Belém, Brazil – From November 10 to 21, 2025, nearly 50,000 delegates will converge on Belém, Pará, for the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30). Hosted in the heart of the Amazon rainforest, the summit aims to accelerate global efforts to limit warming to 1.5 °C, while spotlighting the needs and ambitions of emerging economies—nations that have contributed less historically to greenhouse‐gas emissions but face disproportionate risks from climate impacts WikipediaUNFCCC. As developing countries push for more finance, technology transfer, and fair transition pathways, COP30 presents both unprecedented opportunities and significant challenges for these economies.
Summit Overview
Belém was chosen after Brazil’s President Lula da Silva announced the city’s bid during COP27 in Sharm El‐Sheikh, with the UNFCCC formally confirming it in January 2023 Wikipedia. The 11‐day conference will be centered at the Hangar Convention and Exhibition Centre, with side events held across the city’s revamped infrastructure UNFCCC. In preparation, local authorities have undertaken upgrades—including sewage improvements and flood defenses—and plan to add 26,000 additional beds, from cruise ships to military facilities, to meet record‐high accommodation demands WikipediaSDG Knowledge Hub.
Emerging Economies at the Table
Emerging economies—often grouped under acronyms such as BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) and “Global South” coalitions—enter COP30 seeking greater influence over the global agenda. COP30 President‐Designate André Aranha Corrêa do Lago has explicitly courted BRICS support to build consensus for increased climate finance, defending these nations’ domestic efforts to reduce emissions and invest in green technologies Reuters. During last year’s G20 summit in India, Brazil successfully blocked language that would have tasked emerging markets with co-financing climate aid, underscoring the political leverage they now wield Reuters.
Finance: A Double-Edged Sword
One of COP30’s central battlegrounds will be climate finance. Wealthy nations pledged to mobilize US $100 billion annually for developing countries by 2020, yet actual delivery has fallen short. Adaptation finance reached only US $28 billion in 2022—far below the estimated US $359 billion needed each year—according to the UN Environment Programme Reuters. At COP29 in Baku, parties agreed on a “Roadmap to 1.3T,” aiming to scale annual climate financing from US $300 billion to at least US $1.3 trillion by 2035 WikipediaCarbon Brief. Emerging economies stand to gain vital funding for adaptation and low-carbon development, yet risk being saddled with debt when loans—rather than grants—dominate the funding mix Reuters.
Technology Transfer and Green Growth
Technology transfer remains a linchpin for many middle-income countries. China’s massive investments in solar manufacturing and electric-vehicle production have driven down global module prices by over 80 percent since 2010, directly benefiting developing-world buyers Reuters. Similarly, Brazil plans to showcase its Tropical Forest Forever Facility—a proposed US $125 billion blended-finance fund to reward conservation—hoping to catalyze private sector participation in nature-based solutions WikipediaWikipedia. For nations like India and Indonesia, such innovations offer pathways to diversify energy mixes and create green jobs, but hinge on clear intellectual property protocols and capacity-building support.
Risks: Stranded Assets and Economic Disruption
While finance and technology promise growth, they also portend losses for economies reliant on fossil fuels and resource exports. Brazil’s ambitious Nationally Determined Contribution targets a 59–67 percent cut in emissions by 2035, yet almost half of its greenhouse gases stem from deforestation—an industry employing thousands in the Amazon Reuters. Failure to provide robust transition support could strand assets in coal and oil sectors across South Africa, Indonesia, and Mexico, igniting social unrest and fiscal instability.
Political Dynamics Ahead of COP30
U.S. climate diplomacy has seen mixed signals under President Trump’s administration, including the closure of its UN climate office—heightening calls among emerging economies for autonomous funding mechanisms Wikipedia. Meanwhile, Africa’s negotiators, led by Ali Mohamed, chair of the African Group, insist there is “no reverse gear” on commitments, emphasizing that renewable investments are outpacing fossil fuels in cost competitiveness Reuters. Such assertiveness reflects a shift: developing nations are not merely recipients but key agenda-setters in multilateral talks.
Voices from the South
“China is providing infinitely more resources to the developing world by massively reducing the price of solar panels and the cost of electric vehicles,” said COP30 President‐Designate André Corrêa do Lago, adding that these market interventions outweigh symbolic donations Reuters.
“There is no reverse gear in confronting climate change,” warned Ali Mohamed, underscoring Africa’s demand for a fairer global financial architecture and robust adaptation funds Reuters.
Looking Ahead: Stakes for Emerging Economies
As COP30 unfolds, emerging economies will press for a finance package that balances mitigation and adaptation, robust technology transfer, and safeguard mechanisms against market shocks. Success could unlock trillions in green investment, elevate domestic industries, and fortify climate resilience. Yet failure risks deepened debt burdens, unfulfilled development needs, and widening equity gaps. For Belém—and the world—it is a litmus test of whether multilateralism can deliver on its 1.5 °C promise without leaving the Global South behind.
