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COP30 Evening Summary – November 17

Published on Nov 17, 2025 10:48 PM

Day 8: Monday, 17 November:

Prepared by the COP30 Communications Team

Thematic Focus Areas: Forests, Oceans, Biodiversity, Indigenous peoples, Local and traditional communities, Children and Youth, and Small and Medium entrepreneurs.

Nature at the Center of Climate Action

On Day 8 of COP30, countries and partners demonstrated how putting nature at the center of climate action drives real progress for people, economies, and the planet. Across the agenda, leaders demonstrated a decisive shift from pledges to practice by advancing tools, unlocking finance, and harnessing community leadership to accelerate implementation, reinforce multilateral cooperation, and support those on the frontlines of climate impacts.

A major milestone was the operationalization of the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF), the largest forest-finance mechanism ever created, signaling that forests are worth more standing. With partners from the DRC to China and new lessons from IPLC governance models like the Dedicated Grant Mechanism, TFFF is redefining climate finance through long-term, investment-driven incentives and a pathway for direct community access. This momentum was supported by historic progress on the important topic of land tenure, as donors exceeded the $1.7B IPLC Pledge a year early and 14 countries endorsed the first global Intergovernmental Land Tenure Commitment, strengthening rights across 160 million hectares.

New initiatives deepened a nature-positive shift: the Bioeconomy Challenge launched a global effort to operationalize Brazil’s 10 High-Level Principles, while the Scaling JREDD+ Coalition united governments, Indigenous groups, and market actors to expand jurisdictional forest protection and help close the $66.8B annual finance gap. Coordinated global fire prevention advanced through the new FAO-hosted Global Fire Management Hub, and Brazil’s Earth Investment Engine surpassed its $5B target with over $10B mobilized for nature-based solutions.

Youth leaders shaped policy dialogues across the Blue and Green Zone, while Indigenous organizations shared community-driven adaptation strategies grounded in territorial governance and ancestral knowledge.

Together, these efforts show that the protection and valuing of nature serves as the manifestation of climate ambition - a vital foundation for resilient societies and a thriving real economy.

Notable Actions and Outcomes:

  • Action Agenda:
    - Unlocking Financing for Tropical Forests and Indigenous Stewardship
    ▪ Tropical Forest Forever Facility Operationalized
    The operationalization of the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF) is a transformative step in valuing standing forests through lasting finance. As the largest and most ambitious fund in the history of forest conservation, TFFF is reshaping climate finance by shifting from donors to partnerships; traditional to non-traditional donors; and investment rather than grants in a public/private blended mechanism. With its launch along with a broader economic instruments package, Brazil and partners are sending a powerful message that forests are worth more standing. During the launch, the governments of Democratic Republic of Congo, Colombia, Guyana, UK, Norway, and China also brought comprehensive lists of announcements, and highlighted complementarity amongst the different financial instruments.

    - Forests and Indigenous People Ministerial: Lessons for TFFF
    Today, governments, multilateral funds, and Indigenous leaders met to explore how proven models of Indigenous and Local Community (IPLC) governance, such as the Dedicated Grant Mechanism (DGM), can inform and strengthen the emerging generation of climate finance facilities. TFFF serves to equip Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities with the necessary resources to maintain forest conservation through the Dedicated Finance Allocation (TFFF-DFA), which reserves a minimum of 20% of forest payments for IPLCs, representing an evolving landscape for inclusive, rights-based climate finance. The DGM’s lessons on governance, capacity, and accountability can support future conservation efforts, giving a framework to inform future direct-access like the TFFF.

