247 - President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) issued a stark warning about the risks of the rise of political extremism and global inequality during his speech at the opening of the COP30 General Plenary, this Thursday (6), in Belém (PA). Addressing international leaders and representatives from nearly 200 countries, Lula stated that “extremist forces fabricate falsehoods to gain electoral advantages and imprison future generations in an outdated model that perpetuates social and economic disparities and environmental degradation.”
The president highlighted that holding the conference in the capital of Pará state—the first in the heart of the Amazon—symbolizes a call to collective responsibility. “The eyes of the world are on Belém with immense expectation. For the first time, a COP will take place in the heart of the Amazon,” he stated, emphasizing the importance of the biome that shelters “thousands of species of plants and animals” and “millions of people and hundreds of indigenous peoples” who reconcile, in their lives, “the legitimate pursuit of a dignified existence with the vital mission of protecting one of humanity’s greatest natural heritages.”
Lula argued that the time has come for the world to listen to the Amazonian peoples."It is only right that it is the turn of the Amazonians to ask what the rest of the world is doing to prevent the collapse of their home," he said. The president described the year 2025 as"a milestone for multilateralism" and stressed that the Paris Agreement, signed a decade ago, represents both"the greatest qualities and the limitations of multilateral action."
The president recalled that, thanks to the climate pact, the world has managed to move away from the gloomiest predictions of temperature increases, but warned that international commitments are threatened. “The climate regime is not immune to the zero-sum logic that has prevailed in the international order. In a scenario of insecurity and mutual distrust, immediate selfish interests prevail over the long-term common good,” he stated.
Lula also highlighted the worsening environmental crisis."The year 2024 was the first in which the Earth's average temperature exceeded 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels," he warned. According to him, the planet is heading towards being 2.5°C warmer by the end of the century, which, according to a report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), could cause drastic human and economic losses—with more than 250,000 deaths annually and a reduction of up to 30% in global GDP."Therefore, COP30 will be the COP of truth," the president stated.
Lula said that Brazil arrives in Belém after consolidating its international leadership through its presidencies of the G20 and BRICS. “At the G20, we brought together the Ministries of Environment and Finance from the 20 economies that account for 80% of global emissions. At BRICS, we reaffirmed the centrality of climate finance, capacity building, and technology transfer,” he emphasized.
When discussing the challenges for the future, the president pointed to two"discrepancies" that need to be overcome. The first, according to him, is"the disconnect between diplomatic circles and the real world," and the second is the "mismatch between the geopolitical context and the climate emergency." Lula criticized the political use of disinformation and the setbacks in the environmental agenda: "While extremist forces fabricate falsehoods, the window of opportunity is closing rapidly."
Concluding his speech, the president emphasized that combating the climate crisis is intrinsically linked to fighting inequality. “Climate change is a result of the same dynamics that, over centuries, have fractured our society between rich and poor and divided the world between developed and developing countries. It will be impossible to contain it without overcoming inequalities within and between nations,” he stated.
Lula concluded by stating that"climate justice" should be seen as an ally in the fight against hunger, poverty, and discrimination."Climate justice is an ally in the fight against hunger and poverty and in the struggle against racism and gender inequality, as well as promoting more representative and inclusive global governance," he declared.
COP30, held in Belém, marks a historic moment for Brazil and the Amazon, bringing together leaders from around the world to discuss the energy transition, climate finance, and ways to curb global warming before its impacts become irreversible.
