Lula's Rallying Cry: Uniting Against Climate Denial at COP30

Tue Nov 11 2025 14:52:44 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

At the opening of COP30 in Brazil, President Lula urges nations to combat climate change misinformation and unite for environmental action.

Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva called for a united front against climate denial and fake news during the opening of COP30 in Belém. Speaking to delegates, he emphasized the need for truth in climate discussions, subtly referencing Donald Trump's past remarks on climate change. With significant gaps in participation, such as the absence of senior US officials, Lula highlighted the COP30 as a pivotal moment for environmental action. Emphasizing the importance of scientific evidence, he stated, \"It's time to inflict a new defeat on the deniers.\

The world must defeat climate denialism and fight fake news, Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has told the opening meeting of the UN climate talks. In a rallying cry to COP30, President Lula made thinly veiled references to President Donald Trump, who branded climate change a con job in September.

The two weeks of talks kicked off on Monday in the lush Brazilian city of Belém on the edge of the Amazon rainforest. They take place against a fraught political backdrop as the US has sent no senior officials.

On Monday, thousands of delegates poured into the COP venue in a heavily air-conditioned former aerodrome. Members of the Guajajara indigenous group, in traditional dress, performed a welcome song and dance for the assembled diplomats.

Addressing the conference, President Lula stated, COP30 will be the COP of truth in an era marked by fake news and misrepresentation and the rejection of scientific evidence. Without naming President Trump, he expressed, they control the algorithms, sow hatred and spread fear. He insisted that it is time to inflict a new defeat on the deniers of climate change.

The absence of key figures from the US has placed these discussions in turbulence, raising concerns about the possible undermining of the talks by the US's presence or lack thereof. UN climate chief Simon Stiell expressed optimism about recent progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, while criticizing the ongoing disputes among nations.

This conference aims to secure commitments on shifting from fossil fuels to green alternatives, finance for developing nations facing climate challenges, and initiatives to protect nature. Brazil's proposed Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF) aims to gather $125 billion for global tropical forest conservation. Despite slow fundraising efforts, discussions around this initiative remain positive.

The gathering reached its first milestone by agreeing on a conference agenda, addressing critical issues like maintaining a global temperature rise to within 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. This goal has been increasingly seen as challenging, as recent statements from the UN have accepted the reality of exceeding this target.

The COP30 discussions not only reflect the ongoing urgency of climate action but also highlight the strong declarations for truth and unity against misinformation and opposition to climate science.