Overview
- About 60 heads of state attended the two-day meeting intended to give political momentum to COP30 talks beginning Nov. 10.
- The United States sent no high-level representative and China was represented by Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang, raising concerns about weakened coordination and finance.
- Brazil pledged $1 billion to the new investment-based fund to reward keeping forests standing and to attract private capital for conservation across more than 70 countries.
- President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva warned the window to act is narrowing and faced scrutiny over Petrobras exploration near the Amazon’s mouth, reflecting tensions between transition goals and new oil licensing.
- Civil society mobilized in Belém with open protests by indigenous groups and environmental NGOs as leaders pressed for faster emissions cuts and support for a just transition.