Trees, targets and trillions: What’s on the agenda at COP30?

PARIS — This year’s United Nations climate summit promises to be symbolic, marking a decade since the Paris Agreement and taking place in the environmentally vulnerable Amazon. But what is actually on the agenda? The marathon negotiations gather nearly every country to confront a challenge that affects them all, but unlike recent editions, this “COP” has no single theme or objective. That does not mean big polluters will get off easily at COP30 in Brazil, with climate-vulnerable nations frustrated at their level of ambition and financial assistance to those most affected by a warming planet. Here are the big issues to look for as world leaders gather in the city of Belem on Thursday and Friday before the start of formal negotiations the following week: Emissions The world is not cutting emissions fast enough to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, and no amount of pomp and pageantry at COP30 will be able to sugarcoat that uncomfortable reality. Under the climate accord, signatory nations are required every five years to submit stronger targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions, ther

Read Full Article