Delegates are currently gathering in Belém, Brazil, for COP30, the 30th annual Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). These annual meetings are intended to allow countries, non-governmental organizations, and other parties to review progress on climate change mitigation and negotiating agreements on how to address climate change.   

It is estimated that Brazil hosts 15-20% of the world’s biodiversity, making it the most biodiverse country in the world. Called the “gateway to the Amazon,” hosting COP30 in Belém underscores the urgency of forest and biodiversity protection, but it also serves as a focal point for climate activists movements. Youth have a deep stake in these talks, as their generation will bear the most severe impacts of delayed climate action.

Around the world, people under 30 make up a majority of the population in many developing nations. These countries are often the most vulnerable to climate change impacts like extreme weather, drought, and resource scarcity. Young people are leading grassroots action, demanding accountability from governments and corporations, and developing innovative solutions that are critical for achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement.  

The global youth climate movement, energized by figures like Greta Thunberg and movements like Fridays for Future, has transformed from street protests into a powerful political presence. 

Our own Climate Education Coalition, has seen youth activists from all over the world band together and work tirelessly to get climate education into every school curriculum. Their campaigning is working. There are now 152 nations, 60 using similar EDO model language, who have embraced some form of climate education in their Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) submissions for COP30.

As climate change continues to accelerate and human activities further contribute to rising temperatures, including youth voices in annual climate conferences is essential for securing long-term, equitable climate commitments.

COP30 and Youth Voices

Youth participation at COPs has grown significantly since the first meeting in 1995. While initially limited to side events and protests, young people now form dedicated delegations like the European Youth Forum. These youth groups also have a formalized constituency within the UNFCCC known as YOUNGO (Youth Non-Governmental Organizations).   

COP30 is expected to feature an unprecedented level of youth involvement. Brazilian civil society, which has strong youth engagement, is working to ensure young activists are integrated into the processes.

The COP30 Presidency has also signaled a commitment to intergenerational dialogue. The conference is set to include dedicated youth programs intended to bring their perspectives directly into policy discussions. This shifts from viewing youth as observers to recognizing them as essential contributors to policy.   

Key Agendas and Demands

With this year’s COP anticipated to have record youth participation, how will these youths contribute to negotiations surrounding climate change adaptation and mitigation?

Youth groups at COP30 are uniting around several critical demands. A recent youth protest at COP30 focused on securing robust financing for the Loss and Damage Fund, which helps climate-vulnerable nations recover from disasters, and ensuring that climate policies do not burden the world’s most vulnerable populations.   

Youth movements are also supporting Indigenous leaders at COP30, recognizing that the protection of the Amazon, a key focus of COP30, requires traditional knowledge and the defense of Indigenous land rights. 

Increasingly the protection of forests is becoming a hot button issue for both youth and Indigenous communities. If you want to learn more about why forests matter, please watch our brand new series UNDERREPORTED EARTH – “TREE TALES”– IG TRAIL. 

In this series, Tracy McVeigh from The Guardian speaks with three top investigative journalists about their groundbreaking reporting: Elisangela Mendonça uncovers how the Amazon rainforest is being threatened by the collagen industry. Josephine Moulds takes us into the Congo Basin, where fossil fuel auctions are endangering one of the world’s most vital forest ecosystems. Ana Bottallo travels deep into the Amazonian mangroves to witness how local communities fought to have their voices heard. The episodes went live on November 17/18th/19th across EARTHDAY.ORG social media, including on Facebook: Ep.1, Ep.2, Ep.3  and YouTube:  Ep.1, Ep.2, Ep.3.

Youth activists are also pushing for all long-term national and international commitments to be assessed by their impact on future generations. Youth groups are also advocating for investments in education and vocational training, to better prepare them for the shift to a rapidly growing green economy.

What’s Next for COP30? 

The increased presence of youth movements at COP30 will be essential to maintain pressure on negotiators to deliver ambitious outcomes. The energy and moral clarity of the youth movement are vital for bridging the gap between current government commitments and the action required by climate science.

As COP30 negotiations unfold over the coming week, consider supporting youth-focused initiatives like EARTHDAY.ORG’s Climate Education Coalition to help amplify the demands of the next generation of climate leaders.

This article is available for republishing on your website, newsletter, magazine, newspaper, or blog. The accompanying imagery is cleared for use with attribution. Please ensure that the author’s name and their affiliation with EARTHDAY.ORG are credited. Kindly inform us if you republish so we can acknowledge, tag, or repost your content. You may notify us via email at davies@earthday.org or fielder@earthday.org. Want more articles? Follow us on substack.

The post Listen Up! Youth Demands at COP30 appeared first on Earth Day.

Solar arrays farms, industrial battery storage facilities, new transmission lines, and wind turbines are visible symbols of the global energy transition. But beneath them lies vital yet invisible infrastructure that makes the green transition possible: knowledge, awareness, and values. 

Climate education builds this vital foundation. Without it, the transition risks stalling. With it, the clean energy transition becomes not only possible, but transformative; delivering cleaner air, stronger economies, and a fairer future for us all. 

On the road to COP30 — the 30th UN Climate Change Conference and the tenth anniversary of the Paris Agreement, taking place in November 2025 in Belém, Brazi l— one message is clear: investing in climate education is as essential as investing in the manufacture of solar panels.

Why? Because this transformation is only partly technica l— someone still has to source materials, design, build, install, sell, promote, and maintain these technologies. But it is also cultural, social, and economic, affecting every worker, household, and community. Without climate education, the clean energy transition risks not only a shortage of skilled workers but also public misunderstanding or resistance to renewable energy. Climate education empowers people, creates millions of new career opportunities worldwide, and helps lower energy costs — especially at a time when data centers and AI-driven demand are pushing energy prices to record highs.

PEOPLE WANT RENEWABLE ENERGY 

In the U.S. alone, 67% of adults think we should develop more renewable energy which is good because electricity from solar, wind, and hydropower provides nearly a quarter of the US’s total electricity generation  in 2024. 

3.56 million Americans are employed in the renewable energy sector and solar alone provides almost 3 times as many jobs much fossil fuels.Climate education is the most efficient ways to train future workers to fill these safer, competitive paying  renewable energy jobs. 

The U.S. is not the only country transitioning to clean energy. The International Labour Organization, ILO, estimates that the transition could create 24 million new jobs globally by 2030 in renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, circular economy industries, and green manufacturing. These roles will require skilled workers and informed leaders; people who understand both the science of climate change and the technologies that address it.

INDUSTRY NEEDS CLIMATE EDUCATION

Climate education, embedded in schools, universities, and vocational training, ensures that young people and workers alike have these skills to thrive in this new landscape. Technical knowledge (such as how to install solar panels or maintain wind turbines) is only part of the equation. Equally important are critical thinking, problem-solving, and the confidence to act on climate challenges, 

We know that climate education literally changes how you think. Students who receive environmental education are significantly more likely to support ambitious climate policies as adults and subconsciously make environmentally friendly choices (or have green muscle memory). When young people understand the links between energy, economy, and ecology, they become agents of change in their communities. Over time, this creates a cultural shift: sustainability becomes part of everyday life rather than a distant ideal.

What is more, governments that include climate education in their energy plans aren’t just telling people what to do—they’re helping citizens understand why the policies exist. 

When people understand the reasons behind climate policies, they’re more likely to support them and take part. In this way education turns climate action into something everyone contributes to, not just a set of rules from above. It also ensures that as countries invest in clean technologies, they’re also investing in the skills and knowledge of their people, making the transition more effective and sustainable over the long term.

In short: Education = people understand = support = actively take part in the energy transition= better outcomes for us all

COP30 – WE NEED CLIMATE EDUCATION IN EVERY NDC

Soon, the world will gather in Belém, Brazil, for COP30 — to focus not on creating new promises, but on delivering existing ones.

