In the latest episode of VdA’s podcast, Assunção Cristas, Catarina Pinto Correia and Marta Lima share their perspectives on the key outcomes of COP30, held in Belém on the edge of the Amazon, offering an overall positive reading of this year’s conference. Catarina Pinto Correia highlights that COP30 marked a clear shift in focus: nature, forests and Indigenous communities finally took centre stage, driven in large part by the unique setting of the event. She also emphasised the creation of an innovative results-based forest fund, already backed by dozens of countries and USD 6.7 billion in commitments, noting with pride that Portugal was the first country to join. She added that this edition became known as the “COP of implementation”, characterised by concrete progress and a strong spirit of collaboration — the “mutirão” — that shaped much of the negotiations.

Assunção Cristas underlined that holding COP30 in the Amazon region brought unprecedented attention to biodiversity and the protection of local communities, and that, despite geopolitical challenges, the global 1.5-degree target was upheld — a reassuring sign in a complex international context. She also highlighted the progress made on national contributions under the Paris Agreement, reflecting a growing sense of commitment and ambition among countries.

Marta Lima stressed the importance of this being a science-driven COP, which she sees as essential for the credibility of climate decisions. She also noted the increasingly active role of companies, many of which are contributing with concrete solutions and commitments, as well as the positive energy felt in Belém, marked by the engagement of communities, youth and civil society organisations.

Together, VdA’s representatives conclude that COP30 reinforced the sense that the path of implementation is firmly underway and that, despite ongoing challenges, there are clear signs of ambition, progress and hope in global climate action.

Listen the poscast here.