After reaching a relatively quick agreement on the COP30 negotiating agenda last week, the conference participants are now in the middle of discussions between groups of states, some lasting hours.

Environment ministers are expected to take part in political negotiations in the second week which began on Monday. The outcome of COP30 is still open:“It is currently difficult to say whether we will end up with a package that is good,” said Wertli from Belém in Brazil's Amazon region.

COP30 began on November 10 and is scheduled to run until November 21. Wertli says the biggest challenge remains how to implement the Paris Agreement.

“The climate targets submitted by the countries under the Paris Agreement are not enough to close the gap to the 1.5°C warming target,” says Wertli.

A roadmap proposed by the COP30 presidency, which would point the way to a greater reduction in emissions, is being blocked by Arab countries. They fear that the phase-out of fossil fuels could happen too quickly.

This content was published on Nov 6, 2025 With the widespread, irreversible die-off of tropical coral reefs, the Earth has reached its first climate tipping point. Scientists warn that others may soon follow, from melting ice sheets to rainforest collapse.