Here, EARTHDAY.ORG’s  message is clear: investing in climate education is as essential as investing in clean energy itself. It is the invisible infrastructure that holds the visible world together, the cornerstone of a just, inclusive, and enduring energy transition.

If you agree with EARTHDAY.ORG’s agenda at COP30 to have all countries incorporate climate education into their Nationally Determined Contributions, NDCs, pledge your support here. NDCs are the climate action plans each country submits, detailing how they will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change. NDCs, pledge your support here. Plus, you can track what every nation around the world is doing to back climate education on our Climate Education NDCs Tracker.

This article is available for republishing on your website, newsletter, magazine, newspaper, or blog. The accompanying imagery is cleared for use with attribution. Please ensure that the author’s name and their affiliation with EARTHDAY.ORG are credited. Kindly inform us if you republish so we can acknowledge, tag, or repost your content. You may notify us via email at davies@earthday.org or fielder@earthday.org. Want more articles? Follow us on substack.

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As world leaders gather in Belém, for COP30, the United Nations Climate Conference, there is no better time to celebrate the extraordinary natural wonders of Brazil. Brazil isn’t just a backdrop for climate discussions — it is a living laboratory of evolution, a treasure trove of biodiversity, and home to some of the most bizarre and beautiful phenomena on Earth. From blushing dolphins to deserts that sprout lagoons with fish, here are eight incredible facts about Brazil that will change the way you see this remarkable country.

1. Dolphins That “Blush”

The Amazon River is home to an enchanting creature: the boto, or endangered pink river dolphin. While these freshwater dolphins are born gray like their oceanic counterparts dolphins, they gradually transform into various shades of pink as they mature. Their exact coloration depends on a mix of factors, including diet, sun exposure, and the layout of their blood vessels. Male dolphins can display more vibrant pink hues because their aggressive playing and fighting creates scar tissue that intensifies their rosy color. Perhaps most charmingly, some of these dolphins can turn brighter pink when excited or apparently embarrassed — just like a blushing human! 

These dolphins also possess unusually flexible necks that allow them to rotate their heads a full 180 degrees, allowing them to navigate the flooded forests and winding tributaries of the Amazon. A local folklore legend claims that the boto transforms into a handsome man at night, seducing unsuspecting women.

2. Desert Lagoons Full of Fish

Lençóis Maranhenses National Park in northeastern Brazil is a Sahara of white sand dunes. Each year, it transforms as turquoise lagoons appear among the dunes — filled with fish!

From January to June, torrential rains fill the valleys between the dunes with thousands of turquoise lagoons, which are prevented from draining by impermeable rock underneath the sandy surface. Remarkably, these temporary pools become full of fish. These traíra, or wolffish, survive the dry season by burrowing into wet layers of mud and entering a dormant state. When the rain returns months later, the wolffish emerge to populate the lagoons once again.

3. Surfing a Wave in the Amazon

The Pororoca is an extraordinary surfing phenomena. The Pororoca is a tidal bore — a wave that travels up a river, against the current — making its way up to 500 miles upstream of the Amazon River. Brazilian surfing legend Picuruta Salazar made history by riding a single Pororoca wave for 7.8 miles for over 37 minutes.

4. One Tree the Size of a Forest

In northeastern Brazil is the Pirangi cashew tree, a single cashew tree so gigantic that it is estimated to cover between 1.8 and 2.1 acres of land. Its circumference measures 1,600 feet, which is equivalent to 70 standard, adult cashew trees. In addition to its impressive size, the Cashew of Pirangi is estimated to be over 1,000 years old.

5. An Island Ruled by Snakes

Off Brazil’s Atlantic coast lies Ilha da Queimada Grande, ominously known as “Snake Island” — an isle that lives up to its name. This small island is packed with 2,000 – 4,000 golden lancehead pit vipers, a critically endangered species found nowhere else on Earth. 

Local legend abounds with tales of tragic fates — from a fisherman discovered dead in his boat covered in bites after landing in search of bananas, to the last lighthouse keeper and his entire family, who allegedly perished in the 1920s when snakes slithered through their windows. The Brazilian Navy has prohibited public access to protect both the snakes and would-be visitors from each other.

6. Dust Feeds the Amazon

One of nature’s most remarkable long-distance relationships connects two seemingly disparate ecosystems: the Amazon Rainforest and the Sahara Desert. 

In 2015, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, NASA, used satellite technology to measure this phenomenon, discovering that wind and weather patterns lift an average of 182 million tons of dust from the Sahara each year and carry it on a 1,600 mile journey across the Atlantic Ocean — with 27.7 million tons settling in the Amazon basin. In 2021, this dust was estimated to deliver approximately 22,000 tons of phosphorus, an essential nutrient for plant growth — roughly the same amount the Amazon rainforest loses every year to rain and flooding.

It is a stunning reminder that Earth’s ecosystems are intimately connected, even across vast distances.

7. Jaguars of the Giant Wetland

The Pantanal in Brazil, Bolivia, and Paraguay is the world’s largest tropical wetland, covering an area 20 times larger than the Florida Everglades. This seasonally flooded plain harbors the highest density of wild jaguars anywhere on Earth. While jaguars are typically elusive in dense rainforests, the Pantanal’s open wetlands provide the best place on Earth to catch sight of these cats.

8. Earth’s Biodiversity Champion

Brazil is the undisputed champion of global biodiversity. Between 15 to 20 percent of all known species on Earth call Brazil home. This extraordinary diversity of life stems from Brazil’s array of ecosystems — six terrestrial biomes that allow a variety of life to flourish. Brazil’s biodiversity continues to grow, with an average of 700 new animal species discovered each year.

As world leaders gather in Belém, these eight facts serve as a powerful reminder of what’s at stake. Preserving Brazil’s natural heritage isn’t just about preserving remarkable facts for articles — it’s about safeguarding the ecological systems upon which all life, including our own, depends. As we look towards Belém for COP30, let Brazil’s extraordinary nature inspire us to take bold action for our shared planetary home.

Join EARTHDAY.ORG in growing a greener future through our Canopy Tree Project! We are on a mission to plant 60 million trees by our 60th anniversary — and we can’t do it without you. Your support helps restore forests, clean the air, and protest biodiversity around the world. Please consider donating to the project and help keep our planet green!

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The post 8 Crazy Facts You Didn’t Know About Brazil’s Wild Side appeared first on Earth Day.

Have you ever asked Siri to tell you what the weather will be like later on in the day because you need to know if it is safe to plan a winter BBQ for your Mom’s surprise birthday party? Or to find the nearest grocery store selling that specific brand of vegan chicken nuggets that your kids love? Or to tell you in one sentence how Charles Darwin changed our understanding of the natural world?

Underneath your phone’s sleek, polished aluminum shell lies a world of information waiting to be explored, from the twisting jungles of Reddit and Tattle to the loneliest nooks of Google Scholar to the life and soul of the party that is Wikipedia. 

With the advent of artificial intelligence (AI), this world of information has just become even more complicated. AI has been heralded as a glorious future of amplified human innovation, a sort of digital demigod that one day soon, we will all come to rely on.

What Has This Got to Do With Environmentalism?

In the environmental sphere, one of the most urgent questions is how to weigh AI’s promise against its costs. Even as it devours water and electricity resources and often exploits workers in the Global South, some environmentalists believe the revolutionary technology can be used in the adaptation battle with climate change. 

November 6, 2025 marked the beginning of the 30th annual United Nations Conference of the Parties (COP30) summit in Belém, Pará, Brazil, bringing together world leaders, scientists, non-governmental organizations, and civil society from around the world to address climate priorities. 

Given COP30’s location in the Amazon, protecting the world’s forests will be central to discussions, highlighting their critical role in biodiversity conservation, carbon storage, and climate resilience. But this year’s other major agenda pillars include: transitioning energy and industry, stewarding biodiversity, transforming food systems, building climate resilience in urban areas, fostering human development, and leveraging cross-cutting accelerators like technology. One of these potential cross-cutting accelerators under examination is AI. 

