COP30 Blogs

Professor Richard Beardsworth continues his analysis of expectations for COP30 in Belém, as he navigates leadership between two realms, one rules-based and co-operative, the other nationalist-populist and centrifugal

The Conference of the Parties in Belém, Brazil, this November (COP30) will celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Paris Agreement (COP21 in 2015), but where do things stand ten years on?

COP30 in Belém, Brazil is one week away. But what does the conference mean for the global south?
In his blog written for the Priestley Centre, associate professor Simon Manda explores how the conference is a pivotal opportunity to shape the global agenda and ensure the Global South’s priorities take centre stage.

As COP30 heads to the heart of the Amazon, the stakes for land and nature have never been higher.
Jyoti Sudhakar Narsude explores how this COP could be a turning point for climate justice, forest protection, and Indigenous rights. With global pressure mounting, Jyoti argues that COP30 must move beyond promises to deliver real action—redefining land not just as a resource, but as a foundation for resilience, equity, and planetary health.

In an insightful and direct article, decision-making expert Sajid Siraj pinpoints the ever-present motives of nations that may hinder climate action at COP30.

This blog by Prof Viktoria Spaiser warns that we are entering a new era of irreversible Earth System Tipping Points, from coral reef die-off to accelerating planetary boundary breaches. It argues that COP30 must urgently integrate these risks into global governance, calling for faster, fairer, and more systemic approaches.

Key topics being discussed in COP30 include technology and bioeconomy. Integral to these discussions is this year's Climate Technology Progress Report.

We spoke with one of its contributors, Priestley member Daya Pandey, to learn why this report is so important for COP30 and for our planet's future.

Leeds COP delegate Ruth Smith highlights how University of Leeds researchers are amplifying farmers’ voices in global climate debates through projects that link local experience with international policy.

Leeds delegate Jyoti Narsude reflects on the first week of COP30 in the Amazon, highlighting notable progress in areas such as climate finance, technology and forest protection. But with current pledges still falling short of what’s needed to keep 1.5°C within reach, the key challenge now is turning this early momentum into meaningful, sustained implementation.

As COP30 convenes near the Amazon rainforest, delegates have been engaging in discussions concerning the protection of tropical forests and their vitality in regulating Earth’s climate. Leeds delegate, Isidora Xenaki, writes about one of the biggest threats facing Earth's forests - wildfires.

Rosario Michel Villarreal, Lecturer in Sustainability and Business and Leeds delegate at COP30, discusses in this blog about how food is both a driver of climate change and one of its greatest casualties.

A call to recognise local and Indigenous peoples as rights-holders and knowledge-holders. In this blog, UoL COP30 delegate, Prahelika Deka, argues that meaningful climate governance depends not on more technical solutions, but on widening who is heard and trusted, to imagine our shared futures.

Leeds COP30 Delegate, Matthaeus Menezes Assef, had the opportunity to ask Marcele Oliveira, the Youth Climate Champion for COP30, a few questions about her hopes for the international climate negotiations

Climate change is putting global food systems under growing strain, from heat stress to disrupted supply chains, but these same systems offer powerful opportunities for adaptation. COP30 delegate, Oscar Sanchez Velazquez, discusses how climate-smart farming, innovative proteins, and resilient local practices can help secure our food future.

Trina Flesher reflects on the mixed outcomes of COP30 in Belém and what they reveal about the evolving role and limits of the UNFCCC. It explores where global climate cooperation is faltering, where new momentum is emerging, and why continued action beyond the negotiating halls remains essential.

COP30 advanced climate action with new finance pledges and historic Indigenous participation, but fell short on fossil fuel reduction and concrete implementation, highlighting both progress and persistent global challenges.

With negotiations at recent COPs paralysed and ambition lacking, this blog by Jan Selby argues that the UN climate process needs a radical overhaul - shifting towards genuine learning, higher-level political leadership and bold coalitions capable of driving real action.