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November 19, 2025 Peace and security

"On the night of November 19, further strikes by the Russian Armed Forces killed at least 20 civilians and wounded more than a hundred, including children," according to a statement from the United Nations Office for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

Humanitarian Coordinator Matthias Schmale strongly condemned the attacks. According to OCHA, homes and critical civilian infrastructure, including medical and educational facilities, were severely damaged across the country.

From Kharkiv in the east to Ternopil and the Ivano-Frankivsk region in western Ukraine, families have lost loved ones, been injured, and lost their homes. At least a dozen children are reportedly among the victims. "Their suffering is inexcusable," noted the OCHA's Ukrainian office.

The strikes also damaged energy infrastructure, causing power outages and exacerbating the impact of previous attacks. With temperatures already below freezing in some regions of Ukraine, these outages pose a serious threat to millions of people.

"Such ongoing harm to civilians and the continued destruction of critical civilian infrastructure is absolutely unacceptable," the statement emphasized. "The targeting of civilians and objects essential to their survival is prohibited by international humanitarian law."

The UN calls for all efforts to protect the Ukrainian population and reminds that civilians "should never be targeted."

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November 19, 2025 Humanitarian aid

Over the past year, more than 250,000 people have fled Ukraine's Donetsk region. Evacuations are also ongoing in neighboring regions – Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, Sumy, and Zaporizhzhia. The front line continues to shift, forcing people to flee their homes. UNHCR staff are providing support to both those evacuated and those remaining in frontline areas.

Federico Sersale, head of the UNHCR office in Dnipro, told the UN News Service that most of those remaining are elderly or people with disabilities. Some refuse to leave because they fear they will never return home. Others are simply unable to evacuate on their own and require assistance.

A difficult choice

Life in frontline areas is extremely harsh: constant shelling, interruptions in electricity, heat, and water, and the impossibility of free movement. But despite all this, convincing those remaining there to leave can be extremely difficult.

"I think the most important thing is to remember that it's their choice: to leave or to stay. We try to provide them with as much information as possible so that they can make an informed decision," Sersale noted.

UNHCR support

UNHCR and partner organizations continue to provide essential assistance to those who choose to remain.

"When we have access to these areas, we provide various types of support – from basic items like warm blankets to materials for repairing homes damaged by shelling. We also provide psychosocial support and legal assistance."

The most vulnerable of those evacuated are usually taken to transit centers – government-run facilities where they can spend a few days in safety, receive basic services, and then continue on their way.

"46 percent of people passing through these centers are elderly or people with limited mobility. This is a new trend," Sersale said.

"We help set up these centers, providing them with everything they need: beds, blankets, washing machines—everything they need to operate. We also provide people with services, including psychosocial and legal support, as well as financial assistance to cover basic expenses. Everything depends on the needs," he said.

"Eyes full of hope and strength"

Svitlana, an elderly resident of a frontline district in the Zaporizhzhia region who uses a wheelchair, ended up in one of these transit centers, located south of the Dnipro River. She and her husband had long refused to leave and lived in dire conditions: there was no electricity in their house, and drones regularly flew nearby. A few weeks ago, when the situation in the region worsened, Svitlana finally decided to leave.

She spent several days in the transit center and received the assistance she needed, including financial support. She was later transferred to the UNHCR-supported Ocean of Kindness center in Dnipro. The organization provides temporary housing for displaced people, including people with disabilities like Svetlana.

UNHCR

Several weeks ago, Svetlana decided to leave the frontline region of the Zaporizhzhia region.

"That's where I met her. It's a temporary solution. Now she's waiting for the opportunity to move into more permanent housing," Federico Sersale said.

"When I saw her, I was struck by her energy. Despite everything she'd been through, there was still hope and vitality in her eyes," he added.

Long-term solutions

One of the most serious challenges for internally displaced persons like Svetlana remains finding long-term solutions – housing and comprehensive, systemic support.

“This could be living in a nursing home, receiving home care, or being able to stay in your own home while still receiving the services you need,” Sersale explained.

