The director-general of the upcoming UN climate conference in the Brazilian city of Belém, Ana Toni, stated that climate change “is a war” in which people die every day. Ahead of COP30 in November, Latin American countries are attending a Climate Week in the Panamanian capital, where the Brazilian official spoke about it.
What do you expect from this meeting prior to the Belém conference?
This meeting talks a lot about implementation, about how we can carry out what we have said and what we want to do. COP30 represents the beginning of implementation [of measures against climate change, we have discussed a lot, we have promised many things.
Is Latin America coming with a united vision?
There are some issues on which we are working together very closely, one One of them is adaptation. We know that Latin America is a very fragile region and will suffer the consequences of climate change.
The second important issue that all countries are interested in is waste management and the circular economy. And I would say the third issue is urban migration. But above all, there is one thing that unites Latin America: the strengthening of multilateralism.
How can the region better adapt to climate change?
Latin America is already leading in many areas. For example, in Brazil, we are fighting deforestation alongside other countries. But it is true that we need support, especially financial support, to see if we can move faster in terms of energy transition. Financing will be a very important issue for us at COP30.
Are Latin American countries aware of climate change, or are there contradictions in their policies?
I have no doubt that all Latin American leaders are aware of the effects of climate change, but yes, there are many contradictions, and I would say not only in Latin America, but throughout the world, in Europe, the United States, Asia, and China.
Climate change is here to stay, unfortunately. It’s in this region where we have abundant natural resources, forests, and renewable energy, so we are part of the solution, but we have to build a new economy to benefit people and the planet.
US President Donald Trump doesn’t believe in climate change and will withdraw from the Paris Agreement in 2026
The American people are not safer because their president decided to withdraw from the Paris Agreement. We saw what happened in Los Angeles; that fire destroyed many homes.
I am deeply sorry that the US government has decided to withdraw from the Paris Agreement for the second time. I think they’ll regret it, but let us work with American institutions and with the people who want to continue taking action against climate change—there are many.
Climate change is a war in which people are dying every day from heat, drought, and flooding. We can’t allow that to happen; we have to be optimistic and work hard to accelerate action.
Do trade wars harm the fight against climate change?
Wars, whether military or commercial, are not only immoral, but anti-ecological. Trade is a very important economic instrument, and we must use it to help countries mitigate or adapt as quickly as possible. Many of our electric buses come from China or other continents. That’s the good, low-carbon trade we need to forge and support […], so those trade wars don’t help us.
Will climate change condition the geopolitical dispute between the great powers?
Climate change will change everything, and I think some of these geopolitical debates [like] the trade war between China and the United States have climate change at their core.
Carbon doesn’t have a passport and doesn’t understand our geopolitical differences […]. If someone pollutes in Uganda, China, or Brazil, it will affect an American, a Panamanian, or a Briton. That’s why we need to unite.
What is the main objective of COP30?
First, to strengthen multilateralism in the fight against climate change. One of the countries left the Paris Agreement; 197 remain. Second, to find solutions and accelerate implementation. And third, we need to make the connection between climate change and people’s daily lives.
When we talk about climate change, it seems like a problem of the future, but it’s something we deal with every day, and […] if you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem.
And the main objective of COP30 for Latin America?
I think Latin America can be part of that solution, showing the world that if we unite, we can achieve much more at COP30.
