By Abdullahi Lukman
A procedural deadlock has stalled negotiations at the COP30 climate summit in Belém, Brazil, where five days of talks have produced little progress after delegates failed to agree on which issues should take priority.
Four contentious agenda items were moved into a separate consultation track at the summit’s opening, but none have advanced, leaving the conference at a standstill.
The European Union and Small Island States are pushing for formal negotiations on the global mitigation gap—the difference between current national climate pledges and the emissions cuts required to limit warming to 1.5°C.
Many developing nations, however, insist the talks must first address climate finance obligations from wealthier countries, a topic richer nations have resisted elevating.
Climate advocates warn that both issues must be tackled simultaneously. “Parties should move out of their fixed positions to unlock this stalemate,” said Mattias Söderberg, global climate lead at DanChurchAid, emphasizing that deepening climate impacts leave little time for further delays.
Despite the broader deadlock, negotiations on adaptation finance have shown some momentum, with growing backing for a proposal from least developed countries to triple current funding.
Söderberg welcomed the development, stressing the urgency for communities already facing climate-related losses.
Delegates are also preparing for Saturday’s discussion of the Baku-Belém Roadmap, a plan aimed at mobilizing $1.3 trillion annually for climate action.
Söderberg said the roadmap must evolve into a detailed implementation plan, adding, “Without climate finance, there will be no climate action.”