President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva proposed at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Belém that a Climate Council linked to the United Nations General Assembly be established, with the aim of giving political weight to environmental issues. As reported by Bloomberg, the president stressed that the body will serve as a means to strengthen global governance on climate issues, ensuring that commitments and declarations adopted at international summits such as the COP are translated into concrete and measurable actions.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of COP30 in the Brazilian town of Belém, Lula da Silva appealed to leaders and representatives of participating countries to “defeat” those who deny climate change and stand in the way of the fight against global warming. As reported by Bloomberg, the Brazilian head of state pointed out that the global situation is characterized by the prevalence of fake news, misinformation and attacks on science, which, in his words, allows “obscurantists” to reject both scientific evidence and the progress of multilateralism. Lula argued that this phenomenon is reinforced by modern mechanisms such as algorithmic control, the spread of fear and hatred, and the disqualification of academic and scientific institutions.
In his speech, the Brazilian President stressed that COP30 must become a turning point, called the “COP of Truth,” and said that this international conference could shape the world’s climate change agenda at a critical moment. Lula acknowledged that while the international community appears to be moving in the right direction, the pace of progress is insufficient. According to Bloomberg, the president believed that countries’ commitments under the 2015 Paris Agreement still fall short of the levels needed to limit global temperature rise.
In a statement compiled by Bloomberg, Lula recalled that without a multilateral agreement, the outlook would become even more dire, with global temperatures expected to rise by nearly 5 degrees Celsius by the end of the century. The goal of the initiative started in Belém is to limit temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
Brazil’s president has appealed to world leaders to accelerate global action on climate change, arguing it will take much more than the sum of formal commitments to halt warming. He stressed the importance of developing clear and detailed roadmaps that will enable countries to gradually abandon their dependence on fossil fuels, stop and reverse deforestation, and mobilize the financial, technical and knowledge resources necessary for the transition, in order to achieve emissions reduction targets.
In his speech, Mr. Lula stressed that only stronger and more consistent global governance can ensure that resolutions are translated into tangible progress. “Moving forward, we need stronger global governance that ensures that words are translated into action,” he said, as quoted by Bloomberg. Furthermore, he championed the implementation of international mechanisms to help address inequalities and implement these plans in a fair and orderly manner.
The Brazilian president also warned of the risk that misinformation and attacks on science could delay the urgent response the planet needs. He stressed that it is essential to redouble efforts to restore trust in science and multilateral agreements, as deniers use digital platforms and sophisticated strategies to influence public opinion and influence climate policy.
During the event, Lula stressed the need to strengthen decision-making processes in the international arena, arguing that the current global situation demands that action to combat the environmental crisis be collective, coordinated and based on scientific evidence. As detailed by Bloomberg, he proposed that a climate council be responsible for coordinating and monitoring the development of climate policy, as well as clarifying the work between nations and international organizations.
The two-week meeting in Belem will be a negotiating forum where representatives of each country will discuss measures and obligations to limit global warming, in compliance with the commitments envisaged within the framework of the Paris Agreement. Lula argued that mobilizing resources to mitigate the effects of climate change cannot wait, and stressed the urgency of moving from rhetoric to effective implementation of global environmental solutions.
Lula da Silva’s speech attracted international attention for its call to fight denialism and its emphasis on the need to accelerate the pace of implementation of climate change policies, Bloomberg reported. In his speech, the Brazilian president put science and climate justice at the heart of any future agreement, reiterating that COP30 must mark the front and back of global environmental issues.
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