TCC's take on COP30

Building Momentum for What Comes Next

We saw COP30 in Belem as a summit that promised to move from endless talks to real action. In some ways, that shift was visible. Countries made new pledges, Brazil launched a major forest fund, and carbon markets gained credibility. But overall, progress was uneven, and the final resolution failed to commit to fossil fuel cuts. This type of ambition without action risks delaying progress in stabilising the global atmospheric temperature rise.

Finance and forests gave hope. The commitment to expand adaptation funding, Brazil’s forest fund, and Indonesia’s push to lead carbon markets showed that money and systems can be mobilised. Private companies also joined in with restoration projects. For once, the conversation around forests and finance felt less like scattered promises and more like building blocks for long‑term change.

But ambition was missing. Climate plans still fall far short of what is needed to keep 1.5°C alive. Communities already facing floods, fires, and droughts cannot wait years for finance to arrive. The Loss and Damage Fund, celebrated at the summit, is almost empty. For those devastated by climate impacts, this is not real support; it is symbolism. The gap between promises and delivery risks eroding trust in the process.

Justice was fragile. Indigenous inclusion gained visibility, and just transition mechanisms advanced due to the protests in the early days of the conference. Yet conflict‑affected populations were sidelined again. Climate finance continues to avoid “tricky places” like refugee camps or territories under armed groups, leaving millions exposed. Gender debates revealed deep divides. Some countries pushed for intersectional commitments, while others resisted even the word “gender.” The risk is clear: women, girls, LGBTQ+ people, and marginalised groups may once again be excluded from climate policy, despite being among the most affected.

The most significant gap was in fossil fuels. Despite broad support, COP30 failed to secure a binding phase‑out or a credible emissions roadmap. Without confronting fossil expansion directly, gains on finance and equity will be undermined. Initiatives like the Belem Mission to 1.5 are promising, but they cannot replace structural shifts. The science is clear: without a rapid decline in fossil fuel use, no amount of finance or equity frameworks will keep the world safe.

COP30 delivered essential steps, and the path ahead can build on them with greater urgency. Finance can move faster to reach communities today. Fossil fuels can be addressed directly with clear commitments. Gender justice can be strengthened so that climate policy reflects lived realities. Humanitarian needs can be integrated to share resilience more evenly. It showed that change is possible when political will aligns.

Funds can be launched, frameworks advanced, and inclusion broadened. As the process moves toward COP31 in Türkiye, the opportunity is to turn pledges into delivery. Finance can begin reaching communities sooner, ensuring support is felt today as well as tomorrow. Work on fossil fuels can evolve into clearer pathways that match the urgency of science. Efforts to address gender can deepen so that climate policy reflects the realities of care, safety, and inclusion. Humanitarian needs, including those in fragile and conflict‑affected settings, can be brought into the centre of climate action, helping resilience grow more evenly.

The path ahead can be stronger, more ambitious, and more urgent. With courage and clarity, the next phase has the potential to show that progress is inevitable when the will is there.