'The climate crisis is not a threat of the future. It is a tragedy of the present,' says Lula at the opening of COP30.
The president defended science as an essential tool to guide global decisions and called for commitment at the opening of the conference in Belém.
247 - At the opening of the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30), held in Belém (PA) this Monday (10), President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) gave a firm speech regarding the fight against climate change. Addressing delegations from around the world, he called for immediate action to address the climate crisis and combat inequalities exacerbated by environmental disasters. Lula also defended science as an essential tool to guide global decisions and demanded effective mitigation measures already agreed upon in previous conferences.
"Climate change is no longer a threat of the future."
Lula warned that the planet is already experiencing the consequences of the environmental crisis and cited recent tragedies, such as the tornado that hit Paraná and Hurricane Melissa in the Caribbean. “Climate change is no longer a threat of the future. It is a tragedy of the present,” he stated. “From droughts and fires in Africa and Europe to floods in South America and Southeast Asia, the increase in global temperature spreads pain and devastation, especially among the most vulnerable populations.”
The president described the climate emergency as "a crisis of inequality," explaining that it "deepened the perverse logic that defines who is worthy of living and who must die." According to him, "change through choice gives us the chance for a future that is not dictated by tragedy."
The "COP of truth" and the role of science.
Lula emphasized that this will be "the COP of truth," marked by the need to confront denialism and misinformation. "Obscurantists reject not only scientific evidence, but also multilateralism. It's time to inflict a new defeat on the denialists," he said.
The president also highlighted that Belém has become "the heart of the world" by hosting the event in the Amazon, a region that symbolizes the global fight for climate justice and environmental preservation.
André Corrêa do Lago assumes the presidency of COP30.
During the ceremony, Ambassador André Corrêa do Lago assumed the presidency of COP30, succeeding Mukhtar Babayev of Azerbaijan. “We are gathered here to try to change things. Human beings are essentially good, but are capable of terrible things, like war,” he stated. “Science, education, and culture are the path we must follow.”
The diplomat highlighted the importance of "mutirão," a word of indigenous origin that symbolizes collective effort. "It is through mutirão that we will implement the decisions of this and previous COPs," said Corrêa do Lago.
Paris Agreement and climate emergency
Lula recalled that the Paris Agreement paved the way for the future, but warned that progress is slow. “Without the Paris Agreement, the world would be doomed to catastrophic warming of almost five degrees by the end of the century. We are moving in the right direction, but at the wrong speed,” he warned. The president reinforced that breaking the 1,5°C barrier of average global increase would be “a risk that humanity cannot take.”
Called Bethlehem by its Climate
The speech included the launch of the Belém Climate Call, a document proposing actions in three areas: meeting emission reduction targets (NDCs), strengthening global governance, and placing people at the center of climate policies. "I call on the international community to put people at the center of the climate agenda," Lula declared.
He highlighted the disproportionate impact of the crisis on women, Afro-descendants, migrants, and traditional peoples, defending the role of indigenous territories as fundamental in mitigating climate effects.
The Amazon as a symbol and legacy of COP30.
In closing his speech, Lula paid tribute to the people of Pará and the holding of the conference in the Amazon. "Those who only see the forest from above are unaware of what happens in its shadow. The most diverse biome on Earth is home to almost 50 million people, including 400 indigenous groups," he said.
The president emphasized that the event will leave lasting legacies for Belém, with investments in infrastructure and the promotion of local culture. "I hope that the serenity of the forest inspires in all of us the clarity of thought necessary to see what needs to be done," concluded Lula, after cultural performances by Fafá de Belém and the Minister of Culture, Margareth Menezes.
