Belém: Progress on climate protection
The German media’s comments on the World Climate Conference in Belém, Brazil (COP 30) were largely negative to disappointing. One welcome exception was SPIEGEL magazine with its headline: ‘2:1 for climate protection’.
The relative progress made in Belém
Firstly: The final document did at least point out that a decision to phase out coal, gas and oil had already been taken two years ago at COP 28 in Dubai. I was in Dubai with climate journalists in 2024. At that time, local environmental politicians drew our attention to this fact.
Secondly, in Belém, 80 governments, including the EU, formed an alliance that will continue to pursue the phase-out of fossil fuels.
Thirdly, in his courageous opening speech, Brazilian President Lula also proposed rapidly reducing dependence on coal, gas and oil and gave the starting signal for the ‘80 willing’.
Fourthly, the US government, which was not officially present, is the real loser of this conference, which has once again confirmed the importance of international and global cooperation – especially when it comes to climate protection. Through its absence, the Trump administration has at least been unable to halt the small steps forward that have been made.
International climate diplomacy therefore works even without the US. That is the real success of Belém. Climate change deniers have rarely been as isolated as they are today. Two working processes were agreed at COP 30 on the edge of the rainforest: stopping deforestation and moving away from fossil fuels by the 80 governments. According to participants, this received the loudest applause at this world climate conference.
In 2026, COP 31 will take place in Turkey under the Australian presidency. By then, nothing in the world will be expanding as rapidly as inexpensive energy from the sun and wind and huge energy storage facilities.
In 2024, 92 per cent of newly built energy capacity worldwide was renewable. In the first half of 2025, China alone added twice as much renewable energy as the rest of the world combined. The International Energy Agency in Paris estimates that we will double renewable energy worldwide by 2030 compared to today.
This is in line with sensational news from China and India: in 2025, these two countries with a combined population of two billion were able to slightly reduce their CO2 emissions for the first time – despite economic growth. This is due to the rapid growth of renewable energies.
The global solar revolution is progressing faster than most German commentators predicted after Belem.
Source
Franz Alt 2025| Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator
