COP30

Centering Equity and Access Ahead of COP30

COP30 has been on my mind. When Brazil was first announced as host, like many of you, I felt genuinely hopeful. It seemed like a powerful opportunity – to gather in a country that’s central to the climate conversation and experienced in hosting major global events, and to broaden participation from across Latin America and the Global South. 

Still, two years since the decision to hold COP in Belém, it continues to raise important questions. Belém is a city of deep cultural and environmental significance, right at the edge of the Amazon. But it also faces major infrastructure challenges: over half of its 1.3 million residents live without access to basic sanitation. Compared to São Paulo or Rio, Belém has fewer resources to accommodate an event of this scale without significant stress on local systems and the fragile surrounding ecosystem. 

This isn’t a blind critique of Brazil or the organizing committee. It’s a call to stay focused on what matters most: the ability of negotiators –especially those from under-resourced and underrepresented countries – to show up fully, safely, and without unnecessary barriers.

COP is, at its core, a negotiation space. And unless we’re actively working to ensure that negotiators have access to safe, affordable housing near the venue, we risk replicating the same challenges we’ve seen before. At previous COPs, we’ve heard firsthand accounts of negotiators priced out of nearby accommodation, walking long distances in the early hours, skipping meals, and trying to stay present through sleep-deprived negotiations. These aren’t just logistical hurdles – they shape who gets to fully participate and whose voices carry weight at the table.

Heading into COP30, I’m most concerned that without clear plans in place, those negotiators – many of whom are not native English speakers and already navigating major constraints – will face the same inequities again.

At Women and Climate, we’ve been fortunate to attend the last two COPs. But for COP30, we’re pressing pause to check that privilege. Together with Simge Sandal, Marie-Claire Graf, and others on our COP30 committee, we’re making safe and affordable housing for negotiators our top priority. Only once that’s addressed will we finalize plans for our own delegation.

We’re also reaching out to our broader community to hear how you’re thinking about COP30. If you have a few minutes, please take our short survey before June 8, 2025.

Thank you for being part of this work – and for helping ensure equity stays at the center of climate negotiations.