Last week, the world watched as 194 countries met in Brazil for Cop30. After two weeks of negotiations, late night rewrites and political stand offs, the final text is out. So what actually changed? What stalled? And what does this moment mean for brands trying to communicate climate action in a world tired of broken promises? In this blog, we break down the hopes, the contradictions, the outcomes and the opportunity ahead.
COP30 marks the 30th Conference of the Parties since the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was created in 1992, following the first global climate meeting in 1995. The annual climate summit is one of the most significant moments in the climate calendar, bringing governments together to negotiate how the world tackles the climate crisis. It influences climate policy, financial commitments and international pressure. For all its complexity, COP remains one of the few times climate takes over the global agenda. The outcomes shape regulations, investment flows and the direction of climate action for years to come.
So it matters. But only if ambition becomes action.
Belém was chosen as host city because it sits at the gateway to the Amazon, a region that represents both climate hope and climate risk. Yet even as Brazil welcomed world leaders, its government approved new oil exploration licences in the Amazon. It is a sharp contradiction that mirrors the wider pattern of global climate politics, where progress and backtracking often sit side by side. This tension is fuelling public frustration far more than apathy. People are not disengaged. They are disappointed by the lack of meaningful climate action.
Research shows this frustration is widespread. A Guardian article published earlier this year highlighted that nearly 90 percent of the public want their governments to do more to tackle the climate crisis, yet most do not realise they are the majority. A study in Nature Climate Change echoed this insight, revealing that people around the world consistently underestimate how willing others are to take climate action.
That disconnect was visible in Belém. Indigenous groups blocked the entrance to the summit, demanding stronger commitments and action from the Brazilian Government. The Munduruku called for an end to extractive activities threatening their territories, making it clear that communities on the frontline of climate impacts are no longer willing to wait for slow-moving political processes.
The positives we can’t ignore
For all the frustration, COP30 still represents one of the biggest global opportunities for leaders to align, collaborate and push for meaningful climate action. It remains a rare moment when the world stops, listens and focuses on the same issue.
And this year offered real momentum worth noting:
- Record Indigenous presence at COP30 with 3,000 leaders attending
- Brazil recognises 10 new Indigenous territories
- A record turnout from civil society, making the People’s Summit one of the largest to date
- Positive steps for social justice with The Just Transition mechanism being established
- Countries unlocked billions in new funds for forests
While the negotiations may have left many people feeling deflated, these points still matter. They show that despite the contradictions, climate action continues to hold public, political and cultural weight.
The outcome of the negotiations
When COP30 closed in Belém last week, the outcome landed somewhere between progress and disappointment. After overnight negotiations, 194 countries agreed a deal that included promises to triple adaptation funding, establish a just transition mechanism and for the first time, formally recognise the rights and knowledge of Indigenous communities as central to climate solutions.
These commitments matter are particularly important for communities already dealing with climate impacts. As Mamadou Ndong Toure from Practical Action put it, “people on the frontline need predictable, accountable support and a clear path to act.” And despite the difficulties in navigating the political challenges, UN climate chief Simon Stiell praised countries for standing firm in solidarity and holding the line on climate cooperation.
But the gaps were just as visible. Countries failed to secure a pathway to phase out fossil fuels, blocked by opposition from major producers led by Saudi Arabia. Hopes for a clear roadmap to end deforestation in the Amazon also fell short, with outcomes vague and non-binding despite Brazil branding this the “Indigenous Cop”.
While Indigenous land rights were recognised on paper, leaders like Emil Gualinga from the Kichwa Peoples noted that meaningful participation was still limited. Professor Michael Grubb, Professor of Energy and Climate Change at University College London, pointed out that the outcome highlighted the political difficulty of focusing solely on phasing out the negative. “The road to Cop31 must balance ambition with a stronger spotlight on the economic opportunity of accelerating clean energy and helping countries benefit from the transition.”
This year also highlighted a clear shift in how climate stories land in the world. Indigenous leaders and frontline communities shaped the emotional centre of the summit. Their clarity and courage resonated with people outside the conference halls.
The People’s Summit became a defining moment in its own right. It showed where culture is moving, and who is leading.
What this means for communicators and brands
This mixed outcome presents a clear challenge. The world is paying attention not just to what was agreed, but to what was avoided. When a summit delivers incremental progress rather than a historic breakthrough, brands need to speak with precision and honesty. The story now shifts from promise to proof. Those who communicate only the wins will lose credibility. Those who acknowledge the contradictions and show how they plan to act between now and Cop31 will earn trust.
Sustainability communications shouldn’t just highlight the big wins for brands and charities, it should also be consistent, transparent and honest. A summit where we saw incremental movements in the right direction with no clear wins is a clear example of why we still need to keep the conversation moving. In marketing it’s easy to celebrate big wins, awards, big campaign moments but the consistency of communicating the inbetween is equally important.
Attention is drifting. Trust is fragile. Climate fatigue is rising. Not because people don’t care, but because they are tired of being spoken at rather than involved. This is where communications need to evolve. And where brands can play a real role. When the story becomes too technical, people tune out. When it becomes too polished, people doubt it.
Those who communicate with purpose and commitment will help keep climate action front of mind at a time when it risks slipping out of view. Those who stay silent or surface-level will be left behind.
The message from the streets of Belém was ‘The answer is us.’ Not as a slogan, but a direction. If Cop30 made anything clear, it is this. The climate story belongs to the people demanding change. And the brands that help amplify their voice as well as the incredible work happening in the sustainability world, will be the ones who stay unignorable.
Want to talk about how your brand can stop global yawning? Get in touch with our team.