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Today, in the Brazilian Amazon, the Belém conference commences prior to the UN's 30th climate summit (Conference of the Parties 30). Leaders have been gathered by me world leaders in the days leading up to the conference to ensure collective dedication to acting with the urgency that the environmental emergency requires.

If we fail to move beyond speeches into real action, public trust will diminish – not only in the Cops, but in multilateralism and international politics more broadly. That is why I have summoned officials to the rainforest: to establish this as the "truthful Cop", the occasion where we prove the seriousness of our shared commitment to the planet.

People have demonstrated their capacity to conquer major obstacles when it acts together and is guided by science. We protected the ozone layer. The global response to the Covid-19 pandemic proved that the world can act decisively when there is courage and political will.

Brazil hosted the Earth Summit in 1992. Agreements on climate, biodiversity, and desertification were endorsed, and principles were embraced that established a new paradigm for preserving our planet and our humanity. Over the past 33 years, these meetings have yielded key accords and goals for cutting emissions – from ending deforestation by 2030 to increasing renewable energy threefold.

After over thirty years, global attention returns to Brazil to confront climate change. There's a reason why Cop30 is being held in the heart of the Amazon rainforest. This is an opportunity for politicians, diplomats, scientists, activists and journalists to observe the Amazon's actual conditions. We want the world to see the true state of the forests, the planet’s largest river basin, and the numerous inhabitants of the area. Cops cannot be mere showcases of good ideas or yearly meetings for delegates. They must be moments of contact with reality and of effective action to tackle climate change.

To confront this crisis together, financial support is essential. And we must recognise that the concept of shared yet varied duties remains the non-negotiable foundation for all climate agreements. This is why developing nations call for increased resource availability – not out of charity, but as fairness. Wealthy nations have gained the most from fossil fuel economies. They must now rise to their responsibilities, not only by making commitments but by repaying what they owe.

Brazil is fulfilling its role. In only two years, Amazon deforestation has been cut by half by us, demonstrating that real environmental measures can work.

In Belém, we will launch an innovative initiative to preserve forests: the Tropical Forests Forever Facility (TFFF). Its novelty lies in functioning as an investment fund, rather than a charity system. The TFFF will reward those who keep their forests standing and contributors to the fund. A genuine win-win approach to tackling climate change. Leading by example, Brazil has pledged $1 billion to the TFFF, and we expect equally ambitious announcements from other countries.

We also set an example by being the second nation to submit a fresh NDC. Brazil has committed to reducing its emissions from 59% to 67%, covering all greenhouse gases and every economic area. In this spirit, we urge all nations to propose similarly bold NDCs and to implement them effectively.

Shifting energy sources is crucial to meeting Brazil’s NDC. Our energy matrix is among the cleanest in the world, as 88% of our power is renewable. We are a leader in biofuels and are progressing in wind, solar, and green hydrogen.

Redirecting revenues from oil production to finance a just, orderly and equitable energy transition will be essential. In the long run, oil companies worldwide, including Brazil’s Petrobras, will evolve into energy providers, since an economic model reliant on fossil fuels cannot last.

People must be at the centre in climate policy choices and the shift to clean energy. It's important to acknowledge that society's most at-risk groups are the most affected by the impacts of climate change, which is why just transition and adaptation plans must aim to combat inequality.

We cannot forget that 2 billion people lack access to clean technologies and fuels for cooking, and 673 million people still live with hunger. To address this, we will launch in Belém a statement on hunger, poverty, and climate. Our commitment to fight global warming must be directly linked to the effort to end hunger.

It is also fundamental that we push for changes in international governance. Currently, multilateralism suffers from the paralysis of the UN security council. Created to preserve peace, it has not stopped conflicts. It is our duty, therefore to advocate for reforming this body. At Cop30, we will advocate for establishing a UN climate council connected to the General Assembly. This would form a fresh governance framework with the power and credibility to guarantee nations fulfill their pledges, and an effective step toward reversing the current paralysis in global cooperation.

At every climate conference, we hear many promises yet few concrete actions follow. The era of declarations of good intentions has ended: the moment for implementation plans is here. This is why we commence today the “Cop of truth”.