9 h. ago Labour government sends 210 delegates to Brazil's COP30 climate conference generating more than 2.5million air miles (while the world's biggest polluters all happily stay at home)

Opposition parties rounded on the government over the numbers sent to South America and the size of the entourage, which will create an estimated 500 tonnes of CO2.

Society

31 h. ago Cop30 live: ‘If we continue destroying everything on this earth there will be chaos,’ warns Indigenous chief

Earlier on day five of the climate summit, activists blockaded the main entrance demanding to speak to the Brazilian presidentNorway and the United Arab Emirates - both significant fossil fuel producers - are among the ministerial pairings announced by the Brazilian Cop30 Presidency. The task of the pairings is to consult with countries on specific issues and report their views back to the presidency, to help the negotiations progress.The ministers from Norway and the UAE will work on the “global stocktake”, the strand of the talks about the big gap between the carbon emissions cuts needed and the real world. At its heart is cutting fossil fuel emissions, which makes it a target for obstruction by petrostates. The UAE hosted Cop28 in 2023, which delivered the first ever mention of fossil fuels in a Cop outcome.Gambia and Germany, working on adaptationEgypt and Spain, working on mitigation, i.e. cutting emissionsMexico and Poland, working on just transition, i.e. making the switch to...

Events

33 h. ago Protesters blockade Cop30 summit over plight of Indigenous peoples

Munduruku people demand to speak to Brazil’s president, saying they are never listened toCop30: click here for full Guardian coverage of the climate talks in BrazilProtesters blockaded the main entrance to the Cop30 climate conference for several hours early on Friday morning, demanding to speak to Brazil’s president about the plight of the country’s Indigenous peoples.About 50 people from the Munduruku people in the Amazon basin blocked the entrance with some assistance from international green groups, watched by a huge phalanx of riot police, soldiers and military vehicles. Continue reading...

Politics

35 h. ago Cop day 5 live: Indigenous activists blockade the summit centre as climate conference continues

As the climate conference goes into its fifth day, with huge amounts still unresolved, there were reports that activists had blockaded the entrance to the centreNorway and the United Arab Emirates - both significant fossil fuel producers - are among the ministerial pairings announced by the Brazilian Cop30 Presidency. The task of the pairings is to consult with countries on specific issues and report their views back to the presidency, to help the negotiations progress.The ministers from Norway and the UAE will work on the “global stocktake”, the strand of the talks about the big gap between the carbon emissions cuts needed and the real world. At its heart is cutting fossil fuel emissions, which makes it a target for obstruction by petrostates. The UAE hosted Cop28 in 2023, which delivered the first ever mention of fossil fuels in a Cop outcome.Gambia and Germany, working on adaptationEgypt and Spain, working on mitigation, i.e. cutting emissionsMexico and Poland, working on just tr...

Politics

68 h. ago Leonardo DiCaprio pays tribute to the 'absolutely unstoppable' Jane Goodall at the late conservationist's funeral

The Oscar-winning actor, who had just returned from the COP30 conference on climate change in Brazil, got to know Goodall through his own environmental conservation work.

Economics

4 d. ago Trump abandoning the climate opens door for China, says Paris deal chief

As the Cop30 climate conference opens in Brazil and 10 years after the key deal she brokered, Christiana Figueres speaks to Nick Ferris about why Beijing is stealing a march on the West when it comers to renewable energy – and why she is confident that the US will eventually return to the climate fold

Politics

9 d. ago Prince William issues urgent warning about 'critical tipping point' in powerful speech

Prince William joined world leaders in the Brazilian city of Belem - the gateway to the Amazon - where he delivered a key speech written with the King, at the COP30 climate conference

Events

9 d. ago The era of fine speeches and good intentions is over. Brazil’s Cop30 will be about action | Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva

This is our message to world leaders: make this the ‘Cop of truth’, before people lose faithLuiz Inácio Lula da Silva is the president of BrazilToday, in the Brazilian Amazon, the Belém summit opens ahead of the 30th United Nations climate change conference (Cop30). I have convened world leaders in the days leading up to the conference so that we can all commit to acting with the urgency the climate crisis demands.If we fail to move beyond speeches into real action, our societies will lose faith – not only in the Cops, but in multilateralism and international politics more broadly. That is why I have summoned leaders to the Amazon: to make this the “Cop of truth”, the moment we demonstrate the seriousness of our shared commitment to the planet.Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is the president of Brazil Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago ‘We’re leading the way’: Starmer defends plans for green economy before Cop30

PM defies critics calling for a slowdown as he flies to Brazil, where he may have frosty reception after opting out of tropical forest fundUK opts out of flagship fund to protect Amazon and other threatened tropical forestsThe UK will lead on tackling the climate crisis, the prime minister vowed on Wednesday, despite critics calling for a slowdown, because shifting to a low-carbon economy will cut bills, boost economic growth and bring national renewal.But his words risked being overshadowed by a bitter row over funding for tropical forest preservation at the UN Cop30 climate conference. Continue reading...

Politics