Heads of state and government officials from across the globe have convened in Belém, Brazil, for the opening of the crucial Cop30 climate conference, marking a pivotal moment in international efforts to address the escalating environmental emergency.
Political Challenges Amid Climate Emergency
The conference begins under the shadow of significant political challenges to climate action policies worldwide. UN secretary general António Guterres recently described the failure to limit global heating to 1.5C as "a moral failure and deadly negligence", setting a sober tone for the proceedings.
Natalie Hanman, the Guardian's head of environment, emphasised the critical nature of this gathering. "The climate crisis is a slow-motion disaster," she noted, "but the news agenda thrives on quick, new, fast, ever-changing stories. We think Cop provides us with a key moment every year to pull people's attention back to what we think is the biggest and most urgent crisis facing humanity."
Global Context and Urgent Challenges
The conference occurs against a backdrop of alarming climate data and political headwinds. Experts confirm that 2023, 2024 and 2025 represent the three hottest years in 176 years of records, making the Paris Agreement's 1.5C target "virtually impossible" to achieve according to current projections.
Political challenges are mounting simultaneously, with a potential fossil-fuelled Trump administration advocating for increased drilling and Britain's Reform UK party campaigning against renewable energy and net zero targets.
Natalie Hanman highlighted the fundamental paradox facing delegates: "We know exactly what we need to do to address the climate crisis. We already have all the technology and all the money that we need. The problem is the politics and the power, which isn't addressing these issues in an equitable way, or moving anywhere near fast enough."
Guardian's Comprehensive Coverage
The Guardian has deployed a significant team to Brazil for extensive coverage of the conference. Veteran environment correspondent Fiona Harvey, attending her nearly 20th Cop summit, will be joined by Jonathan Watts, Oliver Milman, Dharna Noor, Damian Carrington and Damien Gayle.
The coverage will include:
- Daily live blogs running around the clock
- Regular podcast episodes and newsletters
- In-depth explainers and investigative pieces
- The "This is climate breakdown" series profiling people affected by extreme weather
- Exclusive insights in the Down to Earth newsletter
Jonathan Watts traveled to Belém up the Amazon river in a flotilla carrying Indigenous groups and forest defenders, documenting their journey to the summit. This approach reflects the Guardian's commitment to highlighting often marginalised voices in the climate conversation.
Historical Context and Evolving Coverage
The Guardian's environmental reporting predates the Cop process, with coverage of UN environment discussions beginning in 1972 when correspondent Malcolm Stuart attended the UN Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm.
Over recent years, the newspaper's approach to Cop coverage has evolved significantly. "We've tried to shift the reporting away from simply narrating the outcome of the summit," Hanman explained, "and instead really engage critically with the process."
This includes investigative work revealing that more than 5,000 fossil fuel lobbyists have attended climate summits over the past four years, despite record oil and gas expansion and inadequate climate action.
Potential Outcomes and Realistic Expectations
Despite the challenges, some positive developments could emerge from Cop30. A proposed deal on forest protection could have significant positive impacts if properly funded. Other potential achievements include:
- Increased climate finance from wealthier to developing nations
- Agreements to rapidly reduce fossil fuel production
- Greater inclusion of Indigenous perspectives in decision-making
Hanman maintained a cautiously optimistic perspective: "We see again and again in polling, and in our reporting, that the majority of people across the world still say they want action on the climate crisis. People are our hope here."
However, she acknowledged the need for realistic expectations, suggesting delegates and observers should approach the summit with "high hopes, low expectations and rigorous scrutiny."
The conference represents a critical opportunity for global cooperation on climate action, even as political tensions and competing interests create significant obstacles to meaningful progress.
