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Today, in the Brazilian Amazon, the Belém conference commences prior to the 30th United Nations climate change conference (Conference of the Parties 30). I have convened world leaders in the days leading up to the conference so that we can all commit to acting with the urgency that the environmental emergency requires.

If we fail to move beyond speeches into real action, public trust will diminish – not just in climate conferences, and in international cooperation and international politics more broadly. This is the reason for convening officials to the rainforest: to make this the “Cop of truth”, the occasion where we prove our collective dedication's gravity toward Earth.

Humanity has shown its ability to conquer major obstacles when it acts together and is guided by science. The ozone layer was safeguarded by us. The global response to the Covid-19 pandemic proved that the world can act decisively when there is courage and political will.

Brazil hosted the Earth Summit in 1992. Agreements on climate, biodiversity, and desertification were endorsed, and principles were embraced that established a new paradigm for preserving Earth and humankind. Over the past 33 years, these gatherings have produced important agreements and targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions – from ending deforestation by 2030 to increasing renewable energy threefold.

More than three decades later, global attention returns to Brazil to address the climate issue. It is no coincidence that Cop30 takes place deep within the Amazon jungle. It offers a chance for leaders, envoys, researchers, campaigners, and reporters to observe the Amazon's actual conditions. We want the world to see the forests' real status, the planet’s largest river basin, and the millions of people who live in the region. Cops cannot be mere showcases of good ideas or annual gatherings for negotiators. They should serve as encounters with actuality and opportunities for real steps against environmental shifts.

To confront this crisis together, we need resources. And we must recognise that the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities stays as the fixed basis of any climate pact. That is why the global south demands increased resource availability – not out of charity, but as fairness. Rich countries have benefited the most from the carbon-based economy. They should now fulfill their obligations, not just through pledges but by repaying what they owe.

Brazil is doing its part. In only two years, Amazon deforestation has been cut by half by us, demonstrating that real environmental measures can work.

In Belém, we will launch a novel program for forest conservation: the TFFF fund. It is innovative because it operates as a financial investment tool, not a donation mechanism. The fund will compensate forest preservers and those who invest in the fund. A genuine win-win approach for addressing environmental issues. Leading by example, Brazil has pledged $1 billion to the TFFF, and we expect equally ambitious announcements from other nations.

We also demonstrated leadership through being the second nation to present a new nationally determined contribution (NDC). Brazil has vowed to cut its emissions from 59% to 67%, including all emission types and every economic area. With this mindset, we call on all countries to present equally ambitious NDCs and to execute them thoroughly.

Shifting energy sources is crucial to meeting Brazil’s NDC. Our energy mix is one of the globe's greenest, as 88% of our power is renewable. We excel in biofuel production and are advancing in wind, solar and green hydrogen energy.

Channeling oil earnings to finance a just, orderly and equitable energy transition will be essential. In the long run, global petroleum firms, including Brazil’s Petrobras, will evolve into energy providers, since an economic model reliant on fossil fuels cannot last.

People must be at the centre of political decisions about climate and the shift to clean energy. We must recognise that society's most at-risk groups are the most affected by the impacts of climate change, this is why equitable transition and adjustment strategies should target reducing disparities.

We cannot forget that two billion individuals have no access to clean technologies and fuels for cooking, and 673 million people still live with hunger. To address this, we are introducing in Belém a declaration on hunger, poverty and climate. Our commitment to fight global warming should be closely tied to the fight against hunger.

It is equally essential that we push for changes in international governance. Currently, international cooperation is hindered by the stagnation within the UN Security Council. Established to maintain peace, it has not stopped conflicts. It is our duty, therefore to fight for the reform of this institution. At Cop30, we will advocate for the creation of a UN climate change council connected to the General Assembly. This would form a fresh governance framework with the force and legitimacy to guarantee nations fulfill their pledges, and a practical move towards reversing the current paralysis of the multilateral system.

During each environmental summit, numerous commitments are made yet few concrete actions follow. The era of declarations of good intentions has ended: the time for action plans has arrived. This is why we commence today the “Cop of truth”.