"Housing for internally displaced people is one of the key issues," he emphasized. "We are actively working in this direction."

While Svetlana decides where she can live in the future, UNHCR continues to support her and other displaced people.

"I think her story perfectly captures what life is like on the front lines: having to make the agonizingly difficult decision of whether to leave or stay, and then finding the strength to start over again."

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Felipe de Carvalho, Belém

November 18, 2025 Climate and environment

Kombu Island rises like a green wall above the Guama River in Brazil. Local communities have lived in harmony with nature for centuries. Here, cupuaçu, tapereba, pupunha, arazá, and cacao are more than just fruits. They are inextricably linked to local identity, culture, and economy.

But today, Kombu's natural wealth is in danger. To protect the world's forests, the UN emphasizes, we must first support those who preserve them.

Chocolate in harmony with nature

Kombu is just 30 minutes by boat from Belém, the gateway to the Amazon, the city currently hosting UN Climate Change Conference (COP30)The association "Daughter of Combu" (Filha do Combu), founded by businesswoman Izete Costa, better known as Dona Nena, operates here. Her project demonstrates that community-led movements can influence global action to combat climate change.

What began as a modest attempt to turn tradition into a source of income has blossomed into a thriving enterprise. Dona Nena began by producing chocolate from Amazonian cacao and selling it at local fairs, then underwent professional training to expand her business.

UN News Service/F. de Carvalho

Today, she runs a small factory and a tour program where participants can see how chocolate is made in the rainforest. Of the 20 employees, 16 are women.

The production is based on agroecological principles, including the use of only locally grown plants.

"I try to enrich the forest with what grows well," says Dona Nena. "We don't cut down trees to plant anything. We work with the existing forest and plant trees where there's natural decline."

Solar energy and plans for the future

The factory, whose products are sold throughout Brazil, operates eight hours a day on solar power. One of the main challenges is power outages. When trees fall or power lines are damaged, machines are idle for days. Dona Nena hopes to double her solar capacity to ensure stable production.

In addition to problems with the power grid, Kombu is feeling the effects of climate change. Cocoa harvests are declining, and fruits and trees are drying up and becoming deformed. Furthermore, the island is facing problems with drinking water: despite the start of the rainy season, Kombu has not seen rain for over 15 days.

Local solutions with global impact

Last Sunday, Annalena Baerbock, President of the UN General Assembly, visited Komba for the second time – she first met Dona Nena while still serving as German Foreign Minister.

"I am pleased to see the project thriving and creating value chains in the heart of regional communities – benefiting indigenous peoples and local residents," Baerbock told UN News Service.

UN News Service/F. de Carvalho

According to her, the initiative proves that real solutions already exist. They combine economic growth, sustainable development, and the fight against the climate crisis. Scaling up such models is necessary to keep global temperature rise within two degrees Celsius—ideally, 1.5 degrees Celsius.

"Destroying forests is destroying humanity's safety net," Baerbock warned.

"COP30 must show the world that even in geopolitically challenging times, countries, businesses and financial institutions are uniting to combat the climate crisis and ensure sustainable growth for all," she added.

Lessons from the Forests

After tasting Amazonian fruits and local chocolates, Dona Nena led Berbock along a forest trail where they had met women who produce cocoa two years earlier.

They discussed how the project helps expand the economic opportunities of local women. Dona Nena emphasized that women bring a special energy of care and devotion, which is reflected in the quality of the chocolate.

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Along the way, Nena and Baerbok saw a tapereba tree dying under the grip of a parasitic vine. "When the tree dies, the vine will die too, deprived of its food source," Dona Nena explained. Baerbok noted that this was a "hidden lesson" that reminded them of the global emissions destroying the planet.

But the forest also holds hope. They stopped before a sumauma tree, an Amazonian giant over 280 years old. These trees, members of the baobab family, may survive for centuries to come—if the COP30 participants achieve the necessary results.

