Next month, from November 10-21, world leaders will be meeting in Belém, Brazil, for the UN climate summit known as COP30, the world's most important talks on how we tackle the climate crisis.
Its full title is the Conference of the Parties and it's attended by almost every country on earth to thrash out issues such as emission reduction targets and how we get support to those on the front lines of climate breakdown. Alongside the politicians will be thousands of experts, journalists, climate activists, church leaders, and representatives from organisations, charities and businesses.
Christian Aid will be sending representatives - and Mariana Paoli, our Global Advocacy Lead for Policy, Public Affairs and Campaigns, explains why.
Why is it important for Christian Aid to be at COP30?
The COPs are the most important global process where the world works out how we deal with the climate crisis and comes up with shared solutions to achieve the progress we desperately need in order to limit global heating to below 1.5C as well as addressing the needs of those most affected by climate change. It's also the only global process where all countries participate, and the only one in which people from the Global South have an equal voice, meaning they are in a better position to negotiate outcomes which meet their needs.
Christian Aid has been engaging in COPs for nearly 20 years, working with our partners and allies to lobby negotiators and politicians directly, urging them to take stronger action and ensuring the voices of those on the frontline of the climate crisis are amplified.
We also play a key role in providing support and visibility for our partners' priorities by working with the media, building movements and advising on policy work.
COPs are also attended by thousands of lobbyists from the fossil fuels industry, and it's vital for Christian Aid to join forces with other civil society organisations to counter any efforts to slow down and prevent climate solutions.
Who do you plan to talk to there? What do you hope to achieve by being there?
I'm planning to talk to climate negotiators from many countries, representatives from other charities and organisations, as well as the media, and I'm looking forward to working with our partners from climate vulnerable countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia.
Together we can call on governments to take action based on climate justice and promote solutions which meet the needs of communities who are the most affected by climate change and yet have done the least to contribute to it.
1. Provide the public climate finance that is needed
Developed country governments need to agree how they will provide the $300bn in climate finance that they committed to at COP29 and how they will mobilise the larger $1.3tn that was also promised. The $300bn needs to be public finance that does not increase the burden of debt for already poor countries. Governments should examine options such as taxing polluting activities and the super-rich.
2. Stop investing in fossil fuels and support a ‘just transition’
All governments should commit to stopping new investments in fossil fuels, to end dirty energy subsidies and agree a time-bound phase-out of fossil fuels. COP30 also needs to deliver on the Just Transition Work Programme in ways that support developed countries at national level to transition to low carbon economies in a socially just way. This can be through agreeing the proposed Belém Action Mechanism for Just Transition (BAM).
3. Step up ambition
COP30 needs to be a catalyst that highlights how far off countries are collectively in meeting the goal of limiting global heating to 1.5C. World leaders at the summit should agree that countries go beyond their existing commitments or to submit updated plans that will deliver a 1.5 degree world that is safe and prosperous for all.
How can supporters get involved?
We'd love to see people getting involved with our Restore campaign for change, which calls on the UK Government to help repair the harm caused by the climate and debt crises. Together, we can demand that reckless polluters pay for climate action and that greedy lenders cancel unjust debts.
You can also follow us on social media and share our messages.
