In 2025, international climate policy has reached several significant milestones: thirty years of climate COPs, ten years since the adoption of the Paris Agreement, and the third deadline for countries to update their national climate commitments. Yet progress is far from guaranteed. A turbulent global political landscape — from renewed U.S. resistance to climate action under President Trump to the continuing shortfall in national ambition — is testing the ability of multilateral negotiations to move forward at the pace the climate crisis demands.
Amid these difficulties, Brazil, a seasoned player in climate diplomacy, is leading COP30, aspiring to deliver a different kind of conference: one centered on people and implementation. The meeting also marks the conclusion of the Troika partnership, a three-year collaboration between the presidencies of COP28 (United Arab Emirates), COP29 (Azerbaijan), and COP30 (Brazil), aimed at strengthening commitment and raising ambition in global climate action.
In this challenging geopolitical moment, how did the COP30 presidency and the Troika navigate the crucial work of multilateral climate negotiations? How did COP30 address the persistent gap in ambition in countries’ new climate pledges? And what does climate leadership look like in the aftermath of the summit?
Two climate diplomacy and leadership experts, Ruth Townend (Tyndall Centre and Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformations) and Karoliina Pietarila (FIIA), will reflect on these questions and key takeaways following the close of COP30. Ruth Townend, formerly a Senior Research Fellow at Chatham House, is also known as the host of the acclaimed Climate Briefing podcast.