The AI Climate Academy, is a pre-conference workshop that aims to “bring together decision-makers from multiple sectors for an intensive immersion into the responsible uses of artificial intelligence to address climate change”. The Academy will gather a diverse group of decision-makers, governments, philanthropic foundations, NGOs, the private sector, and academia, for an intensive immersion centered around the responsible usage of AI to address climate change

Their workshops are aimed at building technical capacity and supporting local innovation in developing countries, to equip individuals and institutions with the knowledge and ability to use AI for climate equity. The curriculum is focused on how AI can be applied ethically, effectively, and with the end goal of mitigating and adapting to the climate crisis. The group’s results will be presented during COP30.

Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary of UN Climate Change, says that AI could boost efficiency and human capacity rather than replacing it.

Can AI Help Us Manage The Climate Crisis?

AI can help make talking about climate change easier. Each year, COP negotiators are expected to juggle 120+ agenda items, hundreds if not thousands of hours of talks, and over 100,000 pages of submissions. On top of that, they must handle disagreements and conflicting priorities within their own teams or countries.

To combat this, Brazil’s COP30 Digital Support Project features Macaozinho, an AI assistant trained on thousands of UNFCCC documents and designed to provide reliable, science-based information without bias or misinformation.

AI can also help tackle the climate crisis by making extreme weather and disaster warnings faster, more accurate, and easier to understand, potentially saving lives and livelihoods in the process. Examples show how AI improves predictions not only about upcoming weather, but also about who and what will be most at risk. AI technology is playing a critical role in gathering and analyzing data to predict vulnerability and exposure risks, which may be especially important for data-scarce regions. 

AI models aren’t perfect. Sometimes they can miss important details about specific communities or situations, even misinterpret or overlook case-specific nuances. For example, a flood prediction system might rely mostly on satellite data and assume that all neighborhoods have the same resources or vulnerabilities. 

In reality, low-income or marginalized communities may live in areas more prone to flooding or lack the means to evacuate quickly. If AI ignores these differences, emergency responses could fail, either by neglecting these vulnerable groups or by over-allocating resources to areas that aren’t actually at the highest risk. This shows that AI needs careful design, local knowledge, and human oversight to make sure warnings and aid reach the people who need them most.

Challenges & Debates

But AI comes with environmental costs. It is well known that AI sucks up water and electric resources. In 2023, U.S. data centers used 17 billion gallons of water for cooling. That number is projected to increase to 34-68 billion gallons annually by 2028. 

For local communities, heavy use of water by AI data centers can put pressure on local utilities. This can lead to higher utility bills for residents and less water available for everyday needs. Some companies, like Microsoft, are starting to use zero-water cooling systems that don’t drain local water supplies. But most companies still rely on traditional methods that use a lot of water, which can strain communities while supporting AI development.

Besides water, a University of Massachusetts Amherst study found that training a single AI model can emit 284,000+ kgs of CO2 — the equivalent lifetime CO2 emissions of five average American cars. 

Workers are also facing serious challenges. In many parts of the Global South, people employed by AI tech companies spend long hours cleaning up algorithms and filtering harmful or obscene content—for wages that are often extremely low. Investigative reporters who visited these so-called “digital sweatshops” found workers earning as little as $1.46 an hour, while dealing with disturbing material day after day. 

Content moderators are exposed to violent texts, images, and videos, which can take a heavy toll on their mental health, leading to depression, anxiety, or even strains on personal relationships.

Countries in the Global North, like Germany, the U.S., and the U.K. lead the AI readiness rankings and reap most of the benefits, the Global South often falls behind. The high costs of AI development—including labor exploitation and heavy use of environmental resources—are largely borne by the Global South, while the Global North enjoys the rewards. This unequal distribution of benefits and burdens is increasingly being described as AI colonialism.

What Can We Do?

We must think critically about the use of AI in our own lives. Though you may not sit among the COP30 delegates, you can still speak up. Most digital data centers continue to rely on fossil fuel instead of renewable energy. Make your voice heard and tell your lawmakers #RenewableEnergyNow. 

If you’d like to learn more about AI and climate change, check out “The Double-Edged Sword of AI and the Battle Against Climate Misinformation.

This article is available for republishing on your website, newsletter, magazine, newspaper, or blog. The accompanying imagery is cleared for use with attribution. Please ensure that the author’s name and their affiliation with EARTHDAY.ORG are credited. Kindly inform us if you republish so we can acknowledge, tag, or repost your content. You may notify us via email at davies@earthday.org or fielder@earthday.org. Want more articles? Follow us on substack.

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On November 9th, a flotilla with dozens of Indigenous leaders arrived in Belém, Brazil for COP30, after sailing from the Andes to Brazil. A major goal of these leaders was to gain a larger role in the management of Indigenous territories as many face damage from climate change and human activities like mining and oil drilling. 

This year’s COP is being called the “Forest COP,” not only because it is being held in the Amazon rainforest, but because of an anticipated focus on forest and biodiversity protection. So it is not surprising that Indigenous leaders are making their voices louder.

COP, hosted by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), is an  annual meeting intended to allow countries, non-governmental organizations, and other parties to meet to review progress on climate change mitigation and negotiating agreements on how to address climate change.

COP30 is being hosted in Belém, Brazil, a city in the Amazon rainforest which is home to hundreds of Indigenous communities. A report released last week by Earth Insight and the Global Alliance of Territorial Communities, outlines that one-third of the Amazon rainforest is occupied by Indigenous or local communities. The report outlines that about 17% of their territory is now facing encroachment by oil and gas drilling as well as mining and logging concessions. 

It’s a similar situation in Africa’s Congo Basin where fossil fuel companies are vying to explore and drill in the rainforest. Journalist Josephine Mould talks about her reporting on a new EDO series, made in partnership with the Pulitzer Center and hosted by The Guardian’s Tracy McVeigh, called Underreported Earth: “Tree Tales”.

Indigenous territories are home to almost 40% of the world’s forests, and these forests consistently face lower deforestation rates than state protected areas. As of 2023, 80% of the remaining biodiversity in the world is protected by Indigenous communities. 

Indigenous peoples around the world are often the first to experience the impacts of climate change as they have strong ties to the environment and its natural resources. Journalist Ana Bottalo discovered in her reporting that the local and Indigenous communities of Brazil’s mangroves are the ones protecting it, and most vocally championing its importance.

As the climate crisis deepens and land degradation worsens, the full inclusion of Indigenous voices at global climate summits is no longer optional—it’s essential.

COP30 and Indigenous Voices: Need to Be Heard

The first COP meeting took place in Berlin, Germany in 1995. Indigenous Peoples did attend, and their knowledge was acknowledged as important for understanding and adapting to climate change. However, they participated only as observers, and historically they have not been granted real decision-making power in the official negotiations.

In order to support a larger presence of Indigenous Peoples, the COP30 Presidency established the Círculo dos Povos (Circle of Peoples) to ensure the representation of Indigenous peoples and local communities in COP30 processes. Additionally, the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples implemented the Kuntari Katu Program, a training course to prepare Indigenous leaders for climate negotiations.

COP30 is expected to have the largest Indigenous participation in the history of the conference. Sonia Guajajara, Minister of Indigenous Peoples, estimated that COP30 would see 3,000 members of Indigenous peoples from around the world participating in debates; 1,000 of which are anticipated to take part in official negotiations. 500 will be from Brazil, and 500 will be from other countries. For reference, the previous record for Indigenous participation at a COP was at COP28 in Dubai, with 350 people present.

The president of this year’s COP, Ambassador André Corrêa do Lago, has emphasized the significance of including Indigenous communities and other groups that have been historically marginalized from global economic and political processes.

