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Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva urged the global community to “defeat” climate denialism and combat the spread of disinformation during the opening session of the UN climate talks.
In a resounding call at COP30, President Lula alluded to former President Donald Trump, who previously dismissed climate change as “a con job” in September.
The two-week conference commenced on Monday in Belém, Brazil, a city nestled on the edge of the Amazon rainforest.
The talks are unfolding against a complex political backdrop, with the United States notably absent of high-ranking officials.
Thousands of delegates convened at the COP venue, a repurposed and heavily air-conditioned aerodrome, with some delegates housed in shipping containers and cruise ships along the riverbank.
Members of the Guajajara indigenous community, adorned in traditional attire, performed a ceremonial song and dance to welcome the assembled diplomats.
Addressing the conference, President Lula proclaimed that “COP30 will be the COP of truth” amidst an environment of “fake news and misrepresentation,” as well as the “rejection of scientific evidence.”
Without directly naming President Trump, President Lula stated that “they control the algorithms, sow hatred, and spread fear.”
“It’s time to inflict a new defeat on the deniers,” he asserted.
Since assuming office in January, President Trump has pledged to invest heavily in fossil fuels, asserting that this strategy will foster greater economic prosperity for the US.
His administration has rescinded over $13 billion in funding for renewable energy initiatives and is actively pursuing the expansion of oil and gas exploration within US territories.
This stance positions the country in opposition to the majority of nations that remain committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and investing in green energy alternatives.
This situation presents a challenge for the COP talks, as participating nations strive to advance climate change mitigation efforts despite the limited engagement of the world’s largest economy.
Some delegates express concern that the US might deploy officials to undermine the negotiations. Previous environmental discussions have reportedly faltered due to US pressure, characterized by some participants as “bully-boy tactics.”
Addressing officials in Belém, UN climate chief Simon Stiell initially conveyed a sense of optimism, highlighting the substantial progress made in recent years to reduce emissions of gases contributing to global warming.
However, he subsequently criticized the “squabbling” among nations.
“Not one single nation among you can afford this, as climate disasters rip double-digits off GDP,” he warned.
Brazil aims to leverage its presidency of the talks to drive progress on key commitments made in prior years.
These include transitioning away from planet-warming fossil fuels, securing financial assistance for developing countries disproportionately affected by climate change, and protecting natural ecosystems.
President Lula’s primary initiative is a fund called the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF), which Brazil hopes will generate $125 billion to safeguard tropical forests worldwide.
Fundraising efforts experienced a slow start. Last week, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that the UK would not contribute public funds at the last minute.
However, on Monday, UK climate envoy Rachel Kyte informed BBC News that the fund was a “brilliant idea” and that the UK “will make the investment at some point.”
Following extensive discussions, nations ultimately agreed upon a conference agenda on Monday.
The agenda includes consideration of whether countries can still realistically pursue efforts to limit global temperature increases to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels.
Groups at the forefront of climate change impacts, including the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), representing primarily Caribbean and Pacific countries, had insisted that the talks address this long-standing goal.
In recent weeks, even the UN has acknowledged that exceeding this temperature threshold is “inevitable.”
Last week, UN Secretary-General António Guterres told leaders in Belém that the failure to limit global temperature rise to 1.5C would constitute a “moral failure and deadly negligence.”
Additional reporting by Esme Stallard
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