Post Cop 30 Belem – Outcomes and Project Priorities

COP30, held in Belém under the leadership of the Brazilian Presidency, was framed as the Implementation “COP” and the “COP of Truth”—a moment to demonstrate real progress on the Paris Agreement rather than repeat commitments. The Presidency’s guiding spirit of mutirão—a Brazilian concept meaning collective effort, solidarity, and shared responsibility—shaped the tone and expectations of the talks.

For Africa and other developing regions, COP30 was especially significant. The negotiations touched deeply on issues central to frontline communities: the integrity of carbon markets, the protection of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs), the future of food systems, adaptation finance, and the economic risks of unilateral climate-related trade measures.

The Kenya Platform for Climate Governance, in collaboration with Act for Change Trust, Fastenaktion, Pan African Climate Justice Alliance and Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung – Kenya – FES, engaged at COP30 with a community lens focusing on safeguards for carbon trading, agroecology, and increasing access to locally led climate financing.

Although COP30 did not resolve all agenda items—most notably the Sharm el-Sheikh Joint Work on Agriculture and Food Security (SSJWP)—it delivered important advances across Article 6, safeguards, the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA), and non-market approaches. It also amplified global recognition of agroecology and opened critical discussions on just transition, the global move away from fossil fuels, and the need for equitable climate finance.

Below is the summary as per COP30 negotiations, SBSTA/SBI conclusions, CMA5 decisions, and Presidency context that distills the outcomes most relevant to communities, agroecology, carbon markets, climate finance, and response measures, with a focus on implications for Kenya and African civil society. Download/Read More: Cop 30 Belem – Outcomes and Project Priorities