But despite this increased presence, frustrations remain. On November 14, Indigenous groups from the Munduruku people blockaded the main entrance to the COP30 venue, demanding a meeting with Brazil’s President Lula—and drawing attention to the deep disconnect between those most affected by Amazon destruction and the political elite inside.

Security forces, including military and riot police, were deployed to control the protest. Indigenous leader Raoni Metuktire warned that continued Amazon destruction would have “chaos” for the planet. 

Key Agendas and Demands 

With the participation of Indigenous Peoples, contribute to negotiations surrounding climate change adaptation and mitigation? On November 6, the COP30 World Leaders Summit had multiple countries make commitments to supporting land rights and financing to Indigenous Peoples, local, and Afro-descendant communities; part of these commitments involved recognizing 395 million acres of land and financing $1.8 billion towards strengthening land rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities. 

Last week, countries committed over 5.5 billion USD to the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF), intended to protect and restore tropical forests. In addition to this large sum of money, the TFFF will allocate at least 20% of resources to Indigenous Peoples and local communities.

A major demand to be addressed at COP30 is Indigenous land demarcation and financing for climate mitigation tools. Land demarcation is the process of making land formally protected and owned by Indigenous Peoples through a formal legal land tenure process. In Brazil alone, there are 107 Indigenous Lands waiting for the finalization to be demarcated.

If you want to learn more about why forests matter – please watch our brand new series UNDERREPORTED EARTH – “TREE TALES”– IG TRAIL. 

Tracy McVeigh from The Guardian speaks with three top investigative journalists about their groundbreaking reporting: Elisangela Mendonça uncovers how the Amazon rainforest is being threatened by the collagen industry. Josephine Moulds takes us into the Congo Basin, where fossil fuel auctions are endangering one of the world’s most vital forest ecosystems. Ana Bottallo travels deep into the Amazonian mangroves to witness how local communities fought —  to have their voices heard. The episodes go live November 17/18th/19th across EARTHDAY.ORG social media on Facebook: Ep.1, Ep.2, Ep.3   and YouTube:  Ep.1, Ep.2, Ep.3.

EARTHDAY.ORG’s Canopy Tree Project supports reforestation through close collaboration with local communities. With COP30 negotiations occurring over this next week, consider supporting initiatives like the Canopy Tree Project to supplement the international agreements being made to protect our forests.

This article is available for republishing on your website, newsletter, magazine, newspaper, or blog. The accompanying imagery is cleared for use with attribution. Please ensure that the author’s name and their affiliation with EARTHDAY.ORG are credited. Kindly inform us if you republish so we can acknowledge, tag, or repost your content. You may notify us via email at davies@earthday.org or fielder@earthday.org. Want more articles? Follow us on substack.

The post The Amazon Takes the Mic: Indigenous Power Reshapes COP30 appeared first on Earth Day.

Our favorite group of illusionists is reuniting for a diamond heist movie, but bunnies in hats and precious jewels aren’t the only things disappearing. 

Delegates are currently gathering in Belém, Brazil, for COP30, the 30th annual Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It is estimated that Brazil hosts 15-20% of the world’s biodiversity, making it the most biodiverse country in the world, largely because the nation is home to a vast quantity of endemic species; species that only live in defined geographical regions. 

Unfortunately, the environments that make Brazil, the world’s biodiversity hotspot, is rapidly disappearing, and it’s not because of magic… it’s because of mining. 

Over the past 300 years, Brazil’s mining industry has evolved from a volatile, boom-and-bust gold rush economy to a global powerhouse in minerals, including iron ore, bauxite, nickel, rare earth minerals and diamonds. In 2023, Brazilian mineral exports reached a staggering $42.98 billion, and output continues to climb. Unfortunately, government regulation has lagged behind, failing to keep up with the industry’s explosive growth and its negative environmental impact.

Although existing legislation encourages some degree of formalization of some mining activities, through mining permits, worker cooperatives, and new monitoring mechanisms (including the use of satellite data), “garimpo” mines which are small, artisanal, and often occur on land where mining is illegal, remain unregulated. 

As the Brazilian mining industry expands its global reach (mining exploration investments in Brazil increased by 51.6% from 2019 to 2024), persistent underregulation casts a long shadow, posing severe threats to Brazil’s forests, the nation’s biodiversity, its waterways, and the indigenous communities who call the land home.

A Vanishing Act: Brazilian Forests

Even as the world celebrates an 11-year deforestation low in Brazil, the impact mining has on forests is undeniable. In 2015, a comprehensive study  attributed 9% of total deforestation between 2005 and 2015 in the Brazilian Amazon to activities associated with mining. 

Mining is a particular menace for the Amazon because it causes direct deforestation, the complete clearing of vegetation for open-pit mines (like those for iron-ore and bauxite), and indirect deforestation which refers to the clearing of forests for mining associated activities, like building extensive networks of access roads. 

This double burden means more trees get cut down, more habitats get destroyed, and more species are lost. A search of the IUCN Redlist for species in Brazil reveals that 1,810 species in the country are currently classified as “endangered” or “critically endangered,” and habitat loss is a key factor.  

On top of these threats, illegal garimpo mining has been pervasive in Brazil. A 2024 study exploring garimpo mining operations found that  91% of the garimpo mining operations studied from 1985 to 2022 occurred on protected land in the Amazon rainforest.

Smoke, Mirrors, and Poisoned Rivers 

Brazil’s intricate river systems allow contamination to travel far beyond the mining site. The process of gold extraction, uses mercury to create mercury-gold amalgam which can have far reaching impacts.

Mercury waste products seep or get dumped into rivers, where they contaminate aquatic environments. This toxin can bioaccumulate, or build up over time in different levels of the food chain, leading to dangerous mercury levels in fish, which are a staple protein for rural villages. Research is ongoing, but some river communities are noticing an increase in birth defects and neurological disorders that could be related to mercury consumption.  

Even large river systems like the Madeira and Tapajós rivers have seen contamination, with river studies from 1992 to 2022 showing the persistent presence of mercury in aquatic ecosystems. Additionally, illegal garimpo mining can result in mining by-products, or tailings, getting dumped directly into streams and tributaries, causing severe pollution and sometimes visibly altering the color and life within the waterways, something the world witnessed in 2015, when a dam break allowed disgustingly yellow sludge from the Doce River to reach the Atlantic Ocean.

Cut in Half: Invasion of Indigenous Land 

The 1988 Brazilian Constitution restricts illegal mining on Indigenous lands, but high demand for minerals has driven miners to Indigenous lands anyway. In 2022, garimpo mining extraction areas covered 2630 km^2, 12 times larger than the area in 1985. On these lands, lack of regulation isn’t the problem; in 2022, at least 15% (390 km^2) of garimpo mining occurred in regions that ALREADY restrict mining activity, including indigenous lands. 

Beyond the loss of land, mining on and near indigenous communities has been attributed to a host of health issues, including malnutrition and food insecurity as hunting and planting areas are contaminated. In 2023, the condition of the Yanomami people of the Amazon, who have been greatly impacted by mining, was described as a humanitarian crisis and “genocidal neglect.” The Brazilian government has made significant strides since then, expanding health services and discouraging mining in the area, but a long road remains ahead. 

Poof! Catastrophe

In 2019, the world watched in horror as scenes from Brumadinho Dam collapse in Minas Gerais, Brazil gained international coverage. The dam was used to store the sludge-like by-product of a nearby iron ore mine. During its collapse, that sludge spread to the Doce River and the Atlantic Ocean, contaminating aquatic environments and ecosystems and killing wildlife. An estimated 270 people died. 

The collapse sparked a national and international outcry for justice, stricter mining regulations, and greater corporate accountability. Vale, the corporate owner of the dam, agreed to pay around $7 billion in restitution to communities and families affected by the dam collapse. The company also announced its intent to decommission its other tailings dams in the country, a strong step in the right direction for industrial mining in Brazil. 