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November 18, 2025 UN

Top news from the UN and around the world: The UN Secretary-General welcomes the Security Council's adoption of a resolution establishing an International Stabilization Force in Gaza, terrorism in West Africa poses a global threat, the world's population continues to migrate to cities, and Drug Resistance Awareness Week.

UN Security Council decision on Gaza

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the adoption of the resolution by the Security Council On the establishment of an International Stabilization Force in Gaza. The resolution, proposed by the United States, was supported on Monday by 13 countries, with two – Russia and China – abstaining. Guterres called the vote an important step toward "consolidating the ceasefire." Meanwhile, UN humanitarian agencies are warning that many Palestinian children in the enclave will not be able to withstand another harsh winter and are expressing hope that the adopted document will allow for a rapid expansion of aid.

The situation in West Africa

In West Africa and the Sahel region, terrorist groups are expanding their activities, forced displacement is growing, and essential services are declining. These trends, as UN Secretary-General António Guterres noted in his address to the Security Council on Tuesday, pose a growing threat not only regionally but also globally. The Sahel region, which stretches between the continent's two coasts, accounts for 19 percent of all those affected by terrorism. Nearly a million people in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and neighboring countries have been forced to flee their homes.

Urbanization trends

In the middle of the last century, only 20 percent of the world's population lived in cities, while today this figure is 45 percent of the total population of the planet, which has already reached 8.2 billion. However, the study's authors believe that urbanization will slow in the coming years. This is stated in a new report published on Tuesday by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs. According to the study, the number of megacities – urban agglomerations with populations over 10 million – has quadrupled: from eight in 1975 to 33 in 2025. More than half of them are in Asia. The only non-Asian city in the top ten remains Cairo, Egypt.

Antibiotic resistance

Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week kicked off on November 18. The UN reminds everyone that this problem is becoming increasingly acute and already poses a public health threat. The campaign's slogan, "Time to Act: Protect the Present, Care for the Future," emphasizes the need for urgent action. One of the main factors exacerbating the crisis is the reckless use of antibiotics. As part of the Week, the UN calls on everyone worldwide to use these medications only on the advice of a doctor and to adhere to the treatment regimen prescribed by a specialist.

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November 18, 2025 Peace and security

The UN Secretary-General welcomed the Security Council's adoption of a resolution establishing an International Stabilization Force in Gaza. He called it an important step toward "consolidating the ceasefire." Meanwhile, UN humanitarian agencies warn that many Palestinian children in the enclave will not be able to endure another harsh winter.

"We very much hope that peace initiatives will change the situation for the better," UNICEF spokesman Ricardo Pires told reporters in Geneva on Tuesday.

"But again, the reality for children on the ground remains extremely tragic," he added.

Commenting on the Security Council resolution based on the US peace plan, Jens Laerke, a representative of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), noted that for now everything remains "at the level of hypotheses" and that the document lacks specifics.

A resolution supporting the Comprehensive Plan to End the Conflict in Gaza, announced by US President Donald Trump on September 29, was approved by 13 Security Council member states. China and Russia abstained.

The Peace Council and the Interim International Force

The resolution welcomes the creation of a transitional administration called the "Peace Council," reportedly headed by President Trump. This structure will coordinate reconstruction efforts in Gaza, including the delivery of humanitarian aid.

The plan also states that the United States will work with Arab and international partners to establish a temporary International Stabilization Force.

In a statement released by his press service last night, the UN Secretary-General called on all parties to the conflict to observe the ceasefire.

Guterres noted the "ongoing diplomatic efforts" of Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, the United States and other countries to resolve the crisis, stressing the importance of moving to the second phase of the US plan, which should lead to a political process to achieve a two-state solution "in accordance with previous UN resolutions."

Children in Gaza will have a hard time surviving the winter

Meanwhile, in Gaza, humanitarian organizations stressed on Tuesday that two years of devastating war between Hamas and Israel, coupled with a chronic shortage of humanitarian aid, have left the Strip's population in dire straits.

