COP30 Ends Without Fossil Fuel Deal

The COP30 UN climate summit in Belém, Brazil, ended with a deal that failed to secure new commitments to stop using fossil fuels, despite efforts from over 80 countries including the UK and EU. The final agreement, called the Mutirão, calls on countries to 'voluntarily' accelerate their action to reduce fossil fuel use. The talks were marked by chaotic conditions, including a fire, flooding, and protests. While some countries praised the deal, others were disappointed, and the absence of the US delegation was seen as a significant blow to the negotiations.

Heavy rainfall in Vietnam has caused severe flooding and landslides, resulting in at least 90 deaths and 12 missing persons. The Vietnamese government reports that 186,000 homes have been damaged and over three million livestock swept away, with estimated damages worth hundreds of millions of pounds. The disaster has affected several provinces, with Dak Lak being the most severely impacted. The government has mobilized military and police resources to assist in the hardest hit areas. Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính chaired a virtual emergency meeting from South Africa, where he was attending the G20 summit. Scientists attribute the increased frequency and severity of extreme weather events in Vietnam to human-driven climate change.

The COP30 climate summit concluded without significant progress, despite warnings from Pope Leo and disruptions caused by extreme weather events. The conference acknowledged the need for more climate action but failed to deliver it, with many questioning its effectiveness. The event was marked by a fire that ripped through the venue, forcing delegates to evacuate, which some saw as a metaphor for the talks' lack of progress.

Countries attending COP30, the biggest climate meeting of the year, have agreed to a compromise deal to help speed up climate action. The deal boosts finance for poor nations coping with global warming but omits any mention of the fossil fuels driving it. The agreement was reached after tense negotiations, with the European Union and Arab Group of nations having differing views on the transition away from fossil fuels. Despite the compromise, many were disappointed with the weak parts of the agreement, including the lack of a transition plan. The summit made gains in other areas, such as a new pledge to triple the amount of cash to help climate-vulnerable countries and a recognition of the importance of indigenous peoples in protecting the Amazon rainforest.

The COP30 climate summit concluded without a deal on phasing out fossil fuels, largely due to opposition from oil-producing countries led by Saudi Arabia. Despite this failure, the summit achieved some progress, including starting conversations on aligning trade with the transition away from fossil fuels and the importance of critical minerals. Brazil, as the host country, brought attention to the moral imperative of climate action, emphasizing the need for ethical commitment to apply technical capabilities to address climate change.

The death toll from major flooding in Vietnam has risen to 90, with 12 more people missing, as relentless rain and landslides continue to affect the country. The central province of Dak Lak has been the hardest hit, with over 60 deaths recorded since November 16. The flooding has caused widespread damage, with over 235,000 houses flooded and nearly 80,000 hectares of crops damaged. The government estimates the economic loss to be around $341 million. The region is prone to storms and floods, but scientific evidence suggests that human-driven climate change is making extreme weather more frequent and destructive.