Cop30 draft omits any mention of fossil fuel transition p...

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Cop30 draft omits any mention of fossil fuel transition plan as talks enter final hours

Negotiators face narrowing window to resolve some of summit’s most politically charged questions before scheduled close this weekend

Stuti MishraFriday 21 November 2025 11:32 GMTComments

CloseCOP30 halted as fire breaks out during conference

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A new draft agreement released at the Cop30 climate summit omits any reference to a global plan to transition away from fossil fuels, deepening divisions at a crucial moment in negotiations that are scheduled to end this weekend.

The text, published before dawn in Belém, Brazil, leaves out proposals included in an earlier draft to develop a roadmap for shifting from oil, gas and coal – an issue that is central to the UN climate talks.

Dozens of countries, including Germany, Kenya and a coalition of climate-vulnerable island states, had pushed for a commitment to follow through on the pledge made at Cop28 in Dubai in 2023 to “transition away from fossil fuels”.

Saudi Arabia and other oil-producing countries have been resisting any new agreement on the subject in recent years and Reuters reported, quoting some negotiators, that oil producers have been pushing back this year as well.

The draft text still requires consensus to be adopted. On Friday, negotiations will continue over the language before an agreement can be found.

Brazil, the summit’s host, held consultations with major negotiating blocs on Thursday.

The talks, however, were briefly halted as a fire broke out in the pavilion area of the venue, prompting evacuations.

The latest draft offers progress in other areas, including a call to triple global climate adaptation finance by 2030 from 2025 levels. But it does not specify whether funding must come from wealthy governments, multilateral banks or private capital – a gap likely to concern developing countries that argue public money must remain at the core of adaptation support.

Fire burns in a pavilion during the Cop30 summit in Belem, Brazil, on 20 November 2025 (AFP via Getty)

Investments like heat-resilient infrastructure, cyclone-proof housing and early warning systems are typically life-saving but generate little financial return, limiting their appeal to private investors.

The text would also establish a formal “dialogue” on trade at the next three COP summits, involving governments and bodies including the World Trade Organization. That meets long-standing demands from several countries, including China, that climate discussions integrate trade concerns.

It is expected to face resistance from the European Union, as debates often centre on the bloc’s carbon border levy – criticised by South Africa and India, who argue that the measure penalises developing economies.

With only hours left before the scheduled close, negotiators face a narrowing window to resolve some of the summit’s most politically charged questions. However, as with previous COPs, talks may extend into the weekend if countries fail to reach consensus.