National leaders, environmentalists, climate activists, and state and local officials from the United States are gathering in Belém, Brazil, next week for the United Nations’s annual climate change conference — better known as COP30.
Tens of thousands of international delegates, indigenous peoples, and other attendees are expected to attend the conference, which will run from Nov. 10 to 21.
But what exactly is the purpose of the conference, and why are eyes on the U.S. as the summit gets underway? Here’s everything you need to know.
What is COP?
COP stands for the Conference of the Parties, and serves as a meeting of the U.N.’s Framework Convention on Climate Change to measure progress and coordinate global efforts to mitigate climate change among developed and developing nations.
The annual climate summit has been held every year since 1995 except for 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
COP has resulted in several notable landmark accords and agreements, including the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement, which have established multilateral goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and boosting the deployment of clean energy alternatives.
While the conference is widely considered the largest global stage for international climate mitigation, its effectiveness has come into question, as the U.N. itself has found that nations have made little progress toward meeting the climate goals set under the Paris Agreement.
What is the controversy around the location?
Organizers have also been criticized over where they choose to host the climate conference.
Last year, the conference came under fire as it was hosted in Baku, Azerbaijan. The country was repeatedly slammed for being the host, primarily over its jailing of government critics and members of the media and its economic dependence on fossil fuels.
Brazil has faced similar backlash from environmentalists over its continued approvals for fossil fuel development, as it granted new oil exploration rights near the Amazon River as recently as October. The country also came under fire earlier this year after reports that part of the Amazon rainforest was cut down to build a new highway that would help ease traffic into the city of Belém.
Plus, some have questioned whether the city can host such a widely attended event, as many delegations have struggled to find affordable accommodation.
What are the goals?
This year’s conference comes just before the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement. As many nations are falling short of their greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals, plans for accelerating emissions cuts are expected to be central to discussions.
Rather than specific targets, the focus of discussions will likely be on how to achieve shorter-term targets, with a focus on emissions reduction levels for 2035.
In an open letter published last month, COP30 President André Aranha Corrêa do Lago said there will be three main priorities for this year’s summit: “strengthening multilateralism; connecting the climate regime to people’s daily lives; and accelerating climate implementation.”
Broader discussions will also likely focus on halting deforestation, accelerating the phase-out of fossil fuels, protecting oceans, and climate financing for developing countries.
Is Trump attending?
President Donald Trump will not be among the world leaders attending COP30, and he does not plan to send any key members of his Cabinet.
A White House official confirmed to the Washington Examiner this week that the U.S. will not be sending “any high-level representatives,” but would continue to engage with leaders directly on energy issues.
The president’s absence from COP30 is not a big surprise, given that Trump has repeatedly criticized global efforts to lower carbon footprints and has downplayed the effects of climate change.
During remarks at the U.N. General Assembly in September, Trump dubbed climate change the world’s “greatest con job.”
Plus, at the start of his administration, Trump again withdrew the U.S. from the Paris Agreement, as he had done during his first presidency.
Who is attending?
While the administration will not be in attendance, Trump could still send negotiators on his behalf to try to sway other nations from signing agreements to lower emissions more aggressively.
The administration used this tactic last month when it successfully tanked a deal with the International Maritime Organization that would have imposed the first carbon tax on the global shipping industry.
Several European officials told Reuters this week that the European Union is preparing for such a scenario during COP30, as well as cases involving U.S. negotiators organizing sideline events or skipping the summit entirely.
Even if there are no negotiators from the U.S., there will still be a U.S. presence at the summit.
NEWSOM TO ATTEND UN CLIMATE SUMMIT IN BRAZIL AS TRUMP SKIPS
More than 100 state and local officials are expected to attend, including a number of governors, mayors, and former administration staffers. This includes Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D), New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D), Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, and former Environmental Protection Agency administrator Gina McCarthy.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) is expected to be the highest-profile representative from the U.S. in Brazil next week.
