By Abdullahi Lukman
Brazil has assured that there will be sufficient and affordable accommodations for attendees of the United Nations COP30 climate summit in Belem this November, following concerns from developing nations about rising lodging costs and limited availability.
Valter Correia, Brazil’s special secretary for the summit, said on Wednesday that the government is prioritizing access for small and island nations, many of whom voiced frustration at a recent conference in Bonn, Germany, over potentially being priced out of the event.
“We can’t leave small countries out — it would be absolutely unthinkable,” he stated.
To address these concerns, Correia revealed that over 30,000 rooms have been identified in Belem, exceeding the 20,000 rooms the UN deemed necessary to host delegations, journalists, and observers.
However, that number still falls short of Brazil’s earlier estimate of 45,000 total attendees.
Brazil has launched a dedicated booking website for 98 developing countries and island states, initially offering 1,500 rooms priced between $100 and $220 per night.
An additional 1,000 rooms will soon be added, with prices of up to $600 and later expanded to all attendees.
The government has also secured 3,900 cruise ship cabins to dock in Belem during the summit.
Civil society groups and climate activists had raised alarms for months about Belem’s limited hotel capacity.
Brazil chose the Amazonian city to highlight the global importance of rainforest preservation, but infrastructure concerns threatened to undermine inclusive participation.
Correia said more rooms will become available through private homes, repurposed facilities like schools, and alternative housing solutions.
While authorities are trying to combat price gouging, he acknowledged not all guests will be able to secure low-cost options.
The UNFCCC has not confirmed the projected attendance figure or room requirements.
