Overview
- About 70 leaders and representatives opened a two‑day forum in Belém ahead of formal COP30 negotiations starting Nov. 10.
- Lula’s agenda centers on mobilizing $1.3 trillion a year for developing countries and launching a Tropical Forests Forever fund aimed at protecting nearly 1 billion hectares across roughly 70 nations.
- Norway signaled early support for Brazil’s rainforest initiative with up to 30 billion kroner (about $2.9 billion) in loans, as questions persist over where wider financing will come from.
- The United States sent no senior officials, China was represented by Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang, and European leaders pressed for action as UN chief António Guterres called overshooting 1.5°C a moral failure.
- Belém’s limited accommodation and heavy demand created makeshift lodging as large public and Indigenous protests proceeded, while Brazil faced scrutiny over Petrobras’ new Amazon offshore exploration license.