Nearly 100 countries, including almost 40 heads of state and government, announced or reaffirmed their commitment to submitting new climate targets ahead of the November gathering.

The event, convened jointly by UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, served as a crucial milestone on the road to Belém. For the first time, major economies such as China, the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitter, and Nigeria (Africa’s most populous nation) unveiled economy-wide reduction targets that cover all greenhouse gases across every sector. Other countries set out plans for renewable energy expansion, methane reduction, forest conservation, and phasing out fossil fuels.

In his opening statement, Secretary-General Guterres highlighted the urgency of the moment. “The science demands action. The law commands it. The economics compel it. And people are calling for it,” he declared, stressing that the upcoming COP must conclude with a credible global response plan that aligns with the 1.5°C target.

Secretary-General António Guterres addresses the Climate Summit 2025,

a high-Level special event on Climate Action. Photo: UN Photoa

According to the UN, around two-thirds of global greenhouse gas emissions are now covered by the new or forthcoming targets. This marks a significant expansion of ambition since the Paris Agreement was signed in 2015.

Countries’ pledges varied in scope but shared a common focus on accelerating the energy transition. Some nations committed to boosting renewable capacity, while others pledged to cut methane, a potent greenhouse gas that warms the planet more rapidly than carbon dioxide. Several governments emphasized ending deforestation and protecting ecosystems, including tropical forests that play a vital role in absorbing carbon emissions.

Developing countries highlighted the importance of integrating adaptation and resilience measures into their climate strategies. They stressed that without adequate financing; their ambitions could not be fully realized. Many also pointed to the urgent need for scaled-up support to manage the costs of transitioning to low-carbon economies while addressing ongoing challenges such as food insecurity, poverty, and vulnerability to extreme weather.

While the new announcements were welcomed, leaders and experts agreed that the world still has a long way to go to meet the Paris Agreement’s temperature goals. The UN’s latest projections suggest that if current plans are fully implemented, global temperature rise could be limited to under 3°C by the end of the century. While this is better than the 4°C once feared, it is still far above the 1.5°C threshold needed to avert the most catastrophic impacts of climate change.

To bridge this gap, the Secretary-General called for what he termed a “decade of acceleration.” He outlined five priority areas:

1. Energy Transition — Rapidly scaling up clean energy while phasing down fossil fuels, redirecting subsidies, and improving access to finance for developing nations.
2. Methane Reductions — Cutting emissions from fossil fuel operations, much of which can be done at no net cost.
3. Forests — Ending deforestation to protect carbon sinks that could deliver up to one-fifth of needed emissions reductions by 2030.
4. Heavy Industry — Deploying technologies to decarbonize steel, cement, and transport.
5. Climate Justice — Ensuring developing countries receive the financial and technical support required to adapt, transition, and recover from climate-related damages.

Guterres pointed to examples of progress to show what is possible: China reaching its 2030 solar and wind energy goals six years ahead of schedule, and India achieving 50% non-fossil fuel electricity capacity five years early. “We are in the dawn of a new energy era,” he said, urging countries to seize the moment.

Turning Plans into Practice

In the days leading up to the summit, a series of “Climate Solutions Dialogues” was held by the UN, Brazil, and international partners. These sessions brought together governments, businesses, civil society, and financial institutions to identify practical pathways for accelerating action.

Discussions covered a wide range of issues, including:

• Expanding early warning systems for extreme heat,
• Building digital public infrastructure for climate data,
• Mobilizing climate finance,
• Curbing methane emissions,
• Decarbonizing industry, and
• Protecting tropical forests.

The recommendations from these dialogues will feed into the preparations for COP30, ensuring that the summit in Brazil is grounded in concrete solutions rather than broad statements.

Closing with a Call for Unity

The summit concluded with remarks from UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, who hailed both progresses made and echoed the challenges ahead.

Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed (right) meets with

Maryam bint Ali bin Nasser Al Misnad, Minister of State for International Cooperation

at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar. Photo: UN Photo

 “Over 100 countries representing more than 66% of global emissions have now submitted or announced new climate targets. This sends a message of unity, hope, and optimism that climate remains a priority,” she said.

She stressed, however, that ambition alone will not be enough. Implementation and financing must follow swiftly, especially for developing nations. COP30, she noted, must deliver a credible plan to mobilize $1.3 trillion annually in climate finance by 2035, as agreed at last year’s COP29 in Baku.

Echoing the voices of youth activists who participated in the summit, Mohammed concluded with a reminder that the coming decade will determine the planet’s future. “Turning the global economy off fossil fuels and onto renewables is a herculean task. But it is one that is entirely possible. Today’s meeting showed that political will remains strong, and that multilateralism, justice, and solidarity are at the core of our efforts to solve the climate crisis.”

Written by Dr. Florence Omisakin