Beyond the “Magic” Trick

The great illusion of unchecked mining is costing us one of the planet’s most vital ecosystems. While the delegates at COP30 debate policy in Belém, the Amazon rainforest — the ground beneath their feet — is being sacrificed for gold, diamonds and rare earth minerals. 

The loss of trees, the poisoning of the Tapajós and Madeira rivers, and the threat to Indigenous ways of life are not a clever magician’s trick; they are a direct and documented consequence of unregulated mining. 

Just as illusionists need an audience to complete their act, the fight for the Amazon needs your voice. Don’t let the Brazilian rainforest and its people disappear in this “vanishing act” of corporate and regulatory neglect. Support EARTHDAY.ORG’s Canopy Tree Project to preserve the world’s forests.

If you want to learn more about why forests matter – please watch our brand new series UNDERREPORTED EARTH – “TREE TALES”– IG TRAIL. 

Tracy McVeigh from The Guardian speaks with three top investigative journalists about their groundbreaking reporting: Elisangela Mendonça uncovers how the Amazon rainforest is being threatened by the collagen industry. Josephine Moulds takes us into the Congo Basin, where fossil fuel auctions are endangering one of the world’s most vital forest ecosystems. Ana Bottallo travels deep into the Amazonian mangroves to witness how local communities fought —  to have their voices heard.

The episodes go live November 17/18th/19th across EARTHDAY.ORG social media  on Facebook: Ep.1, Ep.2, Ep.3   and YouTube:  Ep.1, Ep.2, Ep.3.

This article is available for republishing on your website, newsletter, magazine, newspaper, or blog. The accompanying imagery is cleared for use with attribution. Please ensure that the author’s name and their affiliation with EARTHDAY.ORG are credited. Kindly inform us if you republish so we can acknowledge, tag, or repost your content. You may notify us via email at davies@earthday.org or fielder@earthday.org. Want more articles? Follow us on substack.

The post Mining, Mismanagement, and Magic Tricks appeared first on Earth Day.

Climate finance is funding that supports projects and initiatives aimed at tackling climate change. For example, mitigation finance that supports slowing or stopping the rise in fossil fuel emissions — a primary driver of climate change — through mechanisms such as developing renewable energy infrastructure, supporting energy transition programs, and launching energy-efficient and public transportation projects. In 2023, mitigation finance comprised 94 percent of global climate financing.

Adaptation finance enables countries to respond to and manage the climate impacts they are already experiencing or expect to face — for example, strengthening infrastructure to withstand extreme weather, developing drought-tolerant crops, and improving access to climate information for better management of climate-related risks. 

Together, mitigation and adaptation finance are central to global climate action. Article 9 of the Paris Agreement, outlines the climate finance obligations of developed countries to support developing countries. It set out a $100 billion USD annual commitment that was tripled at last year’s COP. 

COP30, the United Nations Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC), will take place from November 6, 2025 to November 21, 2025 in Belém, Brazil. As world leaders, scientists, non-governmental organizations, and civil society gather in Belém, climate finance will be a central focus. The outcomes of these negotiations will determine whether the gap between climate ambition and climate action can be bridged — positioning COP30 as a defining moment for climate finance and global climate efforts. 

Climate Finance and COP29

Climate finance was a central focus of last year’s COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan. Held from November 11, 2024 to November 22, 2024, countries reached what was considered by some a breakthrough agreement on climate finance, establishing the New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance. 

Under this agreement, countries committed to tripling Paris’ finance commitment of USD 100 billion annually to USD 300 billion annually by 2035. Additionally, countries committed to mobilizing investments from the public and private sectors to USD 1.3 trillion per year by 2035. The New Collective Quantified Goal establishes the creation of the Baku to Belém Roadmap to 1.3T, which will lay out how to scale up climate finance to developing countries to reach the ambitious goal of USD 1.3 trillion. It will be presented at this year’s COP30.

Climate finance negotiations at previous conferences have also been instrumental in the global effort to fund climate action. COP27 featured the establishment of the historic Loss and Damage Fund. COP28 concluded with a historic agreement to transition away from fossil fuels, triple renewable energy, and increase climate finance for the most vulnerable.

U.S. Withdrawal From Paris

As the world’s largest economy in 2024 by gross domestic product and the largest historical emitter of greenhouse gases based on an estimate of emissions between 1751 and 2017, the U.S. has a significant responsibility to provide climate finance. Despite this, on January 20, 2025, President Donald Trump signed executive order “Putting America First in International Environmental Agreements,” withdrawing from the Paris Agreement and climate finance commitments. Under Article 28 of the Paris Agreement, the withdrawal will not take effect until January 27, 2026.

This withdrawal has profound implications for global climate finance. Under the Paris Agreement, 23 rich, developed countries — understood as Annex II countries and responsible for half of all historical carbon dioxide emissions — are obligated to provide climate finance to developing nations, including the United States. Under the Biden administration, the U.S. had significantly scaled up its climate financing — from USD 1.5 billion in fiscal year 2021 to over USD 11 billion in fiscal year 2024. This made the U.S. the largest bilateral provider of climate finance in the world. However, under President Trump’s recent executive order, much of the U.S.’s climate financing has been canceled or withdrawn — including its commitments to major international programs like the Green Climate Fund and Just Energy Transition Partnerships.

This creates a massive funding gap. The absence of American federal contributions makes climate finance goals significantly harder to achieve. The U.S. withdrawal will directly impact the poorest countries and erode international trust in the climate finance process. 

Breakthroughs in Belém?

With the U.S. funding gap looming over global climate efforts, the work at COP30 in Belém becomes even more crucial as countries push forward key initiatives.  

First, COP30 is set to launch the Tropical Forests Forever Facility. Spearheaded by Brazil, this proposal seeks to compensate countries for preserving their tropical forests. Second, Brazil is proposing the establishment of the Open Coalition for Carbon Market Integration, with the purpose of accelerating decarbonization and encouraging implementation of the Paris Agreement. This initiative works to align standards and connect existing carbon credit markets. 

Finally, Brazil is proposing an international framework that defines the criteria for classifying projects as ‘sustainable’. This mechanism would allow the sustainability of products and economic activities to be comparable across countries through a universal standard.

These initiatives represent critical steps in operationalizing the ambitious climate finance commitments made at COP29. However, these initiatives can only succeed with proper financing. The new roadmap will include how climate finance can be scaled to the USD 1.3 trillion goal by mobilizing funding from private investors and development banks, to address the gap created by the U.S. withdrawal.

The Road Ahead

Despite the U.S.’ withdrawal, the remaining countries are still committed towards achieving their climate goals. But at COP30, we need to see the focus shift decisively from pledges to implementation. The ambitious goals established at COP29 require engagement from all sectors and coordination between governments, multilateral institutions, and private investors. The U.S.’ withdrawal complicates but does not negate the objectives of climate finance — it simply makes the work ahead more challenging and the need for international cooperation more pressing.

At COP30, world leaders must demonstrate that climate finance is not dependent on any single nation, but rather reflects a collective understanding that addressing climate change serves everyone’s interests. The world’s most vulnerable communities are depending on outcomes that match the urgency of their circumstances.

EARTHDAY.ORG has a robust presence at COP30 this year, advocating for climate education around the world. Follow us on LinkedIn to stay up to date on our activities next week.

This article is available for republishing on your website, newsletter, magazine, newspaper, or blog. The accompanying imagery is cleared for use with attribution. Please ensure that the author’s name and their affiliation with EARTHDAY.ORG are credited. Kindly inform us if you republish so we can acknowledge, tag, or repost your content. You may notify us via email at davies@earthday.org or fielder@earthday.org. Want more articles? Follow us on substack.

