Brazil’s government reaffirms its ‘full readiness’ to host COP30 in Belém

The Brazilian government, along with the government of Pará, has reaffirmed the ‘full readiness’ of Belém to host the forthcoming COP30 climate change conference in November.

In response to 48 questions submitted by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) bureau, addressing the logistical, infrastructural, and security conditions related to COP30, Rui Costa, Casa Civil minister, said that the forthcoming conference is a “government priority. We are collaborating with the government of Pará and the city of Belém to ensure every detail, from accommodations to transportation and health and security, is planned and executed responsibly.

‘Recognise the forest’

“Hosting the conference in the Amazônia symbolises Brazil’s leadership and calls on the world to recognise the forest as part of the climate solution.”

With some 50,000 participants expected to attend COP30, Brazil’s government said that Belém will have ‘sufficient accommodation capacity’, offering some 53,000 beds, including hotel rooms, registered private accommodations, two international cruise ships, and spaces specifically allocated for Indigenous peoples, youth, and civil society groups.

The government has also established a task force –  comprising the PCOP (COP30 Presidency), the SECOP (Special Secretariat for COP30), the Ministry of Tourism (Ministério do Turismo) – to directly assist delegations planning to attend the event.

“The creation of a SECOP task force, together with the Ministries of Tourism and Environment and Climate Change, and the COP Presidency, will directly assist delegations, starting with LDCs and SIDS [least developed countries and small island developing states], ensuring countries can secure the accommodations they need,” added COP30 president André Corrêa do Lago.

“For COP30 to be remembered as the most inclusive COP, we must ensure the participation of all UNFCCC member countries. After securing accommodations for these two groups, the task force will assist the remaining delegations.”

Adjusted accommodation packages

Accommodation packages for COP30 are set to be adjusted to meet UNFCCC requests, such as lowering the minimum reservation period from 15 to 10 days, providing rooms at reduced rates for LDCs and SIDS, and expanding the range of lodgings available through the event’s official Bnetwork platform.

Contingency measures are also being prepared should negotiations extend beyond the planned COP30 end date of 22 November.

“We knew the logistical challenge of hosting COP30 in the Amazônia, but this choice is symbolic and strategic,” commented Helder Barbalho, governor of Pará. “It demonstrates Brazil’s central role in forest preservation and climate leadership.” Read more here.

[Picture: Rafa Neddermeyer/Cop30 Amazônia]