    “I remain very optimistic around the TFFF moving forward. The $5 billion of capital is a great start. Yes, there were big ambitions, but you’ve got to set the ambition because that gets people to take it seriously and crowd in. And $5 billion is a successful outcome that can be built on.”
    - Daniel Hanna, Barclays Group Head of Sustainable & Transition Finance


    - Finance & Land Tenure Announcement; Pledge Exceeds Target Goal:
    ▪ Today, two commitments were signed to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030:
    ▪ The Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities’ Land and Forest Tenure Pledge, advanced by the Forest Tenure Funders Group (FTFG); and
    ▪ The Intergovernmental Land Tenure Commitment
    ▪ In 2021, at COP26, the governments of the United Kingdom, the USA, Germany, Norway, and the Netherlands, along with 17 foundations, announced the Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities’ Land and Forest Tenure Pledge. Today’s event celebrated the delivery of these results and the renewal of the commitment. More than 30 donors and governments exceeded their $1.7 billion Land and Forest Tenure Pledge one year early and renewed support for $1.5–2 billion through 2030.
    ▪ In addition to that, the governments of Brazil, Norway, and Peru, alongside the Forest and Climate Leaders' Partnership (FCLP) and the Forest Tenure Funders Group (FTFG), launched the first global commitment on recognizing land tenure at the World Leaders Summit through the Intergovernmental Land Tenure Commitment. This is the first-ever global commitment on Indigenous Peoples and local communities’ land tenure, which aims to collectively recognise and strengthen tenure rights across 160 million hectares - of which Brazil has pledged a contribution of at least 59 million hectares. It has been endorsed by fourteen countries.
    ▪ Both the Commitment and the Pledge will be implemented over a five-year period.

    - Adaptation Fund Receives Millions in New Contributions
    ▪ Today, governments came together to recognize the importance of strengthening global resilience through tens of millions in new contributions to the Adaptation Fund. Contributions go directly to the implementation of the New Collective Quantified Goal on climate finance (NCQG), as countries came together to elevate adaptation and provide needed financial support for those on the frontlines of climate change.

    “The demand has never been greater. Securing sufficient resources is not just about numbers, it is about fulfilling our mandate.”
    - Washington Zhakata, Vice-Chair, Adaptation Fund Board


    “We are no longer in the time for negotiations, we need to accelerate implementation. Climate-positive growth, backed by credible finance, is central.”
    - Alice de Moraes Amorim Vogas, Programme Director, COP30


    - Bioeconomy as a Driver of Socioeconomic Development and Forest Conservation
    ▪ Following the Launch of the Bioeconomy Principles during the G20 meetings and aiming at its operationalization, today saw the launch of the Global BioChallenge to mobilize large-scale investment for nature-based growth by 2028.
    ▪ In 2025, the G20 Brazilian Presidency pioneered the establishment of the G20 Bioeconomy Initiative (GIB) and issued the 10 High-Level Principles (10HLPs), setting global guidelines for bioeconomy development. The event marks the official launch of the Bioeconomy Challenge – a three-year multi-stakeholder Platform intended to translate these 10 HLPs into concrete action and establish a common vision for bioeconomy markets across the world, that protect nature while strengthening decarbonization and putting people and communities at the center of decision-making.
    ▪ The Bioeconomy Challenge is backed by the Government of Brazil, NatureFinance, IADB, FAO, UNCTAD, and WRI. With targets through 2028, the Challenge addresses four systemic gaps: (i) the lack of international bioeconomy parameters, metrics, and impact indicators; (ii) the need to expand financing instruments and reduce risks; (iii) nascent bioeconomy markets; and (iv) tools to amplify positive impacts on communities and territories.


    “This is a message of hope that we need to put into action , one that can create a new cycle of prosperity. Thanks to the members who will uphold this challenge as a global alliance, the bioeconomy has paved the way for a fair transition and the prosperity necessary to meet the 2030 goals. This approach introduces a new method of producing products and services, protecting the territory, and creating a cycle of renewed prosperity. I know it might sound naive and romantic, but I am excited and hopeful that it will become reality.”
    - H.E. Marina Silva, Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, Brazil


    - Scaling JREDD+ Coalition Launched
    ▪ Building on successes in countries like Guyana, Costa Rica and Ghana, the Scaling JREDD+ Coalition was launched at COP30, uniting governments, Indigenous Peoples, investors, and civil society to channel finance to forest protection at scale. Instead of funding individual projects, this approach pays entire states, provinces, or countries for measurable reductions in deforestation – creating stable, long-term incentives to keep forests standing.
    ▪ The Coalition includes tropical forest countries (Costa Rica, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guyana, Kenya), donor nations (UK, Norway, Singapore), Indigenous groups (Grupo Indigena Perú), and major carbon market organizations (Emergent, Verra, ART, South Pole) and other civil society organizations.
    ▪ These initiatives are in direct support of the Forest Finance Roadmap, which has been endorsed by 36 governments representing 45% of the world’s forest cover and 65% of global GDP. The roadmap aims to close the $66.8 billion annual funding gap for tropical forest protection and restoration. JREDD+ by itself has the ability to raise between $3-6 billion per year by 2030.