The post Talk is Cheap, Climate Finance Isn’t appeared first on Earth Day.

As COP 30 kicks off in Brazil and the world’s movers and shakers head to Belem – trying to agree on the best ways to mitigate fossil fuel powered climate change (yes it is real and happening) and in the process, help “save the planet.”

EARTHDAY.ORG will have a small dedicated  team on the ground, championing climate education and why it matters. Basically climate literacy teaches green skills and is helping  to power the global green economy and the transition to renewable energy. 

But COP is always a madly busy, slightly chaotic affair and we wanted to countdown to 7 of the craziest COP related facts that you might read about in the mainstream press!

7. It’s like the Olympics of Climate… with coffee and no medals

Every year, nearly every country on Earth gathers for the COP, making it one of the largest diplomatic get-togethers in the world. This year the United States federal government won’t be in attendance as among other reasons, President Trump believes that climate change, is a “con job”. But there is empirical, fact based science that shows this is not the case. What is more, 99.9% of peer-reviewed scientific papers agree that climate change is caused by human activity.

Believe it or not, the first COP kicked off way back in 1995 in Berlin, Germany. Fun fact: it’s been around longer than most of us have had smartphones—and all of today’s social media giants didn’t exist yet: Facebook (2004), Twitter (2006), Instagram (2010).

According to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), for COP26 there were 25,000 pieces of furniture used, 7,000 m² of carpet, 330 water-coolers and 1,124 toilets on site, because even climate heroes need a seat. 

6. When Underwater Means Literally Underwater…

The much-anticipated COP15 in Copenhagen, in 2009, ultimately ended in disappointment, failing to deliver a binding global climate agreement. Yet, just two months before the summit kicked off, on October 17th, 2009, the government of the Maldives, led by President Mohamed Nasheed and joined by 13 cabinet ministers,  staged a remarkable underwater cabinet meeting. 

Wearing scuba gear beneath the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean, the ministers signed a declaration calling for global action on climate change, symbolically underscoring the existential threat that rising sea levels pose to their low-lying island nation. It was a powerful but visually stunning way to dramatize both the reality, and gravity, of climate change the entire world faced.

5. When Fossil Fuel Delegate Numbers Explode

COP summits are basically pop-up cities? COP21 attracted over 38,000 delegates, and COP28 pulled in over a whopping 85,000. That is enough people to fill a small metropolis, complete with armies of negotiators, scientists, activists, business moguls, reporters, and lobbyists.

But the people trying to mitigate climate change are not alone. They are increasingly joined by the corporations driving climate change. Fossil fuel companies don’t just show up at COP—they roll deep. At COP28, a record-breaking 2,456 fossil fuel delegates registered, nearly quadrupling the numbers from COP27 and outnumbering delegates from almost every country except the host UAE and Brazil. That’s more fossil fuel reps than the entire delegations of the world’s ten most climate-vulnerable nations combined.​

Big names make the guest list too—Shell, BP, ExxonMobil, and Chevron have all sent teams of lobbyists, sometimes outnumbering even Indigenous representatives by seven to one. Over just four years (COP26–COP29), more than 5,5350 fossil fuel delegates walked the UN climate negotiation halls, representing 859 organizations responsible for nearly 60% of global oil and gas production.​

4. Seaweed and Menus

At COP26, in beautiful Glasgow, Scotland, the organisers made some green moves: 95% of the food served in the “Blue Zone” was seasonal and from the United Kingdom, 185 lbs of locally harvested seaweed was used as a sustainable substitute for salt in dishes, and reusable aluminium water bottles were provided for all delegates. However meat and fish were still on the COP26 menu and critics pointed out, plus the venue was reportedly not wheelchair friendly, and for many the logistics were lacking.

For COP28 (Dubai, 2023) organisers committed to a menu where two-thirds of the food would be vegan or vegetarian.

3. Asking the Fox to Guard the Chickens!

An investigation, as part of a joint probe with the Centre for Climate Reporting, revealed that the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the host of COP28, allegedly planned to use the climate talks to strike new oil and gas deals with a handful of other nations attending the summit. 

Leaked briefing documents appeared to show that Sultan al-Jaber, the COP28 president and CEO of the UAE’s national oil company ADNOC, and others in his team, were seemingly provided with talking points originating from fossil fuel firms aiming to promote business deals during pre-conference meetings. The documents seemed to outline strategies for commercial discussions on new oil and gas developments, even as international bodies like the International Energy Agency, IEA, warned against new fossil fuel projects to meet climate targets.

In response to the findings, Sultan al Jaber denied using such talking points in his meetings. A COP28 spokesman was reported as saying the documents were “inaccurate” and had not been used by COP28 in meetings.

Critics described the situation as a “breathtaking conflict of interest’. Some campaigners stressed that the level of fossil fuel representation at COP negotiations seriously jeopardizes efforts to combat climate change.

But few lessons seem to have been learned after various news outlets reported that prior to COP29 in Azerbaijan, Elnur Soltanov, the head of Azerbaijan’s COP29 delegation and the country’s deputy energy minister, was apparently filmed discussing potential oil and gas investment with environmental campaigners posing undercover as fossil fuel groups, in exchange for sponsoring the event. 

2. What About Everything Else?

One of the core goals for COP30  is to find ways to keep global warming to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels — or face much worse climate impacts. Translation: when you hear “we’ve got to stay under 1.5,” that’s not just hype, it’s the science-backed bar for “hey, let’s keep the planet liveable  for humans.” But what about all the other species that call Earth home – do we not have a responsibility to protect their right to existence too? 

Climate scientists warn that many species are extremely vulnerable even to this 1.5°C threshold. One prominent study by University of Connecticut biologist Mark Urban, published in the journal Science, analyzed over 30 years of biodiversity and climate change research. It found that if global temperatures rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, nearly 1 in 50 species worldwide (about 180,000 species) could be at risk of extinction by 2100. 

This risk increases sharply beyond 1.5°C warming, especially affecting amphibians, species in mountain, island, and freshwater ecosystems, and certain geographic regions like South America, Australia, and New Zealand.

Protecting wildlife is not only a moral imperative but a vital part of keeping ecosystems resilient and able to absorb carbon naturally. As COP30 unfolds, efforts to integrate wildlife conservation and ecosystem health as key climate solutions are emerging, recognizing that a livable future depends on safeguarding all life — not just human species survival.​

1.  Why You Need to Stay Alert! 

When you think of COP as just a meeting of politicians, you’d be underselling it. Because it’s really a massive global stage where education meets policy, where civil society meets industry, and where the future of our planet gets negotiated. 

For an organisation like EARTHDAY.ORG that’s invested in climate education—seeing how policy, diplomacy, science and active citizens converge at COP is vital. 

Let’s keep watching, learning and pushing for climate education and action. Because as we all know: if the planet’s future is on the line, it is better to be in the room than outside it. If you want to support our work here are some things you can do: You can also have these free articles emailed directly to you by signing up for our email list. We don’t sell your details and we won’t share any adverts either!

If learning is enjoyable please feel free to use our CLIMATE EDUCATION assets. Take action and tell the U.S Congress: We Need Protection from Poison Pesticides and ask them to oppose Section 453 and keep our communities safe from dangerous chemicals. 

Plus, If you are interested in learning more about how to support a more pollinator-friendly agriculture industry, check out our Renewable Agriculture campaign, and discover how agriculture can be used to help the planet not harm it.Consider donating to EARTHDAY.ORG or help us plant trees with the Canopy Tree Project and help us preserve the world’s forests. But whatever you do, do something!

If you want to learn more about why forests matter – please watch our brand new series UNDERREPORTED EARTH – “TREE TALES”– IG TRAIL. 

