“This really is a war,” emphasized Maria da Graça Carvalho during the inauguration of the Portugal Pavilion at the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30), which began on Monday in the Amazonian city of Belém.
Portugal’s Minister for Environment and Energy assured that the country is approaching the challenge with exactly “that attitude”: “fighting against the effects of climate change, providing resilience, and ensuring security.”
This stance, she noted, also means “preparing for national security.”
“Preventing floods, avoiding coastal erosion, averting natural disasters, and providing safety against major fires is national security,” Maria da Graça Carvalho stressed.
During the 12 days of the conference, the Portugal Pavilion will host seven daily events on climate, oceans, water, and energy, and may also support Portuguese-speaking delegations, with the minister indicating that Portugal could serve as a mediator between Europe and Africa.
“A meeting point for discussions,” said the minister right after the official opening of the pavilion designed by architect Eduardo Souto de Moura, which featured musician António Zambujo at its inauguration.
The COP commenced on Monday with optimism in the Brazilian city of Belém after the consensus approval of the work agenda, deemed crucial to “unlock” the initial negotiations.
COP30 President André Corrêa do Lago of Brazil celebrated the agreement reached among member countries, stating that with it, they can now start working “intensely.”
The consensus on the agenda is not merely a formality, being regarded as a political barometer that allows for anticipation of the negotiation tone, essential for advancing on the summit’s more delicate topics such as financing, energy transition, and adaptation to climate change impacts.
The fact that the agenda was approved on the first day of the summit, something that did not happen at the four previous conferences, added more significance to the achievement.
If the agenda is not approved, “the technical work on the topics cannot begin,” explained COP30 Executive Director Ana Toni at the end of the day in a press conference.
According to Toni, this is “a major achievement,” considering the current global geopolitical context.
During the opening session, there was also a reiterated call to turn promises into concrete actions, particularly regarding increasing financing, phasing out fossil fuels, and adaptation.
Both the UN Executive Secretary for Climate Change, Simon Stiell, and COP29 President Mukhtar Babayev agreed on the urgency to act with ambition and realism, an appeal also supported by the President of Brazil, Lula da Silva.
One of the central themes was the call to triple climate financing.
While passing the baton to Brazil, Babayev urged developed countries to adhere to the roadmap agreed in Baku, which calls for an increase from the current $300 billion annually to $1.3 trillion by 2035.
