Eco Save Initiative -ESI

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva gave a defiant speech at the opening of this year's COP30 climate gathering, held on the edge of the Amazon rainforest in Belem, Brazil.

"Climate change is no longer a threat of the future. It is a tragedy of the present," Lula said, criticizing those who reject climate science. He stressed that the crisis is hitting hardest in developing countries and poorer communities already suffering from extreme weather.

"We should have a fair transition," he added, referring to the drive to decarbonize economies and warning that the climate emergency is deepening inequality between "those who can live with dignity and those who should die."

Pressure is now on the negotiators from more than 190 countries who have descended upon Belem to make progress over the next two weeks in curbing record-high emissions and rising global temperatures.

At the same time, climate change has slipped down the agenda against the backdrop of geopolitical tensions and unfolding conflicts worldwide. The United States, one of the world's largest greenhouse gas emitters, is notably absent from the gathering.

It remains uncertain whether countries will pursue an ambitious final agreement by the end of the summit, with host nation Brazil instead framing this COP as one of "implementation" — a moment to turn promises into tangible action.