UNFCCC COP 30 in Belém, Brazil | 24 Nov 2025

Source: TH

Why in News? 

The 30th edition of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC COP30) concluded in Belém, Brazil, with countries formally adopting the Belém Package as the key negotiated outcome.

What are the Key Outcomes of COP30?

• Belém Package: A comprehensive set of 29 negotiated decisions adopted at COP30, focused on moving from discussion to implementation through stronger finance, just transition measures, adaptation tracking, gender inclusion, and enhanced cooperation to accelerate delivery of the Paris Agreement goals.
• Global Mutirão Agreement: COP 30 ended with the Global Mutirão Agreement, which prioritises cooperation and implementation rather than new mandatory targets. 
  • The deal is viewed as a compromise between developed and developing countries, focusing on deliverability over ambition.
  • Brazil launched the Global Mutirão Platform, a digital initiative to drive collective climate action and narrow the gap between commitments and implementation, with a focus on accelerating progress in energy, finance, and trade.
• Just Transition Mechanism: COP30 adopted a new Just Transition Mechanism (JTM), also called the Belém Action Mechanism (BAM), to support capacity-building and cooperation for workers and economies shifting away from fossil fuels, but it does not include new or guaranteed finance.
• Global Implementation Tracker and the Belem Mission to 1.5°C: Launched at COP 30, both designed to monitor whether national actions and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) align with pathways compatible with limiting warming to 1.5°C. 
  • These mechanisms signal a growing focus on tracking delivery rather than setting new targets.
  • The National Adaptation Plan (NAP) Implementation Alliance was launched at COP30 to speed up national adaptation planning. 
    • Countries also agreed to triple adaptation finance by 2030 compared to 2025 levels, but the lack of clarity on who will provide these funds remains a key concern.
• Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA): Parties also finalised the Baku Adaptation Roadmap and agreed on 59 voluntary indicators to track progress under the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA).
• Belem Health Action Plan: Announced on COP30's Health Day (13th November 2025), this flagship initiative aims to strengthen global health systems to better respond to climate impacts. 
  • It is built on the principles of health equity, climate justice, and stronger governance with community participation.
• Tropical Forests Forever Facility (TFFF): Launched by Brazil, TFFF is a payment-for-performance model that rewards countries for preserving tropical forests using satellite-based monitoring. 
  • It aims to mobilise about USD 125 billion, with Brazil contributing the first USD 1 billion.
• Belém 4x Pledge: This pledge aims to quadruple the use of sustainable fuels by 2035 compared to 2024 levels, with flexibility for national circumstances. 
  • The International Energy Agency (IEA) will monitor progress annually. It focuses on scaling fuels like hydrogen, biofuels, biogas, and e-fuels at affordable costs to support the energy transition, especially in transport and industry. 
• Belem Declaration on Hunger, Poverty, and People-Centred Climate Action: Signed by 43 countries and the EU, this declaration puts vulnerable communities at the core of climate policy. 
  • It calls for continued mitigation efforts but prioritises adaptation through social protection, crop insurance, and measures that strengthen community resilience.
• Belém Gender Action Plan (GAP): Adopted at COP 30 aims to strengthen gender-responsive climate action and ensure meaningful participation of women, especially those from vulnerable communities, in climate governance.

How is India Positioning Itself at COP30?

• Climate Finance as a Legal Obligation: India, along with the BASIC (Brazil, South Africa, India and China) and Like-Minded Developing Countries (LMDC) groups, stressed equity and climate justice, calling for predictable, scaled-up, and grant-based climate finance rather than loan-driven models. 
  • It demanded full implementation of Article 9.1 of the Paris Agreement and a universally accepted definition of climate finance, while urging mobilization of the USD 1.3 trillion climate finance goal set by the Baku-to-Belém Roadmap adopted at COP 29.
  • India highlighted that the 2025 Adaptation Gap Report estimates developing countries will require USD 310–365 billion annually by 2035, while current flows remain around USD 26 billion.
    • Glasgow’s pledge to double adaptation finance to USD 40 billion by 2025 is unlikely to be met.
• Equity and Climate Justice: India reaffirmed the principle of Common But Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC) and stressed that historical emitters must lead mitigation efforts and called for full implementation of the UNFCCC, Kyoto Protocol, and Paris Agreement.
  • India, China, and other developing nations opposed trade-related restrictive measures, such as the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), arguing it is a discriminatory barrier disguised as climate action.
• Support for Adaptation and Vulnerable Nations: India stated adaptation must receive equal priority alongside mitigation and emphasised the need for predictable support for developing and vulnerable countries.

What are the Major Shortcomings from COP30?

• No Agreement on Fossil Fuel Phase-Out: The final Belém Package avoided committing to a clear roadmap for transitioning away from fossil fuels.
• Weak Progress on Climate Finance: Negotiations failed to secure clarity on finance obligations under Article 9.1, and there was no concrete plan to scale funding to the level demanded by developing countries.
• Delay in NDC Submissions and Ambition Gap: Several major emitters, including India delayed submitting updated NDCs, widening the global emissions gap and weakening momentum.
• Implementation Gap Remains Unaddressed: While many pledges were announced, concrete timelines, enforcement mechanisms, and accountability systems remain unclear.
• Just Transition Without Dedicated Funding: The new Just Transition mechanism lacks new or predictable financial support, reducing its ability to help workers and economies adapt.
  

Conclusion

COP30 delivered new initiatives but fell short on core demands like fossil fuel phase-out and scaled-up climate finance, reflecting deep divides between developed and developing countries. India used the platform to push equity, climate justice, and finance as obligations rather than pledges. With major decisions deferred, COP31 will be critical to convert commitments into credible action.