Brazil, which holds the UN Cop 30 presidency, is bracing for its first test at the climate summit later today as it seeks compromises between parties on key issues left out of the agenda — unilateral trade measures, climate finance obligations, responses to climate plans and emissions reporting.
Cop 30 avoided an agenda fight which could have delayed the start of the negotiations on the first day of the summit, 10 November, on the condition that contentious topics left out of the official talks would be addressed in informal consultations overseen by the Cop 30 presidency. Brazil held a consultation yesterday — which Cop 30 chief executive Ana Toni said ran for four hours, instead of the scheduled two — and is holding another today, ahead of a plenary meeting of the parties.
"Cop started very smoothly, without an agenda fight thanks to the skilful bridging power of the presidency but we believe we might have our first fight later today in the stocktake plenary", associate director of policy at non-profit 350 Andreas Sieber said.
"Some progress is being made" in the talks, EU negotiator Jacob Werksman said today. "It's been challenging… there's some very strong differences of views amongst parties. I would have to say very clearly that these are not North-South divisions", he added, referencing the global north and south terms often in use at Cops.
Negotiating blocs so far diverge on which of these topics should be included in the summit's outcome. It is also unclear whether these issues will be part of a Cop 30 conclusion altogether. The presidency plans to try and convert any progress into draft decisions, but there is no consensus yet on how these will appear in an official Cop outcome document, Werksman said today.
"The Brazilians would be very foolish to not go forward and not organize a process that leads to a decision across these items, because they would not be acknowledging the vast majority of countries demanding so", Sieber said.
The alliance of small island states (Aosis) and others such as the EU are supportive of a response to a lack of ambition in the latest round of countries' climate plans.
"Cop 30 must provide a clear follow up on the global stocktake outcomes, renewed leadership from major emitters and alignment with the legally binding 1.5°C [temperature limit]", a Palau delegate said on behalf of Aosis.
"All parties and especially major economies must show leadership to strengthen policies and to give faster deliveries," the EU said, as it reaffirmed its "collective engagement" to deliver on the climate finance goal agreed at last year's Cop 29.
But countries such as India or Saudi Arabia are not looking to open the discussions on climate ambition or targets, pressing instead for the climate finance obligations of developed countries to developing countries and unilateral trade measures to be addressed at this summit.
India, on behalf of the LMDC bloc — a group of developing countries — said the group accepted discussing "issues dear to our heart" outside of the agenda. Saudi Arabia said a response to a lack of ambitious climate plans does not fall in the scope of the Cop process.
Cop presidencies typically support parties in the negotiation process but have no decision-making power. Ministers will not arrive until next week. But "conversations we've been having over the past couple of days are beginning to build some bridges. We are definitely not there yet, we're only two days into the Cop", Werksman said today.
