Intervention carried out on November 18th in Belém, Brazil

Excellencies, distinguished Ministers, ladies and gentlemen, good morning.

I would like to begin by expressing my gratitude to the peoples of the Amazon, who generously welcome the world to COP30.

Gathering here in Belém imposes an even greater responsibility upon us: the decisions taken in this place must be commensurate with the climate emergency and with the magnitude of the territory that hosts us.

The climate emergency is already transforming lives, economies, and entire ecosystems.

Adaptation must stand at the center of the global response: protecting people and terrestrial and marine territories depends on concrete tools to measure progress, guide policies, and reduce vulnerabilities.

For this reason, it is essential that COP30 concludes with the long-awaited approval of the global adaptation indicators.

Science is unequivocal: to keep temperature rise within 1.5 degrees, we need swift action, enhanced ambition, and accelerated implementation of our NDCs.

Developed countries, with greater historical responsibility and more resources, must act faster and at greater scale.

Developing countries must also remain committed, with effective access to means of implementation, in full coherence with their sustainable development goals and efforts to reduce inequalities.

This is the essence of a just transition: protecting people, strengthening resilience, and grounding decisions in science, both modern science and the knowledge of indigenous peoples.

At the opening of this COP, President Lula was emphatic:

“We need roadmaps that allow us, in a fair and planned way, to reverse deforestation and progressively overcome dependence on fossil fuels, mobilizing the resources required for that purpose.”

This is the clarity we need now.

Ladies and gentlemen,

There are no single or universal answers to the challenges before us.

We need structured dialogue, exchange of experiences, and long-term strategies that consider both fossil-fuel-producing and fossil-fuel- consuming countries.

We must chart pathways and secure the financial resources and technical support needed to reduce the high dependence on these fuels for job creation and energy security in many parts of the world, especially in developing countries.

In parallel, we must advance Roadmaps for Ending Deforestation, defined by each country, guided by cooperation, financing, and full respect for Indigenous Peoples and local communities.

If the North Star has long guided navigators in search of a safe course, and the Southern Cross has long oriented those who crossed oceans in search of new worlds, may both constellations now help guide humanity toward a new and safe cycle of prosperity and peace among peoples and with nature.

Thank you very much.