Lula appoints ambassador as COP30 president
Ambassador André Aranha Corrêa do Lago has been appointed president of the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30), set to take place in November in Belém, Pará state.
He serves as the Secretary for Climate, Energy, and the Environment at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and will be tasked with leading negotiations toward a global agreement on climate issues.
Ana Toni, the National Secretary for Climate Change at the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change, will serve as the executive director of COP30.
The announcement was made by Environment Minister Marina Silva and the Deputy Foreign Minister Maria Laura da Rocha, following a meeting with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva at the Planalto presidential palace.
"These two positions are fundamental and strategic for shaping the content, driving negotiations, and leading the entire COP process," said Silva. Logistics and infrastructure matters fall under the responsibility of the President's Chief of Staff.
Corrêa do Lago brings extensive experience in environmental, sustainable development, and climate change issues. He served as Brazil's chief negotiator in international forums on these topics from 2011 to 2013 and again in 2023 and 2024.
Ana Toni has a long history of advancing projects and public policies focused on social justice, environmental protection, and climate change.
The two were active members of Brazil's official delegation to COP29, held in November 2024 in Baku, Azerbaijan.
In a press interview, the ambassador stated that Brazil can play an "incredible role" at this year's COP, which, he emphasized, will be shaped by the collaboration of various actors—government, civil society, and business. He affirmed that the participation of the people of the Amazon, where the conference will be held, is "absolutely essential."
“The COP has several dimensions. It will have an immense significance for Brazil itself, much like RIO-92 [the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro in 1992], which had a profound impact on how Brazilians perceived climate change, the environment, and biodiversity. So, it has an extremely important national dimension,” he said.
"During this preparatory period, we will engage in extensive dialogue with civil society, as their involvement in the process is essential. Just as in RIO-92, it is the people who must believe in this agenda [of combating climate change] and contribute to making it a success," added the ambassador.
United States
Corrêa do Lago was asked about the impact of COP30 in light of the United States' withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, the 2015 international treaty focused on mitigation, adaptation, and financing to combat climate change.
He clarified that while the United States has withdrawn from the Paris Agreement, it remains a signatory to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
"There are several channels still open, but there is no doubt that this is a highly impactful political announcement," said Lago.
"The United States is an essential actor, not only because it has the largest economy but also because it is one of the biggest [greenhouse gas] emitters. It is a country that has contributed solutions to climate change, particularly through technology. The US is home to extraordinary companies, as well as numerous states and cities that are deeply engaged in this debate," he explained.
