Updates with status of venue.
The Cop 30 climate talks underway in Belem, Brazil, have been halted following a fire at the venue, which has led to a full evacuation.
The fire started at around 14:00 local time at a pavilion in the Cop 30 Blue Zone — the primary location for negotiations. It is unclear what started the fire. The fire was controlled and no one was injured, the Cop 30 presidency said.
The fire services evacuated the venue, including negotiators, while it is conducting a safety check of the premises, according to UN climate body the UNFCCC. The venue will not reopen before 20:00 local time (23:00 GMT) on Thursday, organizers said.
Some delegations are continuing the talks on the next iteration of an outcome text at Cop 30, including on moving away from fossil fuels, and measuring and tackling adaptation — adjusting to the effects of climate change where possible.
The transition away from fossil fuels has become one of the main topics at Cop 30, after 80 countries — including developed and developing nations — backed a roadmap to address the issue. But the call is facing some resistance, mainly from some economies heavily reliant on hydrocarbon production.
