The first week of COP30 has come to an end, and a new one is underway. We take stock of the opening week of the climate summit, with a particular focus on forests.
Climate Numbers Put Pressure on Negotiations
Negotiators and representatives alike could breathe a sigh of relief when the agenda was adopted last Monday without major objections. At previous climate summits, it has sometimes taken several days for countries to agree simply on what should be discussed.
However, it did not take long before disagreements began to shape one of the conference’s most central issues: both the pace and the methods needed to halt global warming and avert a climate catastrophe. Shortly before COP30 began, a report was released highlighting the severity of the challenge facing world leaders. Current national climate targets are steering the world towards a global temperature increase of 2.6°C. Taken together, countries’ existing plans will reduce emissions by only 12% by 2035—far short of the 60% reduction required to meet the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C target. Global warming of between 1.5 and 2°C, combined with continued deforestation, increases the risk of so-called tipping points, where large parts of the rainforest could be transformed into savannah with scattered trees.
Brazil Puts Forests at the Centre
Beyond the formal negotiations, initiatives outside the negotiation rooms clearly reflect that host country Brazil is serious about placing forests at the heart of this year’s COP. When leaders gathered for the Leaders’ Summit—held ahead of the main conference—Brazil launched a call for global action on forest fire resilience at COP30. The declaration acknowledges that climate change is driving more frequent and severe wildfires and points out that forest fires were the leading cause of primary tropical forest loss in 2024. The initiative calls for a paradigm shift away from a sole focus on firefighting and towards a strategy centred on prevention. This includes the use of science and policy measures, the involvement of Indigenous Peoples and local communities, and a clear emphasis that efforts to address wildfires must go hand in hand with significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
A New Financing Commitment
This week, Brazil also launched a major initiative aimed at providing long-term, predictable financing for countries that protect the world’s tropical forests. The goal is to mobilise up to USD 125 billion, with 20% of payments going directly to Indigenous Peoples and local communities. Germany and Norway have already pledged contributions to the initiative, known as the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF), while Denmark has signalled its positive stance through a formal declaration.
You can read more in this articlein Politiken, where Co-Secretary General Jakob Kronik comments on the TFFF, and you can also find Forests of the World’s position here.
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