11 Nov

COP30 – Belém 2025

Courtheath's blog
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COP30, held in Belém, Brazil, marks a decade since the signing of the Paris Agreement and comes at a decisive moment for global climate action. The summit opened amid warnings from the United Nations, with Secretary-General António Guterres describing the failure to limit warming to 1.5°C as a “moral failure” and “deadly negligence”.

In this blog, we explore COP30’s objectives and context, Australia’s role and Pavillon program, and the wider significance of this conference for global collaboration and climate justice.

Background of COP and UN Climate Initiatives

The Conference of the Parties (COP) began in 1995 as part of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It provides a platform for countries to work together on practical ways to limit global temperature rise and adapt to the impacts of climate change.

The Convention was established at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, where nations agreed that collective action was needed to reduce emissions and strengthen resilience. In 1997, the Kyoto Protocol introduced the first legally binding targets for developed countries, setting a precedent for future climate agreements.

In 2015, the Paris Agreement brought almost 200 nations together to limit global warming to “well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels [and] to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels” (UN). It also committed countries to provide finance for vulnerable regions and to strengthen targets every five years.

Each COP since has worked to turn these ambitions into action.

About COP30

The focus of COP30 is on collective efforts to meet the 1.5°C goal, the presentation of new national action plans (NDCs), and the review of progress on climate commitments made in 2024 (COP29). It comes at a time when climate action “hangs in the balance”, as geopolitical tensions rise and the costs of climate-related disasters continue to increase (Morgan & Newell, The Conversation).

Despite these challenges, the Paris framework is showing results. Global temperature projections have improved from about 4°C of warming before 2015 to between 2.3°C and 2.5°C today (according to the UN’s recent Emissions Gap Report 2025), with potential to limit the rise to 1.9°C if all commitments are met. Yet Morgan and Newell warn that progress is too slow: “Every fraction of a degree intensifies damage to ecosystems and human communities. We are seeing these worsening impacts now… Almost every corner of the world is already reeling from intensifying heat, storms, floods, droughts and fires.”

Guterres cautioned that even a temporary overshoot of 1.5°C could “push ecosystems past catastrophic tipping points” and expose billions of people to unliveable conditions. He called the 1.5°C limit a “red line for a habitable planet” (The Guardian). The World Meteorological Organization confirmed that 2024 was the first year where global average temperatures exceeded 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. This does not yet represent a breach of the Paris Agreement target, which is measured over longer time periods, but it shows how close the world is to a sustained overshoot. Early 2025 observations indicate continued record warmth and rising greenhouse gas concentrations.

“Individual years pushing past the 1.5 degree limit do not mean the long-term goal is shot. It means we need to fight even harder to get on track. Blazing temperatures in 2024 require trail-blazing climate action in 2025. There’s still time to avoid the worst of climate catastrophe. But leaders need to act – now.” – UN Secretary-General António Guterres

Australia at COP30

Australia’s participation at COP30 signals a stronger focus on action and regional partnership. The Government has stated that it will work closely with the Pacific and other countries “to secure strong climate outcomes”, focusing on accelerating the clean-energy transition, reducing global emissions, strengthening adaptation, and mobilising finance for climate solutions across the region (DCCEEW).

Climate and Energy Minister, Chris Bowen will lead the delegation to Belém, alongside Australian and Pacific experts.

Australia’s updated 2035 target – cutting emissions by 62-70 per cent below 2005 levels – marks a notable step forward, even if scientists argue that deeper cuts are needed to stay within the 1.5°C pathway (The Conversation). Bowen has reinforced the direction of policy, stating that “if we are to keep 1.5°C alive, fossil fuels have no ongoing role to play in our energy systems – and I speak as the climate and energy minister of one of the world’s largest fossil fuel exporters.” (Morgan & Newell, The Conversation).

The Australian Pavillon

The Australian Pavillon, hosted by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW), will showcase national and regional progress toward a clean-energy future. It is a space for discussion, learning and partnership – and a home base for Australian delegates in the Blue Zone of Belém’s parque da cidade.

Over two weeks, the Pavillon program features talks, panels, and networking sessions highlighting themes of integrity, innovation, and inclusion. Sessions include:

  • West Kimberley Climate Adaptation Pilot (11 Nov, 10am) – showcasing a First Nations-led project combining Indigenous knowledge and Western science to restore landscapes.
  • Listening to Country: A Yarning Circle on First Nations Leadership (12 Nov, 11am) – showcasing Indigenous ways of knowing and leading in climate negotiations.
  • Australian Women Leading on Climate (12 Nov, 4pm) – connecting women and gender-diverse leaders across Australia and the Pacific.
  • Adaptation and How We Pay for It (17 Nov, 1pm) – featuring Minister Chris Bowen and economist Mariana Mazzucato discussing how climate adaptation can be funded at scale.
  • The Climate Integrity Alliance Launch (18 Nov, 11am) – outlining new partnerships linking climate integrity with Indigenous rights.
  • Education for Climate Futures (19 Nov, 4pm) – amplifying Pacific leadership in shaping global responses.

Youth participation includes a youth leadership session (From Belém to Adelaide: Youth Leadership in the Global Climate Movement, 11 Nov, 5pm), relationship-building across Australia and the Pacific (DCCEEW Australian & Pacific Youth Breakfast, 12 Nov, 8am), regular briefings and learning exchanges (Global Voices Morning Youth Briefing on 15 and 17 Nov at 8am), a film screening and youth-led panel (Rising Up: Voices of Youth Climate Leaders, 17 Nov, 9:30am), and a schools-led forum on learning and civic action (Education for Climate Futures: Empowering Australian Children and Young People as Global Leaders, Nov 19, 4pm). These events outline practical roles for young people in negotiation literacy, public engagement, and agenda-setting toward a potential Australia-Pacific COP31.

The inclusion of First Nations, Pacific, and youth voices underscores the importance of inclusive and culturally informed climate policy.

See the full Pavillon program here. Events will also be shared on the Australian Pavillon at COP30 YouTube channel.

Conclusion

COP30 follows the first year on record where the global average temperature exceeded 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. While this is not yet a long-term breach of the Paris target, it shows how close the world is to that critical threshold. COP30 highlights the urgency of reducing emissions, ending fossil fuel subsidies, and supporting adaptation and forest protection to limit further warming.

Resources

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CourtHeath acknowledges the Traditional Aboriginal Owners of Country throughout Victoria and pays respect to Elders past and  present, and to the ongoing living culture of Aboriginal people.

A participant in the UN Global Compact, CourtHeath seeks to raise awareness about the sustainable development goals and the principles of the Global Compact with business and government organisations in Victoria.

*** IMAGE: COP30

Written by Wendy Cavenett

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Wendy Cavenett