What's on the agenda at COP30?
COP30 will see delegates from over 197 countries head to Belém, Brazil from 10 – 21 November 2025 to discuss global climate action and agree on next steps for delivering the Paris Agreement. In this article, we’ll take a look at what’s on the agenda for COP30 and highlight what you need to know about this year’s UN climate conference.
What is COP?
Short for the Conference of the Parties, COP climate conferences have been held almost every year since 1995 when COP1 brought together the 197 member countries of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Berlin.
Back then, delegates discussed how global temperatures could be limited. This topic has remained at the core of COP conferences alongside reducing emissions, supporting developing countries that are vulnerable to the effects of climate change, and creating funds for rescuing and rebuilding following extreme weather events.
The Conference of the Parties isn’t just about the delegates. COP is a significant annual moment for those interested in climate action to raise their voice in demonstration and protest about how world leaders and major companies need to do more and consider all people and communities.
What’s on the agenda for COP30?
The theme of COP30 is ‘From ambition to action’, reflecting a global push to turn past climate pledges into tangible progress. But what can we expect from the agenda?
The Presidential Action Agenda, led by Marina Silva, Brazil’s Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, sets out priorities focused on implementing the Paris Agreement, scaling up climate finance, protecting biodiversity – particularly in the Amazon – and ensuring a just transition for developing nations. The Global Stocktake, the first official review of global progress under the Paris Agreement, revealed that current efforts are still falling short. So, COP30 aims to close that gap by driving practical delivery. Here’s how:
Implementing existing commitments
Discussions are expected around updating Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement and turning global energy commitments into practical action, from scaling renewable power and improving grid infrastructure to accelerating technology transfer. The COP30 Presidency has called for these new ‘NDCs 3.0’ to be fully aligned with limiting global warming to 1.5°C.
A key focus will be on tripling global renewable energy capacity and doubling the rate of energy efficiency improvements by 2030, building on the pledges made at COP28. This means scaling up solar, wind and battery storage, strengthening electricity grids, emerging low-carbon technologies such as green hydrogen.
Equally important is the principle of a just transition – ensuring the move to clean energy is fair and inclusive. COP30 will highlight how climate policies can protect workers, support vulnerable communities, and provide resources for countries in the Global South so that no one is left behind in the shift to a low-carbon future.
As the host nation, Brazil has set the tone by updating its own NDC, committing to an economy-wide emissions reduction target and reaffirming its goal of reaching net zero by 2050.
Nature and community based action
Given its setting in the heart of the Amazon, nature and biodiversity will also take centre stage. Brazil plans to highlight forest conservation, ecosystem restoration and sustainable land use as essential tools for cutting emissions. The conference will showcase how protecting the Amazon and other vital ecosystems supports global climate stability and community livelihoods.
Building on the Baku Dialogue on Water for Climate Action, COP30 will also continue discussions around the water–climate–biodiversity nexus, recognising that protecting rivers, wetlands and water basins is vital to sustaining both ecosystems and the communities that depend on them.
The social dimension of climate action is another focus area, with strong emphasis on justice, equity and the rights of Indigenous peoples. Expect discussions on how climate finance and renewable projects can deliver fair outcomes for all communities, not just emissions reductions on paper.
Climate finance and transparency
At COP29 a new collective quantified goal (NCQG) was agreed in outline, and now COP30 hosts aim to turn that into action. That includes a goal to mobilise $1.3 trillion per year by 2035 from public and private sources to support developing countries. A ‘Circle of Finance Ministers‘ under Brazil’s COP30 presidency has been launched to support this rollout.
Another key part of the conversation will be transparency and regulation in global carbon markets. That means setting clearer rules for how countries and companies trade carbon credits, account for emissions, and ensure offsets represent genuine climate progress. By improving oversight and consistency, COP30 aims to build greater trust and accountability in the financial systems underpinning climate action.
Why is COP30 controversial?
As always, this year’s COP isn’t without its controversies. Hosting the summit in Belém, deep in the Amazon, has sparked criticism over “sky-high” accommodation costs, with reports of hotel rooms reaching thousands of dollars per night. This raises concerns that developing nations could be priced out of attending.
The UN even limited staff attendance due to the shortage, raising fears that the event could become “a COP for elites.” Brazil is working to nearly double available hotel beds, but officials have rejected calls from some governments to relocate the conference.
Meanwhile, infrastructure projects to prepare the city, including new roads cutting through rainforest areas, have drawn backlash from environmental groups and locals, questioning the environmental cost of hosting a climate conference in such a fragile ecosystem.
Was COP29 a success?
Find out what decisions were made at the previous COP in our article.
