COP30 in Belém: A new horizon for climate leadership

COP30 in Belém: A new horizon for climate leadership Professor Richard Beardsworth looks ahead to COP30 in Belém, considering whether this could represent a new era for climate leadership with Brazil positioned to lead, at least in partnership with other major actors. As the world approaches COP30 in Belém, scheduled for November 2025, the stage is potentially set for a defining moment in global climate diplomacy. The context is complex. On the one hand, there is the vacuum left by the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Agreement. On the other, there is an ever-escalating need for reshaped and reinvigorated global climate leadership – capable of confronting the unprecedented scale of the climate crisis with meaningful action. It is in this context that COP30 may present a new horizon for leadership in the fight against climate change, with Brazil positioned to lead, at least in partnership with other major actors.