Today marks the opening of the 30th UN Climate Change Conference (COP30), taking place from 6-21 November 2025 in Belém, Brazil. The summit will assemble heads of state, scientists, non-governmental organisations and civil society representatives from around the globe to focus on one central challenge: limiting global temperature increase to 1.5 °C.
A key agenda for COP30 includes the presentation of new or updated national climate action plans (known as NDCs) and a critical review of the finance pledges made at COP29. Participants will turn attention to how governments and private actors can mobilise the trillions of dollars needed for mitigation, adaptation, and loss-and-damage funding.
The conference opens at a time when the stakes could not be higher: global emissions remain on track to push temperatures far beyond safe limits, while vulnerable nations continue to call for increased support and stronger commitments. COP30 is therefore framed not only as a diplomatic gathering but as a pivotal moment for action, representing a litmus test for whether the international community can shift from promises to implementation.
Through a mix of plenary sessions, ministerial dialogues, and side-events, the next two weeks will probe how countries can accelerate their transition to clean energy, scale up green finance flows, strengthen climate resilience, and deliver measurable progress. As COP30 kicks off, the eyes of the world will be on Belém: can this conference drive the step-change required to keep 1.5 °C alive?