Thousands of negotiators, activists, scientists, and heads of state are gathering in Belém — the gateway to the Amazon River in northern Brazil — for the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference, or COP30, which officially kicks off Monday.
It’s the first time a climate COP has been held in the Amazon, and its location carries both practical and symbolic weight. Brazil is a global agricultural powerhouse and home to the world’s largest tropical forest; how leaders balance food, forests, and climate will set the tone for negotiations.
“It’s important that this meeting is in Brazil … because first of all, Brazil is a very big agriculture country,” Sandra Milach, chief scientist at CGIAR and a native of Brazil, told Devex. That makes the stakes particularly high: “Agriculture is sometimes pointed out as one of the problems,” she said — from livestock emissions to methane from rice paddies. “But we need agriculture to become the solution … if we do this right, agriculture can serve as a very important solution.”
About the author
Ayenat Mersie
Ayenat Mersie is a Global Development Reporter for Devex. Previously, she worked as a freelance journalist for publications such as National Geographic and Foreign Policy and as an East Africa correspondent for Reuters.
