Representatives from some of the world’s most climate-affected nations shared powerful stories as global leaders gathered near the Amazon rainforest for an important UN climate summit.
Before the official sessions began, delegates rallied support for forest protection and discussed global carbon markets. They listened intently to tales from countries grappling with the harsh realities of rising temperatures.
Haitian diplomat Smith Augustin spoke of the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa. He called on wealthy countries to honor their promises to assist poorer nations in adapting to climate change, saying, “Developing nations, especially small island states, bear little responsibility for this crisis, yet suffer the most.”
Kenya’s Vice President Kithure Kindiki highlighted the grim consequences of climate change, sharing how relentless rains have led to deadly flooding and landslides. “Once-in-a-century disasters have become a regular occurrence,” he lamented.
From the Marshall Islands, Foreign Minister Kalani Kaneko described a landscape in turmoil: “The sea rises, coral dies, and the fish leave our shores for cooler waters. We face this each day.”
Experts warn that we are running out of time to limit global warming to the Paris Agreement’s target of 1.5°C (2.7°F). Last year set a record as the hottest on record, with scientists indicating that even slight increases in temperature can lead to severe weather events. “This year’s hurricanes made that painfully clear,” said Racquel Moses, head of the Caribbean Climate-Smart Accelerator.
Not all leaders attended. Notably absent were U.S. President Donald Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In their absence, officials from these nations vowed to proceed with their clean-energy initiatives. China’s Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang emphasized the nation’s commitment to accelerate its green transition, while Indian diplomat Dinesh Bahata boasted that renewables now represent half of India’s energy capacity.
The African Union’s Mahmoud Ali Youssouf noted that poorer nations can’t dismantle carbon emissions without genuine financial support. “We seek climate justice, not charity,” he stated.
Delegates reported progress in two significant areas: funding for rainforest protection and a global carbon market. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva announced a fund to reward developing nations for preserving their forests, attracting over $5.5 billion in initial pledges. This initiative aims to secure up to $125 billion in investments.
Finland’s President Alexander Stubb praised these efforts as signs of potential breakthroughs in cutting emissions: “We may be witnessing a turning point.”
Additionally, Brazil and the European Union formed a coalition—joined by China and others—to unify various carbon-trading systems into a single global market. This would allow countries that emit less to sell credits to those exceeding limits.
This year’s summit in Belem, located in the heart of the Amazon, highlights the inclusion of Indigenous leaders in climate discussions. Brazil is expecting more than 3,000 Indigenous participants compared to just 170 last year. Olivia Bisa, a leader of Peru’s Chapra nation, expressed hope: “This time, the world is coming to our home. We need to be included in these discussions.”
However, some Indigenous activists criticized Brazil for permitting new oil drilling near the Amazon. Recently, hundreds protested against plans for a railway through their ancestral lands. “We have protected this forest for centuries—now the world must stand with us,” declared Marília Sena of the Tupinamba nation.
Ultimately, the ongoing dialogue highlights urgent calls for collective action against climate change, as vulnerable nations stress the importance of addressing these issues now more than ever.
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