Tracy McVeigh from The Guardian speaks with three top investigative journalists about their groundbreaking reporting: Elisangela Mendonça uncovers how the Amazon rainforest is being threatened by the collagen industry. Josephine Moulds takes us into the Congo Basin, where fossil fuel auctions are endangering one of the world’s most vital forest ecosystems. Ana Bottallo travels deep into the Amazonian mangroves to witness how local communities fought —  to have their voices heard.

The episodes go live Novermber 17/18th/19th across EARTHDAY.ORG social media  on Facebook: Ep.1, Ep.2, Ep.3   and YouTube:  Ep.1, Ep.2, Ep.3.

This article is available for republishing on your website, newsletter, magazine, newspaper, or blog. The accompanying imagery is cleared for use with attribution. Please ensure that the author’s name and their affiliation with EARTHDAY.ORG are credited. Kindly inform us if you republish so we can acknowledge, tag, or repost your content. You may notify us via email at davies@earthday.org or fielder@earthday.org. Want more articles? Follow us on substack.

The post COUNTDOWN 7 CRAZY FACTS ABOUT COP appeared first on Earth Day.

As COP30 enters its fourth day in Belém, Brazil, a growing global movement is calling for climate education to become a cornerstone of national strategies.

In an exclusive interview with Juan Carlos Navarro,  the current Minister of Environment for Panama and the President of the Forum of Ministers of Latin America and the Caribbean (for the 2025–2027 term). Speaking with Rodolfo Beltrán, Director of South America, EARTHDAY.ORG, Minister Juan Navarro’s  remarks arrive at a pivotal moment, as world leaders gather in the heart of the planet’s most biodiverse nation to chart the course for the next decade of climate action.

Ropo Beltran:  As Panama assumes the Presidency of the Forum of Ministers of Environment of Latin America and the Caribbean, what do you consider to be the most important achievements of this major regional and international forum, and what are the joint future goals of this important forum of 33 ministers?

Minister Juan Navarro: When assuming the Presidency of the Forum, Panama recognizes that this platform is the main political space for environmental coordination in the continent. Historic results were achieved in Lima: a renewed agenda that responds to the triple planetary crisis with concrete action plans on restoration and water security, air quality, chemicals, waste, and methane reduction. Essential approaches were also incorporated, such as circular economy, gender equity, environmental education, and Indigenous Peoples’ knowledge.

Our goal now is clear: to turn these commitments into measurable results, drive their financing, and ensure that each country moves forward with the technical and political support of the Forum. Panama will work to strengthen implementation and cooperation among the 33 countries, ensuring that the voice of Latin America and the Caribbean is heard as one in global Forums!

Ropo Beltran: The Forum in Lima adopted key regional action plans to address climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. How will these collective measures—such as the updated Regional Action Plan on Ecosystem Restoration and Water Security, and the new programs on air quality, chemicals, and methane emissions—generate long-term social and economic benefits for the region?

Minister Juan Navarro: The decisions adopted in Lima respond to the urgency of addressing climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution simultaneously. The new regional plans propose solutions with direct social and economic benefits: restoring ecosystems improves water and food security; reducing methane decreases pollution and creates opportunities for innovation in the waste sector; improving air quality reduces public health costs.

These measures are not only environmental—they are engines of sustainable development and green employment. Latin America can lead an ecological transition with social justice, and the Forum will be the platform that integrates science, policies, and financing to achieve it. We will also strengthen synergy among the three Rio Conventions: Climate Change, Biodiversity, and Desertification, to ensure coherence in implementation and maximize shared benefits for communities and ecosystems.

Rodolfo Beltran: With 33 countries of Latin America and the Caribbean now aligned under a renewed agenda, how do you envision this unity strengthening the region’s voice in global negotiations, particularly at COP30 in Belém at the end of this year?

Minister Juan Navarro:The regional unity achieved in Lima is a political message of enormous weight. In a fragmented global context, Latin America and the Caribbean demonstrated that they can speak with one voice. This will strengthen our common positions in spaces such as the United Nations Environment Assembly and COP30 in Belém. Panama will promote coordination among our three major Rio Conventions—Climate Change, Biodiversity, and Desertification—under a unified approach of coherence and integrated action. Only then can we negotiate as a bloc, attract financing, and demonstrate that the region is not a source of problems but a source of solutions.

Ropo Beltran: The Forum highlighted the Regional Action Plan for Jaguar Conservation as a symbol of ecological connectivity and biodiversity protection. Why are these emblematic species so important for the region, and how can their conservation contribute to broader ecosystem restoration goals?

Minister Juan Navarro:The Regional Action Plan for Jaguar Conservation symbolizes the connection between biodiversity and human well-being. Protecting the jaguar means maintaining biological corridors that ensure the health of our ecosystems, water regulation, and climate stability. These species are indicators of ecological balance and also of cultural identity. Their conservation drives sustainable tourism, strengthens local economies, and fosters regional pride in our natural heritage.

Panama is committed to promoting projects that integrate science, communities, and financing to protect these species and restore ecosystems at a regional scale.

Rodolfo Beltran: The Lima Declaration emphasized the importance of gender perspective, Indigenous knowledge, circular economy, and education for sustainability. In your opinion, how can education and public awareness be scaled so that communities in Latin America and the Caribbean become active participants in this transition?

Minister Juan Navarro: Environmental and climate education is the foundation of all transformation. If we want just and sustainable transitions, communities must be protagonists. From Panama, we will promote a regional pillar of education for sustainability involving schools, universities, media, and community organizations.

The Lima Declaration marked a turning point: incorporating gender perspective, traditional knowledge, and the circular economy into education. Our commitment is that these principles be reflected in public policies and national budgets. An informed and empowered citizenry is the best tool to care for the planet.

This week, Panama’s Ministry of Environment launched a public consultation on a draft decree to establish a National Carbon Market System (SNMCP), a measure that would consolidate the country’s regulated voluntary carbon market and activities under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. This represents a significant step forward for Latin America’s leadership in developing high-integrity, transparent carbon markets that generate real results for climate and nature.

With the public consultation of the Executive Decree creating the National Carbon Market System (SNMCP), Panama takes a historic step toward a climate model of high integrity, transparency, and environmental justice. This system consolidates our voluntary carbon market and connects it with the mechanisms of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, ensuring that every reduction or removal of emissions is real, measurable, and verifiable.

With the public consultation of the Executive Decree creating the National Carbon Market System (SNMCP), Panama takes a historic step toward a climate model of high integrity, transparency, and environmental justice. This system consolidates the role of the voluntary carbon market and connects it with other market mechanisms such as those under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, ensuring that every reduction or removal of emissions is real, measurable, and verifiable.

Through the SNMCP, Panama reaffirms its commitment to maintaining its status as a carbon-negative country, promoting a green economy that generates employment, protects forests, and directly benefits local and Indigenous communities. It is an example of the Latin American leadership we want to project toward COP30 in Belém, demonstrating that sustainable development and climate action can advance together.

Rodolfo Beltran: This week, Panama’s Ministry of Environment launched a public consultation on a draft decree to establish a National Carbon Market System (SNMCP), a measure that would consolidate the country’s regulated voluntary carbon market and activities under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. This represents a significant step forward for Latin America’s leadership in developing high-integrity, transparent carbon markets that generate real results for climate and nature. Tell us about that.

Minister Juan Navarro: With the public consultation of the Executive Decree creating the National Carbon Market System (SNMCP), Panama takes a historic step toward a climate model of high integrity, transparency, and environmental justice. This system consolidates our voluntary carbon market and connects it with the mechanisms of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, ensuring that every reduction or removal of emissions is real, measurable, and verifiable.

With the public consultation of the Executive Decree creating the National Carbon Market System (SNMCP), Panama takes a historic step toward a climate model of high integrity, transparency, and environmental justice. This system consolidates the role of the voluntary carbon market and connects it with other market mechanisms such as those under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, ensuring that every reduction or removal of emissions is real, measurable, and verifiable.

