• COP30 reached a deal to triple climate adaptation finance by 2035 for developing nations.
• The final agreement omitted any direct references to phasing out fossil fuels.
• Delegates expressed frustration over the lack of stronger measures to curb greenhouse gas emissions.
• The absence of the U.S. delegation influenced negotiations significantly.
• Brazil's COP30 presidency plans to propose roadmaps for fossil fuel transition in the future.

The COP30 climate summit in Belem, Brazil concluded with a compromise deal that enhances climate finance for adaptation but disappointingly excluded any mention of phasing out fossil fuels. Despite pressure from over 80 nations, including members of the European Union and several Latin American countries, the agreement failed to secure a roadmap addressing the primary contributors to global warming. COP30 President André Correa do Lago acknowledged the divisions among participants while asserting that the agreement was a step in the right direction, as he noted, “We know some of you had greater ambitions for some of the issues at hand,” according to Channel News Asia and BBC.

The deal, referred to as the 'Mutirão' pact, emphasizes the importance of tripling climate adaptation funding to assist poorer nations, raising targets from $40 billion to $120 billion annually by 2035. However, it notably fails to provide any concrete measures on transitioning away from fossil fuels, despite rising calls for immediate action on this front. This void has led to criticisms that a “climate decision that cannot even say 'fossil fuels' is not neutrality, it is complicity,” as noted by Panama’s climate negotiator, Juan Carlos Monterrey, according to India Times and Al Jazeera.

The discussions at COP30 showcased significant tensions among nations, particularly between oil-producing states and those advocating for robust climate action. While the agreement did indicate a path forward with increased climate finance, the absence of the United States—whose former administration negated commitments to global climate initiatives—was felt throughout the negotiations. U.S. climate chief Wopke Hoekstra remarked, “It is not perfect, but it is a hugely important step in the right direction,” according to BBC and Reuters.

Despite the frustrations, Brazil's COP30 leadership has committed to developing a roadmap for transitioning away from fossil fuels and enhancing talks on deforestation. These initiatives, however, will proceed outside the formal structure of the COP negotiations, as the lack of consensus on these topics was a significant factor in the final agreement’s language. This underlines the growing divides in climate negotiations, as COP30 was marked by protest and calls for greater urgency and accountability in the global climate response, highlighted by Le Monde and Reuters.