Call Of Belem For The Climate

Call Of Belem For The Climate

A Sobering Reality Check: The Tragedy of the Present

The Call begins not with hopeful platitudes, but with a stark acknowledgment of our current crisis.

From hurricanes and floods threatening small island states to droughts and fires impacting nations across Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe, rising global temperatures are causing widespread destruction.

The most vulnerable populations bear the heaviest burden, as climate change intensifies existing inequalities of race, gender, and income, exposing the poorest to the worst impacts of natural disasters.

Key Data Points on the Climate Challenge

Record-Breaking Heat:
2023 was the hottest year on record by a significant margin, with global average temperatures 1.48°C above pre-industrial levels, pushing the 1.5°C Paris limit dangerously close.
(Source: WMO)

The Emissions Gap:
Current global pledges (NDCs) put us on a path to approximately 2.6°C–2.9°C of warming by 2100. We are failing to close the “ambition gap.”
(Source: WRI)

The Finance Gap:
In 2022, developed countries finally met the $100 billion climate finance goal with USD 115.9 billion—two years past the 2020 deadline. Yet this amount is vastly insufficient against the trillions annually needed for a true global transition.
(Source: OECD)

The Adaptation Gap:
Funding remains skewed, with 60% dedicated to mitigation, while adaptation for vulnerable frontline nations received only $32.4 billion. This critical imbalance leaves communities exposed to the climate impacts already unfolding today.
(Source: OECD)

The Human Cost:
From 2015–2024, disasters triggered 265 million internal displacements. The crisis is accelerating, with a record 45.8 million people displaced in 2024 alone—nearly double the decade’s average. This mass upheaval systematically erodes health, education, and livelihoods, reversing decades of hard-won development gains worldwide.
(Source: IDMC)

The Core Asks: A Three-Pillar Framework for COP30

Pillar 1: Governance & Finance – The Engine for Implementation

This pillar focuses on turning climate promises into tangible action by strengthening political frameworks and mobilizing financial resources.

On Governance & Ambition:

  • Submit Ambitious Climate Plans: All countries must urgently present their national climate pledges (NDCs) with the highest possible ambition.
  • Build Strong Legal Frameworks: Nations need to create and enforce national laws and establish independent oversight bodies to ensure these climate policies are actually implemented and monitored.

On Finance & Support:
Without adequate funding and support, developing nations cannot meet their climate goals. The “Call of Belem” demands we:

  • Mobilize Trillions: Adopt the “Baku–Belem Roadmap” to scale climate finance to at least $1.3 trillion per year by 2035.
  • Triple Climate Funding: Drastically increase payouts from key UN climate funds by 2030 and boost contributions to the Loss and Damage Fund.
  • Fix the Financial System: Overhaul global financial rules to make green projects cheaper to fund, implement debt-for-climate swaps, and offer grants to avoid more debt.
  • Boost Technology & Skills: Accelerate the sharing of green technology, use digital tools for better policy management, and strengthen support systems to help countries execute climate action effectively.

Pillar 2: Adaptation & Resilience – A Shield for the Vulnerable

Climate change is already causing severe harm, and adaptation is the critical shield that protects people, ecosystems, and economies from these immediate impacts. The “Call of Belem” urges countries to make adaptation a central part of their climate strategy by taking two key actions:

  • Act Now with Adaptation Plans: Countries must urgently create and submit their National Adaptation Plans (NAPs). These are essential blueprints for building resilience against current and future climate threats like droughts, floods, and sea-level rise.
  • Drastically Increase Funding: There is an urgent need to scale up financial support for adaptation, with a goal of potentially tripling the available resources. This significant funding boost is crucial to help developing countries reduce their vulnerabilities and build long-term resilience, using a mix of public funds and concessional financing.

Pillar 3: People & Justice – The Human Heart of Climate Action

True climate action must improve people’s lives. The “Call of Belem” states that we cannot fight climate change without also fighting injustice. It demands a people-centered approach by:

  • Fight Poverty & Inequality: Integrate climate action with programs that eradicate poverty, hunger, and inequality.
  • Ensure a Just Transition: Guarantee fair opportunities for all in the shift to a green economy, leaving no one behind.
  • Center Frontline Communities: Address environmental racism by placing Indigenous peoples, local communities, and people of African descent at the heart of climate decisions.
  • Recognize Stewardship: Formalize the vital role of Indigenous territories and traditional knowledge as powerful natural climate solutions.

Conclusion: From Words to Action

President Lula calls on world leaders to reaffirm their commitment to global cooperation, the Paris Agreement, and a successful COP30. The time for promises is over; the era of accountable, people-centered action must begin.

At Kyoto Network, we see our mission reflected in its core demands. We are already answering this call by:

  • Translating Ambition into Action: Developing high-integrity carbon projects, like our Gum Arabic initiative in Sudan, that turn NDC targets into measurable on-the-ground impact.
  • Championing Justice: Ensuring our projects are co-designed with local and Indigenous communities, placing them at the center of both the benefits and the decision-making.
  • Building Resilient Ecosystems: Focusing on nature-based solutions that simultaneously mitigate emissions, protect biodiversity, and enhance adaptation for vulnerable populations.

The world’s leaders are now assembled in Belem. The question is no longer what needs to be done, but who will deliver. The framework is set — the time for implementation is now.