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The Hindu
21 minutes ago
- The Hindu
UN holds emergency talks over sky-high costs for COP30 climate summit
The United Nations' climate bureau held an urgent meeting on Tuesday (July 29, 2025) over concerns that sky-high accommodation prices for this year's COP30 climate summit in Brazil could price poorer countries out of the negotiations, according to diplomats and a document seen by Reuters. Brazil is preparing to host this year's UN climate summit in November in the rainforest city of Belem, where nearly every government in the world will gather to negotiate their joint efforts to curb climate change. Concerns about logistics have dogged preparations for COP30. Developing countries have warned that they cannot afford Belem's accommodation prices, which have soared amid a shortage of rooms. In an emergency meeting of the U.N. climate body's "COP bureau" on Tuesday (July 29, 2025), Brazil agreed to address countries' concerns about accommodation and report back at another meeting on August 11, said Richard Muyungi, chair of the African Group of Negotiators, who called the meeting. "We were assured that we will revisit that on the 11th, to get assurances on whether the accommodation will be adequate for all delegates," Mr. Muyungi told Reuters after the meeting. He said African countries wanted to avoid trimming their participation because of the cost. "We are not ready to cut down the numbers. Brazil has got a lot of options in terms of having a better COP, a good COP. So that is why we are pushing that Brazil has to provide better answers, rather than telling us to limit our delegation," Mr. Muyungi said. Another diplomat familiar with the meeting said complaints about affordability came from both poor and wealthy nations. An agenda for Tuesday's (July 29, 2025) meeting, seen by Reuters, confirmed it was convened to address "operational and logistical preparations for the Climate Change Conference in Belem" and the African Group of Negotiators' concerns on the matter. Brazil's Foreign Ministry did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Brazilian officials organising the summit have made repeated assurances that poorer countries will have access to accommodation they can afford. A spokesperson for the UN's climate body, UNFCCC, declined to comment on the meeting. Cruise ship hotels Brazil is racing to expand the 18,000 hotel beds usually available in Belem, a coastal city of 1.3 million, to host the roughly 45,000 people projected to attend COP30. The government this month said it had secured two cruise ships to provide 6,000 extra beds for delegates. It also opened bookings to developing countries for more affordable accommodation at daily rates of up to $220. That is still above the "daily subsistence allowance" the UN offers some poorer nations to support their participation at COPs. For Belem, the figure is $149. Two UN diplomats showed Reuters quotes they had received from hotels and property managers in Belem for rates of around $700 per person per night during COP30. Officials from six governments, including wealthier European nations, told Reuters they had not yet secured accommodation because of high prices, and some said they were preparing to reduce their participation. A spokesperson for the Dutch government said it may need to halve its delegation compared with recent COPs, when the Netherlands sent around 90 people during the two-week event, including envoys, negotiators and youth representatives. Poland's deputy climate minister Krzysztof Bolesta told Reuters earlier this month: "We don't have accommodation. We'll probably have to cut down the delegation to the bone." "In an extreme event, maybe we will have to not show up," he said.
Time of India
21 minutes ago
- Time of India
Marjorie Taylor Greene Fumes Over Randy Fine's ‘Starvation' Tweet, Labels Gaza Crisis As ‘Genocide'
Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene has denounced the Gaza crisis as genocide, condemning both the starvation in the enclave and a controversial tweet by fellow lawmaker Randy Fine. While affirming the need for Hamas to release hostages from the October 7 attack on Israel, Greene also criticised the ongoing humanitarian blockade, calling it dangerous and counterproductive. The UN has warned that Gaza is nearing full-scale famine, with international pressure pushing Israel to resume limited aid access. Global leaders are demanding an immediate ceasefire to prevent further catastrophe.#GazaCrisis #MarjorieTaylorGreene #IsraelHamas #HumanitarianAid #CeasefireNow #UNWarning #MiddleEastConflict #RandyFine #GazaFamine #HostageCrisis Read More
News18
an hour ago
- News18
Important matters listed before Supreme Court on Wednesday
Important matters listed before the Supreme Court on Wednesday (July 30): * SC to hear plea of Allahabad High Court Judge Yashwant Varma challenging findings of an in-house inquiry panel report against him over the incident of cash discovery from his official residence. * SC to hear pleas related to prosecution of Tamil Nadu former minister V Senthil Balaji. * SC to hear plea of former Union minister Lalu Prasad Yadav seeking stay of trial in land for job scam. * SC to hear a batch of pleas alleging authorities used Israeli military grade spyware to snoop on various personalities including politicians, activists and journalists. *SC to hear plea of NGO alleging Indiabulls Housing Finance Limited (IHFL) disbursed dubious loans to corporate entities. view comments First Published: July 30, 2025, 09:00 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
