Brazil Launches Three Weeks of COP30 Climate Events Across São Paulo, Rio, Belém

Brazil has opened three weeks of climate-related events ahead of COP30, seeking to rekindle global commitment to tackling climate change amid economic volatility and eroding international cooperation. From São Paulo to Belém, leaders, investors, and civil society are converging to signal that multilateral climate ambition is not yet lost.

Business Push for Energy Transition

In São Paulo, major business coalitions are urging governments to accelerate incentives for renewable energy. An open letter signed by 35 groups representing 100,000 companies called for “urgent” policy support to replace fossil fuels with cleaner alternatives.

“It’s a recognition from the business groups of the importance of multilateralism and the importance of raising ambition,” said Maria Mendiluce, CEO of the We Mean Business Coalition, which coordinated the letter.

Gonzalo Sáenz de Miera, chairman of Spain’s Green Growth Group, emphasized the private sector’s continued resolve: “It makes strong business sense and ensures energy security and competitiveness.”

Yet the optimism is tempered by global realities. Tariffs and trade disputes have disrupted energy supply chains, while recent reversals of U.S. clean energy commitments have shaken confidence in long-term climate targets. Despite renewable costs falling below fossil fuels, many governments remain distracted by short-term economic and technological pressures.

Subnational and Civic Leadership

In Rio de Janeiro, mayors, governors, and local leaders gathered for a Local Leaders Summit, even as the event faced protests over a violent police crackdown last week. The summit aims to highlight subnational action in climate governance—an increasingly important sphere as national-level cooperation falters.

Also in Rio, Britain’s Prince William presided over the annual Earthshot Prize ceremony, spotlighting grassroots environmental innovation.

“It’s great to see so many business leaders and mayors converge in Brazil on the eve of COP30, showcasing their climate action and seeking opportunities to collaborate and go further faster,” said Dan Ioschpe, board chairman at Ioschpe-Maxion and a lead organizer of COP30’s business engagement efforts.

Belem’s Symbolism and Logistical Strain

This year’s host city, Belém, carries symbolic weight. Thirty-three years after the 1992 Rio Earth Summit first bound nations to collective climate action, Brazil is again at the center of global environmental diplomacy.

However, logistical challenges threaten to overshadow the symbolism. Fewer than 60 world leaders have confirmed attendance for the November 6–7 Leaders’ Summit in Belém, compared to 80 at COP29 in Baku and over 100 at Dubai’s COP28. The main conference from November 10–21 has so far drawn just 12,200 registered participants—far below last year’s 54,000 in Baku and 84,000 in Dubai.

Accommodation shortages and high hotel prices have forced some delegations to scale back their presence, redirecting many participants to parallel forums in São Paulo and Rio. Brazil initially projected attendance exceeding 45,000.

Indigenous Voices Take the Lead

In a powerful gesture, indigenous leaders are journeying down the Amazon River by flotilla toward Belém, where they plan to deliver a list of conservation and land rights demands to global delegates. During the summit, many groups will camp in the rainforest near the city, turning the Amazon itself into a stage for environmental advocacy.

Brazilian officials have framed Belém’s location as a deliberate statement—to center indigenous perspectives and expose delegates directly to the frontlines of deforestation.

The Broader Context

The lead-up to COP30 comes amid geopolitical strain and economic disruption. Wars in multiple regions, policy reversals in the U.S., and instability in global markets have dampened the spirit of collective action that once animated the Paris Agreement. Still, for many business and local leaders gathered across Brazil this month, climate action remains as much an economic necessity as an environmental one.

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