COP30 diary: As ministers arrive, delegations deal with a Brazilian surprise

With ministers still arriving in Brazil, the COP presidency wants delegations to adopt a ‘political package’ on the most divisive issues in record time. In their daily log, Contexte’s correspondents in Belém break down the key moments of the second week of negotiations.

The UN gathering in the Amazonian city of Belém is beset by hurdles, not least because of concerns that US climate scepticism will prove contagious. The era of international climate rulemaking may be over, but the hosts retain an optimistic tone.

After months of suspense, EU member states finally agreed to back a 2040 target to deliver a 90% cut in the bloc’s net emissions from 1990 levels. On the surface, the deal sticks closely to the Commission’s original plans, but the fine print includes numerous tweaks to cushion the impacts of climate action on EU competitiveness — so much so that questions now abound on whether the freshly inked deal can deliver or whether it might send Europe’s wider climate agenda into a tailspin.