November 7, 2025
Belém, Brazil (Nov. 7, 2025) – As world leaders gather in Belém this week for what is being called the “Amazon COP,” Conservation International calls for a decisive shift in the way nations finance and prioritize climate and nature solutions.
Rachel Biderman, Senior Vice President for the Americas at Conservation International, said:
“We gather this week in Belém, in the heart of the Amazon, for a reason. The world now recognizes a fundamental truth: We cannot halt climate change without protecting nature. This is not just another climate conference in another city. COP30 is the Amazon COP — a generational opportunity to elevate and strengthen the relationship between people, nature, and our climate. The goals of the Paris Agreement will not be realized if we lose the Amazon. History will remember if we don’t take this opportunity to protect it.”
“The time is now to set the foundation for a new era of climate finance — one that centers nature and people. Right now, progress lags ambition because the highest emitters have struggled to turn commitments into real action, and the wealthiest countries have failed to mobilize funding. As we set our sights on closing a $1.3 trillion annual climate funding gap, it’s incumbent on these leaders to substantiate their words with action — or everything else is moot.”
“Closing that gap starts with capitalizing the Tropical Forests Forever Facility (TFFF), which can change the scale of global investment to conserve and restore tropical forests. In the process, we need to ensure at least 20 percent of funding flows directly to Indigenous and local communities, who have proven best equipped to keep forests standing.”
“Indigenous leaders will be present in unprecedented numbers at COP30. The task is not just to listen, but to act on what they’ve long made clear: lasting progress depends on channeling resources to the communities who have safeguarded their lands for centuries. Conservation International applauds a new donor pledge of $1.8 billion to support Indigenous Peoples and local communities — and will actively work to implement it.”
“As negotiators work through the standards for trading carbon credits under Article 6.4 of the Paris Agreement, we must ensure that high-quality natural climate solutions remain eligible for crediting and trading. Even if the world miraculously closed the valve on fossil fuels tomorrow, we would shoot past our climate goals if we do not protect and restore nature. We need every financial tool in our toolbox to do so. That should be self-evident for leaders in Belém where the Amazon’s value is omnipresent.”
“The world’s return to Brazil harkens back to 1992, when thousands of representatives from more than 180 countries gathered in Rio de Janeiro to address mounting environmental concerns. In response, they adopted the “Rio Trio” – the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC); Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). It was hailed, rightfully, as a paradigm-shifting moment — the launch of our modern climate movement.”
“We should channel the same spirit, recommitting to address these interconnected issues of climate change, biodiversity loss, and land degradation together. Global collaboration is challenging, especially now, but there is no substitute. Negotiators will discuss nuanced policy differences and dissect wording, much like any COP, but we should also dare to imagine more. Humanity has historically proven capable of tremendous things in the face of adversity, and we should aspire to the same. Leaders who resort to half measures — or worse — will be judged harshly by history. The rest of us must find the courage to think bigger and fight harder for the planet we call home.”
About Conservation International: Conservation International protects nature for the benefit of humanity. Through science, policy, fieldwork and finance, we spotlight and secure the most important places in nature for the climate, for biodiversity and for people. With offices in 30 countries and projects in more than 100 countries, Conservation International partners with governments, companies, civil society, Indigenous peoples and local communities to help people and nature thrive together.
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