Ahead of Cop30 in Belém, UN climate talks president André Corrêa do Lago says developed nations are losing drive on climate action while China leads in clean energy deployment and technology

The president of the UN climate talks has said that rich countries are showing a decline in enthusiasm for tackling the climate crisis even as China continues to strengthen its position as a global leader in clean energy production and usage.

André Corrêa do Lago, Brazil’s diplomat and president of Cop30, said the global north’s slowdown contrasts with the growing momentum of developing nations in advancing renewable energy and low-carbon technologies. He noted that China, the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitter, has also emerged as the biggest producer and consumer of low-carbon energy, helping to make solar power cheaper and more widely available worldwide.

Global Climate Action Divide Widens
The Cop30 conference, opening this week in Belém, Brazil, brings together representatives from 194 countries to discuss ways to stay within the 1.5-degree Celsius warming limit set under the Paris Agreement. The summit will focus on implementing existing pledges, including tripling global renewable energy capacity and doubling energy efficiency by 2030, while seeking stronger commitments to phase out fossil fuels.

Developing nations are urging wealthier counterparts to step up financial and technological support, arguing that without deeper emission cuts and firm timelines, the world risks breaching the 1.5°C target. The talks also come amid concerns that several countries have failed to meet their methane reduction commitments made under the 2021 Global Methane Pledge.

Methane emissions from major signatories such as the United States, Australia, Kuwait, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Iraq have risen 8.5 per cent above 2020 levels, according to satellite data from Kayrros. Scientists warn that without stronger global cooperation, efforts to slow near-term warming could falter.