BELÉM, BRAZIL — A fire broke out at the United Nations climate summit (COP30) on Thursday, forcing the evacuation of several buildings and bringing already sluggish negotiations to a halt just two days before the event’s scheduled conclusion.
While the blaze was quickly brought under control, the disruption has cost negotiators valuable time, threatening to derail efforts to reach an agreement on contentious issues such as fossil fuel phaseouts and climate finance.
Emergency Evacuation and Injuries
The fire started in the pavilion area where sideline events are hosted. Fire officials ordered a full evacuation of the site to conduct safety checks, leaving it unclear when official business would resume.
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Casualties: Officials reported that 13 people were treated for smoke inhalation.
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Operational Impact: The presidency of the talks had intended for ministers and diplomats to work late into Thursday night. It remains possible that only top negotiators will be permitted to return for a slimmed-down evening session.
“Down to the Wire”: Impact on Negotiations
The interruption comes at a precarious moment. Leaders were hoping to finalize a draft agreement on a “tough interconnected package” of issues by Wednesday, but failed to do so.
Observers are concerned that the loss of momentum could lead to a weak final agreement.
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Alden Meyer (E3G): “It definitely puts a hold on negotiations for a period of time… People tend to feel a little closer during an emergency like this, but there are pretty deep fundamental interests at play.”
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Teresa Anderson (ActionAid): “It means there is a lot to do with very little time. There were already huge gulfs to bridge, and this won’t help.”
However, Mohamed Adow of PowerShift Africa expressed hope that the incident could foster solidarity: “If we can respond to the planet’s emergencies with the same unity shown in that tense moment, COP30 might yet be remembered… for a turning point.”
The Core Disputes
Before the fire, UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged nations to show flexibility, warning, “We are down to the wire and the world is watching Belém.”
The talks are currently stalled on four major, interconnected issues:
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Finance: Delivering overall financial aid with a goal of $300 billion US per year. Guterres is also calling for rich nations to triple adaptation finance (money to help poor nations survive climate disasters) from $40 billion to $120 billion US annually.
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Fossil Fuels: More than 80 countries are pushing for a detailed “road map” to transition away from coal, oil, and gas.
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Climate Plans: Debates on whether countries must be mandated to toughen their emissions reduction targets.
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Trade & Transparency: Dealing with trade barriers related to climate policy and improving reporting on progress.
Guterres remains “perfectly convinced” that compromise is possible, noting that failing to adopt the absolute strongest measures immediately should not necessarily be viewed as a total failure, provided there is meaningful progress.