Through the SNMCP, Panama reaffirms its commitment to maintaining its status as a carbon-negative country, promoting a green economy that generates employment, protects forests, and directly benefits local and Indigenous communities. It is an example of the Latin American leadership we want to project toward COP30 in Belém, demonstrating that sustainable development and climate action can advance together.

Rodolfo Beltran: What is the role of civil society and climate education in NDCs?

Minister Juan Navarro: We deeply recognize and value the work of organizations such as EARTHDAY.ORG in promoting climate education as a pillar of Nationally Determined Contributions. Climate action cannot be limited to governments; it requires alliances with civil society, the private sector, and academia.

From Panama, we extend an invitation to EARTHDAY.ORG and other like-minded organizations to collaborate on regional initiatives such as the Nature Pledge, which promotes synergy among the three Rio Conventions and the integration of education, biodiversity, and climate under one framework. 

We firmly believe that climate education can and should be a driver of regional cooperation and cultural transformation. Forming conscious and committed citizens is as important as reducing emissions. We will work with regional partners to turn education into a tool of resilience, equity, and joint action.

EARTHDAY.ORG’s Rodolfo Beltran as well as Bryce Coon, our Director of Education, and MAx Falcoe , our Global Advisor are on the ground at COP30 in Belém, Brazil, ensuring that climate education remains firmly on the agenda. Alongside ministers, negotiators, and civil society, they’ll be pushing for the inclusion of education in every single nation’sNDC. You can keep track of progress with our Climate Education NDCs Tracker.

The post Exclusive: Panama’s Environment Minister Champions Climate Education at COP30 appeared first on Earth Day.

Opinion

As Brazil hosts COP30 in Belém — a summit meant to find ways to mitigate climate change such as protecting the world’s tropical forests — it has been simultaneously accused of bulldozing parts of the Amazon to build a highway. 

The 13-kilometer (8 mile), four-lane highway, Avenida Liberdade, cuts through a protected reserve on the edge of Belém. The Brazilian state of Pará insists that the project predates Belém’s selection as host of COP30 and is not a federally project. Nevertheless, critics say the highway evidences the deeper contradiction: While world leaders gather to discuss forest protection, Brazil is apparently clearing rainforest to host them. 

The state government claims Avenida Liberdade as a model of “sustainable mobility,” complete with bike lanes, solar-powered lighting, and wildlife crossings. Yet satellite data warns that the building of Avenida will do what another Brazilian highway, BR-163, did by opening the door for capital-intensive producers, such as land speculators, cattle ranchers who raise animals for both beef and the rising collagen trade, soy growers, and miners. 

For local families who depend on the forest, this so-called development comes at a cost, such as losing access to açaí berries that once grew on the trees that once thrived here. While Amazonian Indigenous populations are at risk of losing access to the forest that supports their livelihoods, beliefs, and rituals as deforestation continues. Which is why Indigenous leaders are making their feelings known at this COP, perhaps like no other.  The highway may claim green design features, but the reality is that it is damaging ecosystems, harming Indigenous land rights and negatively impacting a more naturally focused forest economy.

The Money Tree of the Amazon

The road’s construction is more than an infrastructure story — it’s an economic blueprint. Deforestation in the Amazon is rarely accidental; it follows money. Cattle ranching and large-scale soy cultivation account for the vast majority of forest loss in Brazil, with cattle alone responsible for up to 80 percent as of 2023. 

Reporters like Elisângela Mendonça have even traced the global demand for bovine collagen — used in wellness products — to deforested lands and Amazon supply‑chains, showing how distant consumer markets are connected to the machinery of forest clearance. Her reporting uncovered that the supply‑chains for bovine collagen in Brazil were linked to at least 2,600 km² (approximately 1,000 square miles) of forest loss alone.

Roads like Avenida Liberdade are one of the classic triggers for a “fishbone” pattern of deforestation: first a main corridor, the spine, then secondary roads that branch out, the ribs, carving up the forest for profit.

Each cleared hectare represents an economic decision. Land speculation, global commodity demand, and weak environmental enforcement make forest destruction a lucrative enterprise. In Pará, these incentives are reinforced by policies that reward short-term growth over long-term stewardship. Deforestation, in essence, is a business model — one that public funds and local contracts continue to subsidize, even under the banner of sustainability.

The Tropical Forests Forever Fund: Hope or Hype?

At the same time, Brazil is positioning itself as a global leader in forest finance through its planned $125 billion Tropical Forests Forever Facility (TFFF) — the flagship announcement for COP30. The fund proposes to pay nations for keeping forests standing, blending public and private capital into a global endowment. On paper, it’s an elegant solution: a steady income stream that rewards preservation instead of destruction.

But the model’s structure reveals another layer of contradiction. Investors and national governments are first in line for returns, while Indigenous and smallholder communities — the people protecting the majority of the forest — are likely to receive the least. 

Critics warn the TFFF risks turning the rainforest into a financial asset class, commodifying conservation without addressing the industries driving deforestation. Meanwhile, Brazil’s agribusiness sector — one of the nation’s biggest greenhouse gas emitters and one of its most powerful political forces — continues to weaken environmental protections, even as Brazil rebrands itself as a climate partner.

Follow the Money

The money trail behind both the highway and the TFFF exposes the same paradox: public institutions and private investors are profiting from the very systems that continue forest loss. 

Pará’s government contracted local firms to build Avenida Liberdade with federal funds. Yet, locals worry that the road will attract outsiders and lead to real estate speculation, with properties bought and then resold, at a much higher price, in a short period of time. 

In parallel, global financiers are already eyeing the TFFF, hoping to profit from forest protection as an asset. The result is a so-called circular economy and effectively greenwashed growth — where the same political and financial actors that drive deforestation are now marketing themselves as its solution.

Unless Brazil enforces strict land-use limits, protects Indigenous people’s rights, ensures direct payments to them as the real forest stewards, and severs the link between new infrastructure and agricultural expansion, COP30’s climate leadership risks collapsing into spectacle. 

The Bigger Picture

Hosting COP30 in the heart of the Amazon should put the forest at the center of climate diplomacy, instead, it has revealed a deeper friction between development and preservation. The highway project offers a concrete symbol of that tension: infrastructure built through intact rainforest, justified by the same language of sustainability that COP30 is meant to promote.

At stake is more than Brazil’s reputation. It’s the future of the Amazon as a living ecosystem, a climate regulator, and a home for tens of millions. If the Avenida Liberdade highway becomes a gateway for further clearing, and if the TFFF becomes just another financial product without enforcement, the world will see COP30 for what it is: a paradox of progress built on cleared ground. If Brazil can align finance, policy, and community power, it might still prove that growth and protection can coexist — and that the money trees of the Amazon don’t have to be felled to bear fruit.

If you want to learn more about how Brazil’s forests are being impacted by deforestation, check out our new three-part series Underreported Earth: “Tree Tales”, presented in partnership with the Pulitzer Center. Hosted by The Guardian’s Tracy McVeigh, three Pulitzer Center-supported investigative journalists discuss how they uncovered powerful stories about deforestation and conservation. 

Ana Bottallo explores what led her to the mangrove forests of Brazil and how predatory fishing is putting them at risk; Elisângela Mendonça investigates how farming in Brazil’s rainforests is driven not only by the meat industry, but also by a growing global obsession with collagen; and Josephine Moulds speaks about her journey to the Democratic Republic of Congo to report on the government’s fossil fuel drilling auction that threatens the vital Congo Basin rainforest.  The series kicks off next Monday 17th of November, across EARTHDAY.ORG’s social media platforms at midday, EST. With a new episode on the18th and 19th of November.

EARTHDAY.ORG is on the ground at COP30 this year, advocating for climate education around the world. Follow us on LinkedIn to stay up to date for our activities next week. And if you want to do even more, please support our global tree planting campaign, the Canopy Tree Project.

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