Below is a transcript of remarks from UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell during a press conference with COP30 President André Corrêa do Lago on Monday 10 November 2025 during the opening day of COP30 in Belém, Brazil.
Good afternoon, everyone. And welcome to
COP30.
Every year I’m asked how I feel about the COP. And the answer is that I am determined.
Andre and I, and all our teams, are determined to have a COP that takes another major step forward. And I’m encouraged that after a long night and the hard work of all of those involved, especially the Presidency, we have an agenda. And today I spoke about solutions and the need for speed so this is a very good start.
The good news is, we are not starting from nothing. The Paris Agreement is delivering real progress.
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We are now bending the curve of planet heating emissions downwards – for the very first time.
And I’d refer you to the letter we sent to the Parties this morning, which has the latest numbers, updating our recent NDC Synthesis report. The new NDCs including many received in recent days will reduce emissions by 12% in 2035. That’s a big deal.
Every fraction of a degree of heating avoided will save millions of lives and billions of dollars in climate damage.
And these cuts will get deeper and deeper as we move faster and faster.
And make no mistake – humanity is still in this fight. We have some tough opponents, no doubt, but we also have some heavyweights on our side.
One is the brute power of market forces, as renewables get cheaper – they’re now cheaper than 90% of all [fossil fuels].
That’s why renewables have overtaken fossil fuels in investment and overtook coal this year as the world’s top energy source.
Policies once unthinkable are now rippling through markets, and change is becoming unstoppable.
Extraordinary progress that was unimaginable a decade ago.
And we’re already seeing huge economies signaling their intent to go further. Because climate action is the greatest economic opportunity of this century.
Clean energy is the trend of our time, President Xi of China said in New York.
More and more countries see that renewables are a jobs jackpot.
Yes – while our progress is real – it’s not nearly enough.
Global heating is already dealing some devastating blows, in every country.
Just look at the super-typhoons blasting the Philippines and Vietnam, the brutality of Hurricane Melissa crushing lives and businesses – the costs of delay are skyrocketing, for every nation.
And that’s why we’re here.
We must accelerate in the Amazon.
This is my fourth COP as Executive Secretary. Every one – and many before – has delivered real outcomes. Countries have overcome their differences and moved the world forward.
We must do so again.
We must know what works: policy that moves markets, finance that drives delivery, delivery that saves and improves lives.
And we must remember, that this COP process is ultimately all about people.
People who may not follow every negotiation, but who feel the consequences – in their anxiety about intensifying disasters, in food prices, insurance costs, and energy bills that rise with every drought, flood, storm, and heatwave.
They know a shallow promise when they hear one. And they know that cheaper renewable energy, cleaner air, and greater security are prizes worth fighting for.
We will only win the fight against the climate crisis if all people in all nations can get a fair piece of the epic benefits.
That’s what this COP is all about.
There’s hard work ahead. The stakes are high. But I’ll be working side by side with the COP President to deliver the best outcome possible.
We need to get straight to the hardest issues quickly. No delay. None of us can afford it.
We’ve built the engine. Paris is working to take us forward. Now it’s time to hit the accelerator for people, prosperity, and the planet.
I thank you.
