The first few days of the 30th annual UN climate conference in Belém, Brazil, have already laid down significant signals about the direction of the global climate agenda.

The framing of COP30 strongly emphasises implementation — shifting from “what we will do” to “how we deliver”.

Over the first couple of days the focus has been on “readiness and resilience” — emphasising adaptation, infrastructure, local governments, circular economy, water/waste systems.

Major Themes and Highlights:

Readiness, Resilience and Adaptation

The early sessions made clear that climate change is no longer just about long-term emissions reductions, but about what is happening now — as the weather becomes more extreme and the impacts become more devastating.

There has been a strong emphasis on infrastructure, cities, water management, waste, local action, bio-economy and circular economy under the umbrella of resilience. And how to track adaptation progress, set measurable indicators, and mobilise resources for adaptation solutions.

Finance, Nature and Forests

Nature-based solutions and forests are centre-stage — particularly given the Amazon host-setting.

Finance remains a central question: how to mobilise enough for adaptation, nature protection, and resilience — and how to ensure the money actually gets to the places and systems that need it most.

The interplay between public finance, private capital, access for developing countries, and equity in finance is becoming more visible.

Equity, Justice, and Implementation

There is a clear thread that climate action must incorporate justice, inclusion, and the voices of those most vulnerable. The adaptation/resilience focus reinforces this.

The “just transition” agenda is more present and how to ensure that workers, communities, and regions transition fairly into low-carbon futures.

Implementation challenges are front and centre as the world is increasingly acknowledging that many earlier targets are off track, so COP30 is being framed as the “deliver” COP, not just the “promise” COP.

Symbolism and Political Context

Hosting in the Amazon region is highly symbolic as it binds climate with forests, Indigenous rights, nature and the Global South’s voice.

Geopolitical dynamics, trust in multilateralism, finance flows and whether developed/developing countries meet past commitments remain sources of tension and focus.

Addressing the Data Gap

At COP30 on 11 November, the Systematic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF) officially launched its 2025 Action Report (https://un-soff.org/soff-action-report-2025/ ) and the Systematic Observation Impact Bond (watch the video https://un-soff.org/impactbond/).  

SOFF not only recognises, but is taking swift action in, closing the global weather and climate data gap, particularly in Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS), where less than 10 % of required surface-based observations are currently exchanged. 

By spotlighting SOFF early in the conference, COP30 is signalling that data infrastructure, and not just emission cuts or finance pledges, is integral to the climate agenda. The data gap is being framed as a core bottleneck for adaptation and resilience.

Florence Rabier, Director-General of ECMWF, spoke at the SOFF launch on 11 November, underlining that closing the observing-system gap is foundational for accurate forecasts, early warnings and climate services. Watch her brief video message on the importance of SOFF on the RMetS COP30 website.

Education Takes Centre Stage

As COP30 moves into the middle of the first week, attention shifts towards education, skills, culture and justice, recognising that long-term climate progress depends not only on policy and finance, but on empowering people with the knowledge to act. Wednesday 12 November marks the launch of the Royal Meteorological Society’s Climate Literacy School Leavers Survey, a landmark initiative exploring how climate literate young people are when they leave school.

Education is one of the core enablers of meaningful climate action, shaping how future generations interpret information, make informed choices, and build resilience in their communities. This will be highlighted in the Education Panel hosted by Cambridge University Press in the Blue Pavilion, where Professor Liz Bentley, Chief Executive of the Royal Meteorological Society, joins other global education leaders to discuss how climate literacy and future-focused skills through education systems can accelerate the transition to a more sustainable world as well as navigating misinformation.

The education theme at COP30 is a timely reminder that effective climate solutions rely on both scientific insight and societal understanding, and that investing in climate literacy today is essential to building a resilient, informed, and empowered global community tomorrow.

Explore more COP30 updates from RMetS