The UN climate summit failed to deliver a clear plan to phase out fossil fuels, leaving the European Union increasingly isolated. COP30 in Belém ended with a final text that contained no roadmap, drawing criticism from observers who called it an empty deal and a moral failure. The United States withdrew from climate negotiations, creating both a political and financial void, with President Donald Trump dismissing climate change as a “con job.”
Countries heavily dependent on fossil-fuel revenue, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE, rejected any target or timeline for phasing out fossil fuels. One day before the summit concluded, the EU threatened to withhold support, as nearly 200 nations needed to approve the text unanimously. Ultimately, EU leaders endorsed the final agreement, acknowledging its lack of ambition but seeing no alternative. Despite this, the 27 EU members reaffirmed their commitment to the 1.5°C limit and pledged to continue reducing pollution and global warming, both at home and abroad. European Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra emphasized that the EU acted as a united force and fought for stronger climate ambition.
Fragmented Alliances and Resistance
Dutch MEP Mohammed Chahim said President Lula had set high expectations and the EU entered COP30 prepared to lead a coalition of ambitious nations. He warned that international fragmentation hampered progress and weakened collective climate action. Resistance from oil-producing states proved overwhelming, and shifting geopolitical balances further slowed the push for fossil-fuel reduction.
Chahim noted that the EU and the UK had to work against the tide while BRICS nations resisted decisive measures. BRICS, a coalition of ten emerging economies led by Moscow, positioned itself as a counterweight to Western influence. Irish Minister Darragh O’Brien said he supported the final text reluctantly, regretting the absence of a credible roadmap for phasing out fossil fuels. More than 80 countries, including Ireland, had called for such a roadmap during COP30, but negotiators rejected it. Former US Vice President Al Gore criticized petrostates for blocking progress but emphasized that Brazil would still pursue a global roadmap with support from countries advocating stronger climate action.
Science and Advocacy Raise Alarms
Climate scientists and environmental groups strongly criticized the summit outcome. Nikki Reisch, director of the climate and energy program at the Centre for International Environmental Law, called the agreement “empty” and said it ignored repeated scientific and legal calls to end fossil-fuel reliance and hold polluters accountable. She warned that while major polluters stalled progress and tightened funding, the planet continued to face escalating disasters.
Doug Weir of the Conflict and Environment Observatory described the final text as a moral failure for communities already suffering severe climate impacts. He noted that negotiators had made no progress since Dubai and now faced an even steeper challenge. A report from Climate Analytics suggested that full implementation of COP28 pledges could reduce global warming rates by one-third within ten years. Governments could halve warming rates by 2040 by tripling renewable energy, doubling efficiency, and addressing methane emissions. Climate Analytics CEO Bill Hare emphasized that such actions could keep warming below 2°C instead of the projected 2.6°C.
World leaders met in Belém to assess progress toward limiting global temperatures, ten years after the Paris Agreement. The summit concluded after two weeks of discussions in the Amazonian city, and Australia and Turkey will host the next COP meetings to rebuild international momentum.
