In November 2025, Brazil will host the 30th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP30). Leaders, negotiators from the Parties to the Paris Agreement, representatives of civil society, and stakeholders from the private and productive sectors will gather in Belém, in the state of Pará, to address one of the most pressing challenges of our time: climate change.
This year, the negotiations will center around adaptation and just transition. The revision of countries’ climate commitments, expressed through their new Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs, alongside debates on climate finance will also be at the core of discussions. However, a complex geopolitical landscape may stall progress on several fronts.
The United States’ recent withdrawal from the Paris Agreement and the political shifts underway in Europe are reshaping the global climate agenda. Although the U.S. remains a formal Party until its withdrawal takes legal effect, it chose not to participate in the June negotiation round. This absence eliminated a potential source of procedural gridlock but did not facilitate consensus across agenda items. More broadly, the U.S. exit sends a troubling signal of retreat from climate multilateralism, casting doubt on the continuity of financial commitments, especially given the country’s role as the largest historical contributor to climate finance under the Paris Agreement.
In Europe, the latest elections marked a significant decline in Green Party representation in the European Parliament, with ripple effects in member states like Germany. This political shift is already reflected in the bloc’s internal agenda, particularly in the “omnibus” legislative package aimed at loosening environmental regulations and rolling back key pillars of the European Green Deal.
Despite these challenges, multilateral cooperation remains vital to addressing the climate crisis. COP30 represents a strategic opportunity for the private and productive sectors to present concrete solutions for both mitigation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and adaptation to climate impacts. Moreover, in the absence of traditional leadership, this COP may prove pivotal in reshaping the multilateral agenda and setting new strategies for implementation.
Against this backdrop, Brazil’s agribusiness sector is prepared to play a leading role at COP30. Hosting the conference on its own soil offers Brazil a unique platform to showcase how tropical agriculture can contribute to climate solutions. The country has the potential to position itself as a reference in sustainable agricultural systems and energy transition, demonstrating how its rural sector is actively engaging in both adaptation and mitigation strategies.
At the same time, food security, now a recurring theme in climate discussions, highlights the importance of Brazil’s role as a global food supplier. It also underscores the need to scale up sustainable productivity, ensuring that agricultural development aligns with environmental goals.
COP30 is, therefore, an opportunity for Brazil to reaffirm its commitment to the global climate agenda. By fostering dialogue between sectors, advancing public policies with dual environmental and economic benefits, and strengthening international cooperation, Brazil can help steer climate negotiations in a direction that is both pragmatic and ambitious. In the face of geopolitical uncertainty and wavering financial commitments, COP30 may well be the moment to consolidate the role of tropical agriculture in ensuring a climate-resilient, food-secure future.
Amanda Roza is Technical Sustainability and Market Intelligence Advisor at The Brazilian Confederation of Agriculture and Livestock
