Baerbock Highlights Climate Change as Leading Global Challenge at UN Summit

During the United Nations Climate Conference in Belém, Brazil, Annalena Baerbock, President of the UN General Assembly, emphasized the urgent threat posed by climate change, describing it as the most significant challenge facing the global community. Addressing the assembly, Baerbock highlighted that nearly half of the world's population--approximately 3.6 billion people--are already experiencing substantial impacts from climate-related events.

Extreme weather phenomena such as prolonged droughts, devastating floods, high temperatures, and growing food insecurity are intensifying a cycle of hunger, poverty, displacement, instability, and potential conflict across numerous regions. Baerbock noted that while the world faces various armed conflicts, climate change remains the overriding issue requiring immediate attention and action.

International collaboration was underscored as essential for addressing the climate crisis, regardless of current geopolitical tensions. Baerbock pointed out that scientific facts persist regardless of political stances, and that greenhouse gas emissions do not recognize national borders. This message was interpreted as a response to political leaders who have previously denied the existence of human-driven climate change or withdrawn from key international agreements.

From an economic perspective, Baerbock stated that there is no return to previous energy models, as renewable energy sources accounted for 90 percent of new global energy installations in the past year. She called for increased investment in developing and emerging economies, emphasizing that these countries--despite contributing the least to climate change--bear the brunt of its consequences and require international support for both adaptation and resilience. In particular, Baerbock stressed that natural disasters such as hurricanes can erase decades of progress in small island nations, underscoring the need for robust financial and infrastructural aid.

The UN COP30 conference in the Amazon region has drawn representatives from around 200 nations, who are discussing strategies to limit global temperature rise and address the needs of vulnerable countries. Central to these deliberations are the demands from developing nations for greater financial assistance to cope with the effects of droughts, heatwaves, wildfires, and storms that are increasing in frequency and severity.

In parallel with the official summit, a large-scale demonstration is planned in downtown Belém, with tens of thousands of participants, including indigenous groups and climate activists from Brazil and around the world. Additionally, a "People's Summit" is being held concurrently, gathering hundreds of organizations and movements to promote alternative approaches and grassroots solutions to climate issues.

German Environment Minister Carsten Schneider is scheduled to arrive in Brazil over the weekend to participate in the critical phase of the negotiations. His agenda includes meetings with members of the Quilombola community--descendants of Afro-Brazilian slaves living in protected rainforest areas--as well as visits to conservation sites. These engagements aim to strengthen ties and promote collaborative environmental initiatives between Germany and Brazil.

The ongoing discussions at COP30 highlight the complexity and urgency of the global response required to address climate change. With major weather events increasingly affecting millions, international leaders continue to seek consensus on pathways to reduce emissions, fund adaptation, and support those most at risk from the escalating crisis.