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Dear John,

The UN climate talks have drawn to a close here in Belém, Brazil.

The negotiations were fraught. And rich countries really had to be dragged to the table kicking and screaming to reach the outcome we have today.

It’s not the first time I’ve witnessed them trying to bully developing countries into accepting a weak agreement. Yet again their selfishness wrecked any chance to secure a meaningful roadmap away from fossil fuels – one with concrete steps to help countries deal with the climate crisis. 

But this time I can at least say we have taken a small step forward. And that will be welcomed by the millions for whom these talks are life or death.

This eleventh hour deal finally achieved 2 of the key outcomes that countries on the front lines of climate breakdown have long been demanding:

1. The Just Transition mechanism* was agreed. This is a new programme designed to ensure that no one gets left behind as we transition away from fossil fuels. It will focus on making sure plans are created that everyone benefits from. Such as cheaper, clean energy and well paid jobs.

Ed Miliband’s UK delegation was a major blocker to a global agreement earlier in the week. But after thousands of you demanded he back the agreement – and unprecedented pressure from across the climate movement – they finally got behind it. This is a real victory for people power.

2. More money to adapt to climate breakdown. While the tripling of cash over the next 10 years to help developing countries adapt is only a fraction of what’s needed, it’s a start. What is needed is real finance, not more debt creating loans. It does however signal that rich countries are being forced to recognise how critical this is to global cooperation on climate.

The reality and scale of the crisis means that small steps forward aren’t going to be enough. The world needs to start taking giant leaps to cut emissions, fast. Instead there were lots of strong words about ambition to curb greenhouse gases at COP30. But very little in terms of concrete plans. I won’t sugarcoat it – the consequences will be terrifying if words aren’t turned into action soon.

But like I said before the talks started, any progress can be the difference between life and death for someone, somewhere. So for the steps forward we made I’m incredibly proud of all the support you’ve given. And the tireless efforts of everyone from Friends of the Earth International here in Belém.

Two areas of major disappointment are the roadmaps to cut emissions from fossil fuels and deforestation. Big promises on fossil fuels are a road to nowhere without concrete plans. And failure on forests is particularly painful given the talks were in the Amazon. Our forest experts are going to pore over the details over the coming days, but I’m afraid there weren’t the breakthroughs we’d hoped might be possible.

We’ll share more news from Belém in the coming days. Including some of your photos from the global day of action last Saturday. But for now thank you for your incredible support. For the donations. For the emails to Ed Miliband. For the solidarity you’ve shown with forest defenders. For everything. It all matters.

And if you do just one thing today, please demand that big polluters are made to cough up the cash to fix the crisis they’ve caused. It’ll help us make those giant leaps forward when we go to COP31 in Turkey next year.

I'LL SIGN THE PETITION ( [link removed] )

For the final time, best wishes from Belém,
Asad
Chief Executive, Friends of the Earth

* The "Just Transition mechanism" is an evolution of the "Belém Action Mechanism" that I asked you to support last week.

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