Belém, 11 November 2025 — Commenting on the EU’s climate leadership at COP30, Chiara Martinelli, Director at CAN Europe, said:
“We no longer call the EU a global climate leader, not because it lacks the means, power or influence, but because it hasn’t stepped up to the role. With the US absent from COP30, Europe has a golden opportunity to show its leadership and fill the gap. True leadership means showing up, from day one, for the whole package of justice outcomes and not cherry-picking items or hiding behind trade-offs. So far in Belém, we haven’t seen this true leadership from the EU.
Belém is the first COP since the International Court of Justice made it clear that ambitious climate action is a legal duty, not a political choice. Ten years after the Paris Agreement, the EU must act like the leader it claims to be and deliver real solidarity so that all countries can raise their ambition.”
Watch the whole media briefing on the NDC ambition gap, the EU’s NDC and climate finance below.
For further comments and interviews:
Tomas Spragg Nilsson, +46 707 65 63 92 (in Belém)
Jani Savolainen, +358 504667831, jani.savolainen@caneurope.org
