Brazilian President urges Brics nations to lead on climate fight ahead of Cop30
In a speech on the final day of the Brics Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Lula highlighted the urgency of global action to address inequality, climate change, and public health, and warned that the most vulnerable nations risk paying the highest price for inaction.
He criticised wealthy nations and global markets for failing to deliver on promises made at last year's Cop29 in Azerbaijan to pledge at least $300 billion a year to address the impact of climate change.
'Developing countries are likely to be the most impacted by losses and damages from climate change,' Lula told Brics leaders. He said the challenge now is not just to reduce emissions but to 'build a new cycle of prosperity' that leaves no one behind.
Eighty per cent of global carbon emissions, he said, are generated by fewer than 60 companies, most of them in oil and gas. 'The planet cannot afford another decade of delay,' he warned.
With Cop30 on the horizon, Lula framed Brazil's presidency as a pivotal opportunity to 'place life at the centre of development.' His remarks were welcomed by environmental groups including Greenpeace, which urged Brics nations to 'step up as champions for climate justice and nature protection'.
The founding Brics nations were Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The UAE was invited to join an expanded bloc in August 2023 along with Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iran, Indonesia and Ethiopia. The UAE joined Brics in January 2024.
UAE Consensus to lead the way
Lula said the UAE Consensus should be the basis for sustaining implementation actions. The agreement, made at Cop28 in Dubai, calls for 'transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems, in a just, orderly and equitable manner … so as to achieve net zero by 2050, in keeping with the science'.
A delegation from the UAE also took part in the annual two day meeting of the board of governors of the New Development Bank of the Brics group, the state news agency Wam reported.
The UAE's membership of the Brics group is part of its commitment to dialogue and multilateral co-operation to promote peace, security and development through networks that represent emerging economies on the world stage.
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