UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell has told world leaders at COP30 that negotiations must accelerate immediately, warning that slow progress in the negotiation rooms is out of step with the rapid shifts underway in the global economy.
“Your arrival meets COP mid-stride,” Stiell said as he opened the high-level segment in Belém on Monday.
“We are no longer talking about what this COP must do – we are doing it. But we must strive for more.”
Stiell praised the “spirit of goodwill” shown in week one, saying delegates understood the stakes.
“It reflects a widespread conviction that the Paris Agreement is humanity’s only way to survive this global climate crisis, and to spread the vast benefits of climate action to all nations.”
But he warned that goodwill alone is not enough.
“The pace of change in the real economy has not been matched by the pace of progress in these negotiating rooms. The spirit is there, but the speed is not,” he said.
Stiell highlighted major developments outside the talks, saying nations had “mustered a trillion-dollar charge into clean energy and grids,” backed a plan to “quadruple sustainable fuels,” and sparked new momentum in green industry and adaptation efforts.
He said these moves show “a new economy is rising, faster than forecasts.”
“The good news – last year alone, more than US$2.2 trillion dollars flowed into renewable energy – that’s more than the GDP of over 180 countries,” he said.
But inside COP30, Stiell urged ministers to confront the hardest issues immediately.
“As climate disasters wreck millions of lives and hammer every economy… we all know what’s at stake,” he said.
“Clearly – there is a huge amount of work ahead for ministers and negotiators. I urge you to get to the hardest issues fast. When these issues get pushed deep into extra time, everybody loses.”
He delivered a blunt warning against delay.
“We absolutely cannot afford to waste time on tactical delays or stone-walling. The time for performative diplomacy has now passed. Now’s the time to roll-up our sleeves, come together, and get the job done.”
“The secretariat will be with you every single step of the way,” he said.