Heavy rains have fallen in the enclave in recent days, flooding the worn-out tents in which many families, displaced multiple times by the fighting, live, said Ricardo Pires, a representative of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

"We see heartbreaking examples: desperate families are distraught and exhausted, their tents flooded," he said. "For war-torn children, sleeping in soaked tents, without warm clothing or dry blankets, with weakened immune systems, winter becomes an extremely dangerous ordeal."

According to Pires, worsening weather conditions have increased the number of requests for medical care, especially among children weakened by malnutrition, hunger, injuries and repeated displacement.

He explained that since Israeli forces control more than 50 percent of the enclave's territory, many of the areas where Gazans are being resettled are located on the coast – and these are the areas most susceptible to flooding.

More aid arrives in Gaza

A UNICEF representative called for greater access to the sector for humanitarian convoys, recalling that this is “part of the peace agreements.”

According to OCHA, over 5,400 tons of aid, including shelter, medicine, and food, were delivered from Thursday to Sunday. With the opening of the Zikim crossing, three crossings are now operational in Gaza.

“More, much more [humanitarian aid] is needed,” Pires emphasized. “And we hope that with the new plan, this will become a reality for children and their families.”

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November 18, 2025 Economic development

In the middle of the last century, only 20 percent of the world's population lived in cities, while today that figure stands at 45 percent of the planet's total population, which has already reached 8.2 billion. However, the study's authors believe that urbanization will slow down. This is according to a new report published today by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA).

Urbanization is one of the most significant demographic shifts in human history, fundamentally changing how and where people live, work, and form communities.

This trend brings significant benefits, but at the same time it also creates obvious challengesPositive aspects include economic development, job creation, and access to education, healthcare, and infrastructure for a larger number of people. Cities stimulate innovation and increase productivity by concentrating resources and specialists. However, rapid population growth creates challenges: housing shortage, traffic congestion and pollution, pressure on water and energy resources. Social inequality may also be increasing. In many places, rapid urbanization is associated with the emergence of slums, an increasing number of people living in inadequate housing conditions, and having no legal guaranteesUrbanization thus requires a balanced policy that will harness its economic and social potential while minimizing environmental and social risks.

According to the report, between 1975 and 2025, the area of built-up and populated land increased almost twice as fast as the global population. Furthermore, cities, towns, and rural areas are closely interconnected. Approximately 60 percent of the land converted to urban areas since 1970 was previously used as productive agricultural land. Effective urban policies in housing, transportation, and services can reduce pressure on large cities and promote balanced development. Bridging the gap between urban and rural areas requires investment in infrastructure and support for farmers and small towns.

Global trends

In 1950, urban living was relatively rare: only 20 percent of the world's 2.5 billion people lived in cities—population centers with at least 50,000 people and a population density of at least 1,500 people per square kilometer. After decades of urbanization, cities will be home to 45 percent of the world's 8.2 billion people by 2025.

The share of the world's population living in small towns and urban settlements – places with at least 5,000 people and a density of at least 300 people per square kilometre – has gradually declined from 40 percent in 1950 to 36 percent in 2025.

Rural areas are characterized by lower population densities than cities. Today, less than 20 percent of the world's population lives in them—half the number in the mid-20th century.

Unsplash/Appai

Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia.

Meanwhile, the number of megacities—urban agglomerations with populations over 10 million—has quadrupled, from eight in 1975 to 33 in 2025. More than half of these are in Asia. Jakarta, Indonesia, leads the world in population (almost 42 million), followed by Dhaka, Bangladesh (around 40 million), and Tokyo, Japan (33 million). The only non-Asian city in the top ten remains Cairo, Egypt.

However, the report's authors emphasize that the majority of urban growth is occurring outside megacities. More than 96 percent of all cities worldwide have fewer than a million residents, and most of them are growing faster than the largest metropolitan areas.

India, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Bangladesh and Ethiopia are collectively expected to add more than 500 million urban residents between 2025 and 2050, accounting for more than half of the projected global urban population increase of 986 million over that period.

