At COP30, Two Verbal Promises Made: Ending Fossil Fuels and Saving Forests

As high-level drama unfolded, neither of the two 'roadmaps' made it to the final climate deal accepted at COP30.

The last few days at COP30 have seen high-level drama unfold. As a so-called consensus was reached by nearly 200 nations on Saturday, 22 November, neither of the two 'roadmaps' made it to the climate deal accepted in COP30.

(Photo: Joshua A Bickel/PTI)

Whoever wagered on COP30 running overtime must be grinning right now. It’s a quirky tradition at the UN climate summits: observers and journalists place informal bets on when the final gavel will fall, signalling whether nearly 200 nations have managed to reach a consensus on a climate deal or not.

The climate talks were supposed to end Friday, 21 November. But, despite sleepless nights to produce a text amid high-level drama, the closing plenary—chaired by COP30 President André Corrêa do Lago— took place only on Saturday afternoon.

Well, no one could have possibly anticipated the abrupt suspension of negotiations on Thursday, 20 November, when a fire broke out in the ‘Blue Zone’ of the COP30 venue, forcing a six‑hour closure.

A fire broke out in the ‘Blue Zone’ of the COP30 venue, forcing a six‑hour closure.

(Photo: PTI)

On Saturday, the standoff, which was mostly over including a 'roadmap' to phase out fossil fuels, seemed to have been resolved. Although the 'roadmap' didn't make it to the final text, or the Belém Political Package, COP30 President Lago made an oral commitment for two 'roadmaps'. In addition to ending fossil fuels, he said his presidency will commit to halting deforestation.

“As (Brazil) President Lula said at the opening of this COP, we need roadmaps so that humanity in a just and planned manner can overcome its dependence on fossil fuels, halt and reverse deforestation, and mobilise resources for these purposes... I, as president of COP30, will, therefore, create two 'roadmaps'—one on halting and reversing deforestation, another for transitioning away from fossil fuels in a just, orderly and equitable manner.”

COP30 President André Corrêa do Lago

“They will be led by science, and they will be inclusive. With the spirit of the mutirão, we will convene high-level dialogues, gathering key international organisations, governments from both producing and consuming countries, in-the-street workers, scholars, civil society, and we will report back to the COP," he said.

The COP30 president's declaration on 'roadmaps' might have been marked by loud cheers, and a few whistles, but how did we get here?

Drama Over Fossil Fuel 'Roadmap'

On Thursday evening, speculation swirled that the closing plenary might wrap up the climate talks ahead of schedule. But those hopes were dashed when a fire broke out in the COP30 venue, halting negotiations from 2 pm to 8:40 pm local time in Brazil.

On Friday, rumours were again rife for the talks to be wrapped up. However, after Brazil dropped the draft for a proposed agreement early morning, things changed.

The proposal to develop a plan to phase out fossil fuels, which was included in a previous version, had been removed. Instead, it called upon countries to "voluntarily" accelerate their climate action, in line with the consensus reached at COP28 in Dubai for the world to transition away from fossil fuels.

Soon after Brazil's proposal, the European Union (EU) and other emerging nations expressed their strong dissatisfaction at the draft not making any mention of "fossil fuels" or a "roadmap".

In a letter, 36 countries warned Brazil that they would reject any deal that did not include a plan to move away from oil, coal, and gas. "We cannot support an outcome that does not include a roadmap for implementing a just, orderly, and equitable transition away from fossil fuels," read the letter. Some of the signatories of the said letter had held a press conference at COP30 earlier in the week. Read more here.

Meanwhile, EU Climate Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra told reporters, "We're not going to hide the fact that we would have preferred to have more, to have more ambition on everything,"

"We should support it because it is at least going in the right direction."

Wopke Hoekstra, Climate Commissioner, EU

Meanwhile, countries like oil-rich Saudi Arabia and Russia as well as India and other emerging countries came under fire for refusing language on a fossil-fuel phaseout.

Speaking to AFP, Arunabha Ghosh, a special envoy for South Asia at COP30, responded,

"To assume that one side cares about the planet and the other side, because they are unhappy with the formulation, does not care about the planet does grievous harm to the spirit of negotiations."

He further argued that developing countries needed to ensure energy security and a just transition for their workers dependent on fossil fuel sector.

COP30 President Lago, meanwhile, said those who doubt that cooperation is the best way forward for climate change "are going to be absolutely delighted to see that we cannot reach an agreement between us."

A Resolution at Last?

The 'roadmap' suspense stretched into Saturday until the COP30 President gaveled the closing plenary into motion. The resolution: An oral acknowledgement to phasing out fossil fuels following late-night negotiations with oil producers and emerging countries on Friday night.

“I know that most of you are tired, but as president of this conference, it’s my duty to recognise some very important discussions that took place in Belém, and that needs to continue during the Brazilian presidency until the next COP even if they are not reflected in the text we just approved," the COP30 president said.

“We know some of you had great ambitions for some of the issues at hand. I know that the youth civil society will demand us to do more to fight climate change. I want to reaffirm that I will try not to disappoint you during my presidency."

“While far from what’s needed, the outcome is meaningful progress. The Paris Agreement is working, the transition away from fossil fuels agreed in Dubai is accelerating. Despite the efforts of major oil producing states to slow down the green transition, multilateralism continues to support the interests of the whole world in tackling the climate crisis,” Jennifer Morgan, former German climate envoy, said in a statement.

(This is a developing story. It will be updated with more details about the Belém Political Package and the observations made by countries during the plenary which was temporarily suspended after Uruguay and Colombia expressed dissatisfaction over procedural issues, saying they weren't allowed to object to the climate deal before the gaveling. India, on the other hand, said it stood firmly with Brazil's mutirão spirit and the complete package.)