momentum toward the Paris Agreement’s 1.5 °C goal. These mechanisms signal a shift toward operationalizing climate commitments, providing countries with tools, guidance, and support to implement existing plans.

Advancing equity and inclusion

Equity and inclusion were central themes at COP30. A Just Transition Mechanism was agreed upon to protect workers, Indigenous communities, and marginalized populations as economies shift away from fossil fuels. A new Gender Action Plan was also adopted to promote gender-responsive climate policies and strengthen the participation of rural, and Indigenous women in climate action. By integrating social and economic considerations, COP30 emphasized that climate action must be both effective and equitable.

Forest and nature 

Forest protection was another priority. The Tropical Forests Forever Facility (TFFF) was launched to provide financial incentives to countries that preserve standing tropical forests, signaling a recognition of the economic value of intact ecosystems. However, the summit stopped short of adopting a formal zero-deforestation roadmap in the official COP text, prompting some observers to call for stronger commitments to halt deforestation. 

Climate finance and health gains

On climate finance, COP30 set a target to mobilize US$1.3 trillion annually by 2035, combining public and private funds. The conference also reaffirmed operational plans for the Loss and Damage Fund, which aims to support countries already facing severe climate impacts. Health was prominently featured, with the launch of the Belém Health Action Plan, backed by approximately US$300 million from philanthropic organizations, to build climate-resilient health systems.

The contested energy transition

Despite these advancements, COP30 exposed continuing divides over energy transition. A major point of contention was the absence of a formal fossil fuel phase-out. While many countries called for explicit commitments on coal, oil, and gas, the final text excluded these provisions. Instead, Brazil introduced voluntary roadmaps for fossil fuel transition, which remain outside the formal COP framework. This highlights the challenge of balancing national interests, economic realities, and global climate goals, particularly in a geopolitically complex environment.

Updates on Article 6.2 and 6.4

Article 6.2 

At COP30, Parties doubled down on transparency and reporting under Article 6.2, which governs country-to-country carbon trading via Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes (ITMOs). Technical expert reviews have already raised “inconsistencies” in early reports (e.g., from Ghana, Guyana, Switzerland, Vanuatu), and COP30’s text calls on countries to address these issues proactively. While the mechanism is relatively light on rules compared to 6.4, the focus seems to be on strengthening accounting and clarity before scaling trades. 

Article 6.4

COP30 made important, though partial, progress on Article 6.4. The Supervisory Body (SBM) extended the transition window for CDM projects from the Kyoto Protocol era to move into the new PACM until June 2026, allowing potentially hundreds of millions of tonnes of credits to migrate. However, not all contested rules were tightened, a push by some parties to give stricter, micro-level guidance on non-permanence (i.e., “reversals” risk) was rejected. Instead, COP30 adopted a more flexible “reversals standard” that lets project-type-specific methodologies define permanence requirements, a move seen as more favorable to Nature-based Solutions. 

The future of COP

COP30 also reinforced the importance of multilateralism and collaboration. The Brazilian presidency framed the summit as a “mutirão,” or collective mobilization for climate action, emphasizing that international cooperation is essential for addressing a problem of global scale. By prioritizing implementation and accountability, COP30 signals a maturation of the international climate regime, moving beyond rhetoric to practical solutions.

Despite its role as the cornerstone of multilateral climate diplomacy, the COP process faces growing criticism for being too slow, too political, and insufficiently action‑oriented. Analysts argue that while COPs excel at negotiation and consensus-building, they are not well‑suited for driving implementation at the scale and speed the climate crisis demands. The process is also vulnerable to power imbalances. Larger, richer nations and fossil-fuel interests often exert disproportionate influence, raising questions about transparency and equity. Looking ahead, many experts propose reforming COP itself, shifting away from annual negotiation-heavy summits toward a structure that delivers real implementation, accelerates financing, and empowers local and regional actors to translate global commitments into real action.

In summary, COP30 in Belém marks a pivotal moment in global climate governance. While ambitious fossil fuel commitments remain elusive, the conference achieved concrete progress in adaptation, forests, equity, and health. The success of mechanisms like the Global Implementation Accelerator and the scaling-up of climate finance will be critical in determining whether COP30’s outcomes translate into real-world change. Ultimately, COP30 illustrates that the future of climate action depends not only on ambitious targets but on effective, inclusive, and well-financed implementation.

Sources:

• 1. Carbon Brief. (2025). COP experts: How could the UN climate talks be reformed? Retrieved from https://www.carbonbrief.org/cop-experts-how-could-the-un-climate-talks-be-reformed
  2. COP30. COP30 Approves Belém Package. https://cop30.br/en/news-about-cop30/cop30-approves-belem-package
  3. COP30. Landmark Outcomes Emerge from Negotiations Despite Unprecedented Geopolitical Tensions.https://cop30.br/en/news-about-cop30/cop30-landmark-outcomes-emerge-from-negotiations-despite-unprecedented-geopolitical-tensions
  4. COP30. Evening Summary – November 17. https://cop30.br/en/news-about-cop30/cop30-evening-summary-november-17
  5. Sylvera, “COP30 and Carbon Markets: What to Expect from Belém” https://www.sylvera.com/es/blog/cop30-and-carbon-market
  6. United Nations Geneva. Belem COP30 Delivers Climate Finance Boost and Pledge Plan Fossil.https://www.ungeneva.org/en/news-media/news/2025/11/113234/belem-cop30-delivers-climate-finance-boost-and-pledge-plan-fossil
  7. TBS News. COP30 Belem: Adaptation Gains and Equity Progress; Fossil Fuel Phase-Out Stalls.https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/environment/cop30-belem-adaptation-gains-and-equity-progress-fossil-fuel-phase-out-stalls