10/21/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/21/2025 10:49
Today, the Council approved the conclusions on the EU's preparations for the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), set to take place from 10 to 21 November 2025 in Belém, Brazil. The conclusions outline the EU's key priorities and positions for the conference, focusing on the urgent need for global climate action and collaboration.
Today, the EU stands on a strong European mandate for COP30. We must leave Belém with a clear path forward to keep 1.5 within reach. Climate change is here, and we have to act and adapt sooner rather than later. Next step is EU's NDC and the Climate Law, and we stand ready to carry on after the strategic discussion between the European heads of state and government.
Lars Aagaard, Denmark's Minister for energy, climate and utilities
In Belém, the EU aims to play a central role in advancing global climate efforts by pushing for higher ambition on mitigation and adaptation and for progress on climate finance. Key priorities for the EU include:
In line with the urgency of addressing climate change, the conclusions emphasise the need for a swift global transition to a climate-neutral, resilient and nature-positive economy. The EU reaffirms its Paris Agreement commitment to limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C, stressing the importance of enhanced international cooperation, as well as underlining the opportunities and benefits arising from climate action.
The conclusions call for the submission of nationally determined contributions (NDCs) aligned with 1.5°C pathways, informed by the first global stocktake (GST) and best available science and urge major emitters to urgently update their NDCs to reflect higher levels of ambition. The conclusions highlight the need for a dedicated outcome at COP30, to address the collective level of ambition and implementation.
The conclusions also highlight the critical role of energy transition in meeting global climate goals. They stress the need to triple renewable energy capacity globally and double the global average annual rate of energy efficiency improvements by 2030, coupled with an acceleration of zero- and low-emissions technologies and a phasing out of fossil fuel energy production and consumption globally
These efforts must be paired with the phasing out of fossil fuel subsidies and the industrial decarbonisation. The EU calls for a just and equitable transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems which ensures that no country is left behind, in order to achieve net zero by 2050 in line with the best available science.
The conclusions further emphasize the need to bolster adaptation action including through reaching agreement on the UAE-Belém work programme on indicators to measure progress, to strengthen adaptation planning and implementation at all levels and inform the next GST.
The EU welcomes the new collective quantified goal (NCQG) on climate finance adopted at COP29 in Baku and in this respect, the conclusions stress the need to identify actions and measures which would help scale up climate finance and unlock $1.3 trillion by 2035 to support developing countries in their climate adaptation and mitigation efforts. The importance of making finance flows consistent with the objectives of the Paris Agreement is emphasised, including a call for all actors to work together towards this goal.
Every year, the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UNFCCC meet to determine climate ambition and responsibilities, and identify and assess climate measures.
The EU and its member states are parties to the Convention, which counts 198 parties (197 countries plus the European Union) in total. The rotating presidency of the Council, together with the European Commission, represents the EU at these international climate summits.
COP30 in Belém will focus on the implementation of the Paris Agreement and the assessment of countries' updated climate action plans (NDCs).
On 10 October 2025, the Council approved conclusions on climate finance which complement the EU's general position ahead of the COP30 climate conference.