After talks come close to collapse, the deal represents steps, rather than leaps, forward on tackling climate crisis
The UN climate summit Cop30 moved forward the fight against the climate crisis and the damage it is already causing to lives and livelihoods. But the measures delivered are steps, rather than the leaps needed.
The negotiations between more than 194 countries came close to collapse, with both ambitious countries and petrostates threatening to block any deal or walk out. But global heating requires a global response and in today’s fractured geopolitical climate sealing a deal backed by all countries keeps the UN climate show on the road.
“At a time of great political challenge, 194 countries have come together within the Paris agreement to recommit to acting on the climate crisis,” said the UK energy secretary, Ed Miliband. “This agreement does not have all the ambition we would have wanted but it commits to keeping 1.5C alive.”
The US did not send a delegation – Donald Trump has dismissed the climate crisis as a “con job”. Some at Cop30 in Belém said the US stance had emboldened Saudi Arabia and other petrostates to fight even harder to block progress.
