Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva jumped into the COP30 negotiations on Wednesday in Belém, pushing hard for early deals on the two biggest fights: fossil fuels and climate finance.
Almost 200 countries are in the Amazon city trying to speed up global warming action – but the United States, the biggest historical polluter, is missing from the table.
Brazil Wants Fast Wins
Host Brazil is desperate to avoid the usual COP chaos where talks drag days past deadline. Plan: Lock in some agreements by Wednesday night, leave the hardest stuff for Friday.
That plan hit a wall. New draft texts were delayed for hours, a clear sign the gaps are still huge.
The Fossil Fuel Fight
80+ countries (including Brazil) want a clear timeline to phase out coal, oil and gas – building on last year’s promise.
Reality check: several nations are blocking it. Vanuatu’s Climate Minister Ralph Regenvanu pointed the finger at Saudi Arabia and said: “We’ve got blockers.” Marshall Islands envoy Tina Stege added: “We have to fight tooth and nail.”
On the other side, 100 big companies Volvo, Unilever and more – sent an open letter begging for a roadmap so they can plan investments.
The Money Problem
Rich nations still haven’t agreed how much they will pay to help poorer countries go green and cope with climate damage. Carbon market rules are also stuck.
Sierra Leone’s Climate Minister Jiwoh Abdulai summed it up: “We want real ambition on finance so future generations actually have a planet.”
With drafts late and positions far apart, COP30 is already feeling the pressure – and Lula is now in the room trying to force a breakthrough.