Moscow is among the largest megacities

Moscow, Europe's largest city, is among the world's megacities examined in the report. According to the report, the Russian capital saw its population grow by more than 3 million residents between 2000 and 2025. Today, Moscow ranks 20th among the world's largest megacities, with a population of 14.5 million. By 2050, the city is projected to have 15.5 million residents.

At the same time, in Russia as a whole, many cities continued to grow even against the backdrop of a general decline in the country's population.

Central Asia: Urban population growth

The Central Asian countries are seeing growth in urban systems. The region is distinguished by a high proportion of the population living in small towns and urban settlements. However, the report's authors predict a decline in this figure due to the growing share of large cities.

In Kazakhstan, the share of the population living in large cities is projected to increase from 45.3 percent in 2025 to 51 percent in 2050. Currently, 22.4 percent of the country lives in rural areas, and 32.2 percent live in small towns and urban-type settlements.

In Kyrgyzstan, 23.1 percent of the population lives in rural areas, while 35.5 percent lives in towns and other urbanized settlements. The share of residents living in large cities is projected to increase from 35.5 percent in 2025 to 43.4 percent by 2050.

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In Tajikistan, over 51 percent of the population lives in urban settlements outside major cities. Rural residents account for 15.5 percent. The share of the population living in major cities is projected to increase from 33.3 percent in 2025 to 46.8 percent in 2050. Nearly 90 percent of residents are projected to live in urban areas.

In Turkmenistan, the urban population accounted for 32.5 percent in 2025 and is projected to increase to 37.8 percent by 2050. Currently, 21.7 percent of the country's population lives in rural areas, and 45.8 percent in small towns and urban-type settlements.

Meanwhile, in Uzbekistan, the urban population will increase from 43.8 percent to 54.6 percent over the next 25 years. Currently, 43.3 percent of the country's population lives in small towns, while 12.8 percent lives in villages. By 2050, the rural population will be less than 9 percent.

Ubrenization in Europe

In Europe, developed urban systems and vast rural areas coexist. In a number of countries in the region, rural settlements remain the most common settlement pattern. These countries include Austria, Bulgaria, Poland, France, Finland, and Romania. In these countries, despite the general European trend toward urbanization, the majority of the population continues to live in rural areas.

Ukraine stands out as a country that lost more than one million urban residents between 2000 and 2025. According to the report, virtually all Ukrainian cities experienced population declines between 2015 and 2025, which the report's authors attribute to the humanitarian crisis.

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November 18, 2025 Humanitarian aid

The world is plunging into a global food crisis, and resources to help everyone in need are critically insufficient, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) warned on Tuesday.

According to the organization's 2026 forecast, 318 million people will be on the brink of famine or worse next year—more than double the 2019 figure. However, due to cuts in global humanitarian funding, WFP is forced to provide assistance to only a third of those in need.

In 2026, the organization plans to support 110 million people—among the most vulnerable—requiring approximately $13 billion. However, current projections indicate that WFP may only receive approximately half of this amount.

"The world is facing famine in several regions simultaneously – in Gaza and parts of Sudan. This is completely unacceptable in the 21st century," emphasized WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain.

"Across the world, hunger is becoming chronic. WFP has proven time and again that early, effective, and innovative solutions save lives and change lives. But we desperately need massive support to continue this critical work," she added.

In 2025, WFP's famine prevention efforts helped a number of communities avoid disaster. However, the global food crisis continues unabated: due to conflicts, extreme weather events, and economic instability, 2026 is expected to be another year of acute food insecurity.

WFP will continue to provide emergency food assistance, support and training for communities, and technical support to governments. A special focus will be placed on innovation and technology to expand assistance to families who are entirely dependent on humanitarian aid.

"We are transforming our work to invest more in long-term solutions to food security," McCain said.

WFP calls on the international community to invest in proven solutions that can stop the spread of hunger.

