World watches as national climate goals loom over Cop30

Leading figures have sounded the alarm as they gathered in the UAE ahead of the next major round of UN climate talks at Cop30, in Brazil.

Speaking at an event in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, Majid Al Suwaidi, chief of climate investment vehicle, Alterra, warned that the talks are up against “significant challenges”.

“To date, only 15 updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) have been submitted,” Mr Al Suwaidi said.

While the original deadline was February, a revised cut off in September is now the last window to submit updated pledges before Cop30 opens in Belem, Brazil, in November. Both Brazil and the UAE laid out robust NDCs ahead of the initial February deadline.

“Ambition and finance go hand in hand,” Mr Al Suwaidi added. “The world will be watching closely to see whether these NDCs rise to the level of ambition that we truly need.”

Mr Al Suwaidi, a seasoned climate negotiator and Cop28 director general, praised Brazil's leadership skill, noting the country's track record of inclusive dialogue and its symbolic role as steward of the Amazon. “I have great confidence in the Brazilian residency, their diplomatic skills have been evident throughout the climate negotiations, and was on full display during their successful G20 presidency last year.”

EU's NDC's on track to meet new deadline

Discussions at Cop30 are expected to focus on whether national climate plans will collectively keep humanity on track to meet the Paris Agreement’s goals, as well as on the mobilisation of $1.3 trillion in climate finance hammered in at climate talks at Cop29.

At Cop29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, Marina Silva, Brazil's Minister of Environment, described it as the finance Cop but claimed Cop30 would be the Cop of NDCs. Climate activists hope more can be achieved in Brazil than in Baku.

EU ambassador to the UAE, Lucie Berger, confirmed to The National that the bloc is on track to submit its updated contribution by September, but noted that all 27 member states must align through democratic processes.

Ms Berger pointed to Cop28 in Dubai as a turning point, where global agreement was reached on transitioning away from fossil fuels and tripling renewable energy capacity. “We've shown that coalition-building around shared causes works,” she said. “Now we need to bring that same spirit to Cop30.”

Ms Berger also highlighted the Amazon as a fitting host for the summit's 30th milestone. “We need to see measurable, inclusive progress on nature, biodiversity, and deforestation,” she said.

On the ground, she added that the EU and the UAE are looking to co-operate on clean energy projects in the Middle East and North Africa, as well as explore co-operation on carbon trading and pricing. “I think we're currently looking for more strategic partners and the UAE comes naturally to mind,” she said.

What is at stake?

For Pacific nations on the front lines of climate disruption, firm national and financial commitments cannot come soon enough.

Fiji's ambassador to the UAE, Siddiq Koya, warned that time is running out for communities facing rising seas, worsening storms and crop loss. “This is the last batch of NDCs that matter,” he said. “For the Pacific, 1.5°C is not a policy preference – it's a red line for survival.”

He stressed the need for finance systems that are accessible and tailored to vulnerable nations' needs. “We are delivering, but we cannot deliver alone,” he said, mentioning loss of coral reefs, forced relocations and unsustainable rebuilding cycles.

Christoph Klarmann, Chargé dÁffaires of the German embassy, echoed those concerns. Recounting a recent landslide in the Swill Village of Blatten caused by glacial melt, he warned: “Climate change is not just a climate emergency. It is actually a human emergency. The consequences affect water, food, health, security and ultimately peace.”

Germany, he added, remains committed to its net zero target by 2045, and views the UAE's new climate law and corporate decarbonisation requirements as positive progress.