Next November 2025, the Amazonian city of Belém do Pará, Brazil, will host COP30, the Conference of the Parties on Climate Change. It will be an event laden with symbolism: for the first time, a climate summit of this magnitude will be held in the heart of the Amazon, the largest terrestrial carbon sink on the planet and, paradoxically, also one of the places most threatened by deforestation, fires, and illegal mining.
However, beyond the geographical symbolism, if something doesn't change in the coming months, everything points to COP30 being more of the same: ambitious speeches, official photos, promises for the future... and very few concrete actions.
In theory, COP29, held in Dubai, produced some important commitments. There was talk of an "energy transition," of "gradually phasing out fossil fuels," and renewed promises of financial support for the countries most vulnerable to climate change. But as all too often happens at these kinds of summits, the headlines quickly fade. The promised money hasn't arrived, and the actions haven't materialized.
Evidence of this is the recent preparatory meeting held in Bonn (June 2025), where the hope was to fine-tune technical agreements and build consensus for COP30. The conclusions, however, have been more than disappointing: a stalemate in negotiations, a lack of ambition, and an absence of political leadership.
One of the key elements of the Paris Agreement is the NDCs (Nationally Determined Contributions), the plans that each country must submit to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. They are the foundation on which international commitments are built. However, to date, many countries have not even updated their NDCs, or have done so without verifiable data or binding targets.
When there is no clear and manageable plan, serious deviations from climate goals are common. And that is exactly what is happening: global emissions are not falling as they should, average temperatures continue to rise, and extreme weather events are intensifying year after year.
Another critical issue is climate finance. At each COP, the commitment to mobilize $100 billion annually to help the poorest countries adapt to climate change and mitigate its effects is reiterated. This fund, pledged since 2009, has never been fully delivered.
Most worrying is that, beyond the financial failure, there is no clear timeline or transparency mechanisms to ensure the money arrives, or how it will be distributed. This lack of support is not only unfair, but deeply counterproductive: if developing countries cannot adapt, the climate problem will worsen on a global scale.
Meanwhile, the planet burns (literally). The year 2024 was already the warmest on record. And 2025 is no different. So far this year, several regions of the planet have suffered unprecedented heat waves, with temperatures exceeding 50°C in parts of South Asia and North Africa. Europe and Latin America have also experienced extreme events, including severe droughts, massive wildfires, and record-breaking spring temperatures.
IPCC scientists have made it clear: every fraction of a degree counts, and if drastic measures are not taken immediately, we will exceed a 1.5°C average global temperature increase well before 2035. The consequences are already visible and will not be reversible in the short term.
The big problem is that, while the planet cries out for solutions, countries remain entangled in a dynamic of mutual blame. "If China won't reduce further, why should Europe?" "If the United States continues to subsidize oil, why should Africa abandon gas?" The geopolitical game of "you too" has been blocking real progress for decades. It's childish, cynical, and deeply irresponsible.
And the most painful thing is that citizens, in general, also seem to have entered a kind of climate lethargy. We know the problem exists, we see it and suffer from it, yet we continue to act as if it's something that "can still be put off for later."
Can we do something? Yes, although it may sound cliché, social pressure, information, and local action remain powerful tools. Real change will not only come from large governments, but from cities, businesses, communities, and individuals who decide to act now, without waiting for the next COP.
Conclusion: Between Hope and Fatigue
COP30 should be historic. It should be the moment for countries to seriously commit to abandoning fossil fuels, fulfilling their NDCs, and securing the promised climate finance. But if we follow the usual script, it will be another missed opportunity.
And meanwhile, the climate clock is ticking. Perhaps one day we'll look back and ask ourselves: Why were we so stupid and short-sighted?
What do you think? Do you think we still have time to change course?
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