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November 17, 2025 Peace and security

On Monday, the UN Security Council approved a US-submitted draft resolution calling for the creation of an International Stabilization Force (ISF) in the Gaza Strip. Thirteen states voted in favor, with Russia and China abstaining.

The document builds on the Comprehensive Plan previously proposed by US President Donald Trump. It aims to restore security, ensure humanitarian access, and initiate a long-term process of reconstruction and institutional reform in the enclave following two years of devastating conflict between Israel and Hamas.

The voting results mean that the MCC will receive an official international legal basis for deployment. This is considered a key condition for states willing to contribute personnel and funding. This is not a UN mission: the project envisions a multinational formation outside the peacekeeping system.

Russia previously proposed its own version of the resolution, which would have tasked the Secretary-General with developing proposals for a possible stabilization mission. The Russian draft was not put to a vote.

American draft resolution

The US plan calls for the creation of an International Stabilization Force (ISF), which will work in coordination with Israel and Egypt and will have an initial two-year mandate. The ISF's key tasks include ensuring security along Gaza's borders, protecting civilians, facilitating the delivery of humanitarian aid, supporting the training and deployment of a revamped Palestinian police force, and overseeing the final disarmament of Hamas and other armed groups.

The text of the US proposal also indicates that Israel will fully withdraw its forces once the Force has established sustainable security control and operational governance throughout the Strip.

A transitional mechanism—a Peace Council—is proposed to coordinate security, humanitarian response, and recovery. The Comprehensive Plan outlines a path to Palestinian self-governance and, ultimately, statehood, linked to governance reforms and the completion of key recovery stages.

Why is this important?

The document could become a decisive step from the active phase of the conflict to a transitional period of stabilization, restoration and governance reform in Gaza.

The vote also tested the Security Council's ability to agree on a framework for a post-war settlement, while the regional situation remains extremely tense. According to diplomatic sources, Washington had previously warned Security Council members that without an agreed-upon solution, there was a risk of renewed violence and the breakdown of the fragile ceasefire.

Council discussions focused on the governance structure, command structure, the sequencing of security tasks, and the role of the Palestinian Authority. Some Council members expressed concern about the extent of external oversight and the lack of clarity regarding the ultimate political model for governing Gaza.

The way forward

What will matter next is which states express their willingness to provide troops and equipment for the MCC, and under what conditions, as well as whether Israel agrees to the proposed troop withdrawal sequence and new command structure.

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November 17, 2025 Culture and education

A permanent memorial, "The Flower of Srebrenica," dedicated to one of the most tragic chapters in Europe's recent history, was unveiled in the garden of the UN headquarters in New York City on the East River. The sculpture was donated to the UN earlier this year by Bosnia and Herzegovina to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide.

War in the Balkans

The war that followed the breakup of Yugoslavia claimed over 100,000 lives in Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1992 to 1995, mostly Bosniak Muslims, and forced more than two million more to flee their homes. People were detained and placed in concentration camps, thousands of Bosnian women were systematically raped—the list of atrocities committed is endless, but Srebrenica remains the most horrific chapter of that war.

Genocide in Srebrenica

In July 1995, Bosnian Serb forces captured the city of Srebrenica, previously declared a "safe zone" by the UN, and brutally murdered approximately 8,000 men and adolescents. The UN was unable to prevent this genocide – a small and poorly armed contingent of Dutch peacekeepers proved unable to resist the Bosnian Serb forces. The largest massacre in Europe since the Holocaust occurred. Another 20,000 people were expelled from their city.

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The International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia have recognized the massacre of Bosnian Muslims in Srebrenica, committed by the Army of Republika Srpska, as an act of genocide.

"We also acknowledge a bitter truth that must be spoken openly," said UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, opening the ensemble. "The United Nations failed to protect the people of Srebrenica. That is why this memorial is located here, on this site, in this garden. It is symbolic that the flower of Srebrenica has taken root at UN headquarters. It is a silent, yet powerful, and constant reminder of the responsibility we bear to those we failed to protect."

