Belém, 6 November – Ahead of the official COP30 negotiations kick-off next week, today European Union leaders Ursula von der Leyen and António Costa gave their remarks at the Climate Summit Plenary in Belém. Only a day earlier, the EU agreed on disappointingly weak 2040 emissions reduction target and 2035 climate plan, the so-called NDC, obligated under the Paris Agreement.
Commenting on the EU leaders’ remarks at the Climate Summit, Chiara Martinelli, Director at CAN Europe, said:
“Europe’s leaders must turn these speeches into ambitious action. The real test begins now, the actual climate negotiations. The EU’s credibility depends on whether it can unite behind a clear vision: stronger climate finance, real support for just transition and a cooperative spirit that delivers results.
European leaders should stand together with the Brazilian Presidency and other partners to secure an ambitious, fair and truly multilateral outcome. Fragmentation and speeches won’t solve the climate crisis or keep 1.5°C alive. Only real cooperation and action will.”
As President von der Leyen referenced, the EU did manage to scale up climate finance in 2024, but at the same time, the EU’s development assistance was cut, and prospects for public climate finance post-2025 look bleak.
Martinelli said:
“All EU leaders should be announcing plans to scale up climate finance to respond to the new climate finance goal decided last year, not leave Global South countries with a lack of certainty about funds to deal with climate impacts and deliver climate resilient development.”
For more information and media requests:
Jani Savolainen, jani.savolainen@caneurope.org / +358 504 66 78 31
Notes to the editors:
- CAN Europe’s Latest News and Key Demands for COP30
- Join the CAN Europe COP30 mailing list for journalists – and follow our COP30 WhatsApp broadcast group to receive short-term tips, reactions and invitations to press huddles on the ground.
