Brazil President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (right) at COP30. PHOTO/UN.
By PATRICK MAYOYO
On Wednesday, at COP30 in Belém, Brazil President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva delivered a stirring speech that called on world leaders to take urgent, decisive action against climate change.
His message was unequivocal: the global community must do more, and it must do so now. As Brazil hosts this pivotal conference, Lula’s call to arms is not only timely but necessary, and it should serve as a wake-up call to the world.
Lula’s leadership has long been associated with social justice and environmental sustainability. But at COP30, he took this legacy a step further, boldly stating that “everyone must understand their responsibility” in tackling the climate crisis.
For the Brazilian President, climate action is not an abstract idea but a moral imperative, an urgent task that transcends political and national borders.
Lula’s emphasis on the Roadmap: a Brazilian proposal aimed at guiding global efforts to reduce fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, is a refreshing shift towards practicality.
Unlike previous conferences, where vague promises and lofty goals often dominate, Lula’s plan lays out clear steps and targets that countries can tailor to their own economic contexts. This level of specificity is crucial; it offers not just a vision but a path forward. However, the big question remains: will world leaders follow through, or will they continue to kick the can down the road?
The climate crisis is not waiting for consensus, it is happening right now. From increasingly frequent and devastating natural disasters to the alarming loss of biodiversity, the impacts of climate change are undeniable.
Yet, at COP30, there remains a sense that too many countries are still too comfortable with half-measures, attempting to balance environmental concerns with short-term economic interests.
Lula, however, was clear: the health of the planet must come first. And he was unapologetic in his belief that wealthier countries, which have historically contributed the most to emissions, have a moral obligation to support the global south in its climate efforts.
This is where Lula’s speech struck its most resonant chord. He argued that financial and technological support for developing countries must be the backbone of any serious climate action.
Without adequate resources, poorer nations; many of whom are already on the frontlines of climate impacts, simply cannot make the necessary transitions to sustainable, low-carbon economies.
His praise for the €1 billion pledge from Germany to Brazil’s Tropical Forests Forever Fund (TFFF) is a step in the right direction, but it also underscores a painful reality: far more investment and commitment is needed from the global north.
Lula’s framing of the Amazon as the “heartbeat of the planet” was equally powerful. Hosting COP30 in Belém; far from the glitzy halls of cities typically associated with such high-level discussions, was a deliberate choice, one that placed the Amazon’s fate at the centre of the global climate agenda.
“We must show the world the Amazon as it truly is,” Lula said. And he is right: the Amazon, a critical carbon sink, is a global public good. Preserving it is not just a matter of national pride for Brazil, it is essential for the survival of humanity itself.
COP 30 President André Corrêa do Lago, with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, of Brazil. PHOTO/UN.
What Lula brought to the table at COP30 is the reminder that we are all, quite literally, in this together. Climate change does not respect national borders or economic status. What happens to the Amazon, to the forests of the Congo, to the wetlands of Southeast Asia, affects us all.
Yet the reality is that many of the world’s poorest nations, which have contributed little to the emissions that are driving climate change, are bearing the brunt of its consequences. Lula’s call for solidarity; a commitment from the global north to support the global south; should be seen not as charity, but as a necessary investment in global stability and survival.
But it’s not all about finance and forest conservation. Lula’s passionate endorsement of a diverse energy matrix, where renewable energy sources replace fossil fuels, sends a clear message to the world: the future of energy must be green.
In a country like Brazil, which has already made impressive strides in biofuels and renewable energy, Lula’s vision is not just aspirational, it is achievable. If Brazil can achieve 87% clean energy in its electricity generation, surely other nations can follow suit. The question is not whether it is possible, it is when we will collectively take the steps necessary to make this shift.
One of the most striking aspects of Lula’s speech was his emphasis on participation. COP30, he pointed out, is the “People’s COP,” the first of its kind where ordinary people, especially indigenous leaders and women, have been given a platform to express their concerns and offer solutions.
In this way, Lula’s COP30 is far more inclusive than previous gatherings, a recognition that climate action cannot succeed without the voices of those most affected by it.
Lula’s call for a global consensus on climate action is undoubtedly idealistic, but it is also pragmatic. “At a COP, nothing is imposed,” he said, acknowledging the complexities of international negotiations. Yet, in his insistence that climate solutions must be built together, he has managed to balance realism with an ambitious hope for change.
The question, of course, is whether global leaders; many of whom are still prioritising economic growth over environmental sustainability, are willing to meet Lula’s vision with the same sense of urgency.
COP30 is more than just a conference. It is a moment of reckoning. The world is at a crossroads, and Lula has placed a spotlight on the choices before us. The Roadmap he has outlined provides a way forward, but it will require all nations; especially the wealthiest, to take bold, concrete action. If we fail to heed this call, we risk leaving future generations with a world that is no longer habitable.
As Lula’s speech so powerfully conveyed, the time for action is now. The question is whether the world is ready to rise to the challenge.
The writer is an award-winning climate and development journalist with a focus on global environmental policy.
