COP30 president André Corrêa do Lago has called for increased integration of climate change policies into national economic planning, at an event hosted by former US vice president Al Gore in Rio de Janeiro.
At the event, hosted by the Climate Reality Project, Corrêa do Lago emphasised the need to integrate mechanisms that address climate change in national budgets, in order to foster development.
‘Positive examples’
“The new challenge is that some people are claiming that incorporating climate concerns into the economy will be bad for it,” he said. “That is not true.
“We must publicise the positive examples, showing that this is good for the economy, employment, and quality of life far more. This is a major effort that we will need to undertake over the next two months before the COP.”
COP30 takes place in Belém, Brazil, in November.
Corrêa do Lago also underscored the need for strengthened multilateralism in order to build sustainable economies, calling for international cooperation beyond that laid out in the Paris Agreement.
“We need the World Bank, all the other development banks, and all institutions to collaborate and prioritise climate action because climate change affects us all,” he noted.
Energy transition
Elsewhere, Corrêa do Lago highlighted the importance of the energy transition, noting that this is among the priority topics set to be addressed as part of the COP30 agenda.
“We know that solving these problems involves many changes in the economy, and we need to collectively discuss what is constructive for all countries and create mechanisms so these alliances can work well,” he commented. “Here in Brazil, we have already done the hardest part, which is having 95% of our energy be renewable.”
Elsewhere, the COP30 president assured would-be attendees at the annual climate change summit that accommodation concerns would be addressed in time for the event.
“I can assure you that this is being handled and that there will be places at reasonable prices in Belém,” he added. “It is there that we will build, together, the world we want to live in.” Read more here.
Photo: The COP30 president participated in the Climate Reality Project, an event promoted by Al Gore’s organisation, in Rio de Janeiro. [Rafael Medelima/COP30]
