The Blue Zone — the primary location for negotiations at the UN Cop 30 climate summit — has reopened today at 20:40 Brazilian time (23:40 GMT), according to the Brazilian presidency, after a fire occurred earlier in the day.
The fire services have inspected the site and deemed it safe, the presidency said.
Although the area has reopened, there will be no plenary today, the organisation said. Activities will resume on Friday .
The fire began around 14:00 at a pavilion. The affected area will remain closed and isolated until the end of the summit. It is still unclear what started the fire.
No one was seriously injured, according to the presidency, but around 20 people received medical care, mostly due to smoke inhalation.
"We appreciate the co-operation, patience and understanding of all participants," the presidency said. "We still have substantial work ahead, and we trust that delegates will return to the negotiations in a spirit of solidarity and determination to ensure a successful outcome for this Cop," it said.
Negotiations are continuing 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.