Photo UN/L. Felipe

Bosnia and Herzegovina donated the memorial to the UN as part of the UN Srebrenica Genocide Awareness Programme. "The permanent memorial is an integral part of this programme, designed to encourage visitors to reflect on what happened and honor the memory of the victims," UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said at a briefing.

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November 17, 2025 Climate and environment

As the UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) enters its final phase this week, the UN is reminding everyone that time is running out to achieve climate justice.

In the negotiating rooms, according to Simon Still, Executive Secretariat of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), there is a “deep understanding… that climate cooperation can stand the test of a divided world.”

"There is no time to delay"

On Monday, the so-called "high-level segment" of the conference in Belém, Brazil, began, with ministers and other high-level representatives taking their seats at the negotiating table. Still urged delegations not to delay addressing the most complex issues until the last minute. He emphasized that it was absolutely unacceptable to "drag out time or block the process."

UN General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock also joined this call, stating that delegates cannot afford the "luxury" of "inaction" when people are "counting on them."

According to her, the transition to renewable energy sources is already irreversible, and the necessary resources exist – they just need to be directed in the right direction.

Baerbock emphasized that developing countries paid off about $1.4 trillion in external debt last year, and these resources could be effectively used to combat climate change and develop clean energy.

From negotiations to results

Brazilian Vice President Geraldo Alckmin stated that COP30 should mark the beginning of a new era – one in which the world "stops discussing goals and starts achieving them." This means moving from negotiations to action, that is, to the search for new mechanisms capable of accelerating global climate action.

Alckmin reminded delegates of the commitments made in Belém to quadruple the use of clean fuels by 2035. Twenty-five countries have now joined the initiative.

He also called for creative solutions in key areas – the bioeconomy and decarbonisation – reaffirming Brazil's commitment to "clean energy, innovation and inclusiveness".

Negotiations may continue into the night.

Brazilian officials told reporters that two sets of decisions were up for discussion: one concerning issues covered by the Paris Climate Agreement, and the other on additional topics.

Brazil has presented a draft of the first package, which is expected to be submitted for approval midweek. Much work remains, and COP30 President André Corrêa do Lago stated that the conference agenda will have to be adjusted to allow delegates to continue negotiations overnight.

Agência Brasil/Tânia Rêgo

COP30 President André Corrêa do Lago at the closing of the People's Summit.

People's Summit on the sidelines of the conference

Outside the official COP30 venue, the Angar Conference Center, participants from international social movements gathered for the People's Summit. Held from November 12 to 16, it aimed to increase pressure on the negotiators and demand that they make real decisions.

Following the summit, participants prepared their proposals and submitted them to the COP30 President. In an interview with the UN News Service, Maureen Santos, a member of the People's Summit Political Committee, noted that these proposals will form the basis for monitoring during this week's negotiations.

"I believe this conference has become an example of democracy not only for the UN but for the entire world. This is precisely what multilateralism is: when parties are truly engaged in the process, not just at the national level, and when the voices of those directly affected by the climate crisis can be heard while simultaneously proposing solutions to overcome it," she said.

Key proposals include expanding the discussion on a just transition to include not only renewable energy, but also issues of employment and working conditions, food sovereignty, land rights, and much more.

300 thousand servings of food

More than 25,000 people participated in the People's Summit. And on Saturday, more than 70,000 people took part in the Climate Justice March—the largest such event, according to Santos.

Summit participants received 300,000 free meals. To feed them, nongovernmental organizations drew on the experience gained during their efforts to help victims of the 2024 floods in Rio Grande do Sul.

Rudy Raphael, one of the organizers, explained that the venue featured 21 500-liter kettles, and a conveyor belt for packaging ready-made meals produced one serving every 26 seconds. The menu featured products from local family farmers, including traditional Amazonian ingredients such as jambu, açaí, and piraruca.

The activist emphasized that the summit became a source of hope for all who continue to fight to protect rural areas and indigenous territories.

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