    - Integrating Fire Management For Coordinated Prevention
    ▪ Through the Call to Action endorsed by 62 countries during the Belem Leaders Summit, Brazil set out the vision of the political priority of coordinated prevention efforts in integrated fire management globally. Today, partners introduced the pathway for the delivery of the commitment: the FAO-hosted Global Fire Management Hub, the ‘Integrated Fire Management and Wildfire Resilience’ initiative. Its goal is to strengthen wildfire resilience worldwide by expanding data sharing, community capacity, Indigenous knowledge leadership, and early-warning systems, ultimately serving to protect millions of hectares.
    ▪ The Fire Hub aims to reach over 5,000 practitioners through learning platforms and support 10,000+ Indigenous Peoples and local knowledge holders in IFM activities on the ground. Leveraging GWIS, MapBiomas, and other relevant regional and global platforms to improve early warning and risk assessment systems, 10+ million hectares will be under improved fire-resilient landscape management by 2028.

    - Earth Investment Engine
    ▪ The Earth Investment Engine is an illustration of the operationalization of the potential of bioeconomy in generating resources for forest and biodiversity conservation. The COP30 Brazil NbS Capital Mobilization has secured more than $10 billion in commitments to forest and bioeconomy projects in Brazil by 2027, exceeding the $5 billion original goal.
    ▪ This is an example of a coordinated investment pipeline of a growing market in Brazil - which provides a blueprint for global efforts to scale nature finance, with evidence of growing momentum in other major markets.

    - Billions Committed for Farming and Land Restoration
    ▪ The COP Action Agenda on Regenerative Landscapes (AARL) announced on Saturday a surge in investments to advance production, conservation, and restoration, advancing integrated solutions to deliver resilient agrifood systems. More than 40 organizations reported $9B+ in committed investment, covering more than 210 million hectares of land, reaching 12 million farmers across 90+ commodities and 110+ countries by 2030, marking significant progress since the initiative’s launch at COP28.
    ▪ This year marks a shift from ambition to implementation: investments have quadrupled since 2023, and the first Landscape Accelerator in Brazil is already demonstrating commercially viable pathways for restoring over 50 million hectares in the Cerrado and Amazon. These efforts are backed by partners including Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture, WBCSD, BCG, and leading agribusinesses and financiers who are aligning policy, MRV systems, and blended-finance solutions to accelerate regenerative transformation on the ground.

    - Methane Pledge: Pathways Forward
    ▪ Today, the Global Methane Status Report 2025 marked a significant moment in accelerating near-term climate action, underscoring both progress made and the scale of effort still required to meet the Global Methane Pledge. While new policies, sectoral regulations, and market shifts have begun to bend the curve of projected emissions, ministers emphasized that only full deployment of proven, cost-effective mitigation measures, most of which are already readily available across energy, agriculture, and waste, can close the remaining gap by 2030.
    ▪ The report shows that national methane plans submitted to date could deliver the largest sustained decline in methane emissions in history if fully implemented, yet stronger measurement, reporting, and finance are urgently needed to drive ambition in major economies. Leaders reiterated that decisive action on methane is one of the fastest, most impactful levers for protecting health, strengthening food security, and keeping 1.5°C within reach. Today’s event showed that the tools exist, the benefits are substantial, and the next five years will determine whether countries can turn ambition into rapid, system-wide methane reductions.


    “The Global Methane Pledge has transformed ambition into tangible progress. Across sectors and continents, countries and companies are proving that methane reductions are achievable - and deliver cleaner air, stronger economies, and a safer climate. Our task now is to scale these solutions rapidly, working together to keep 1.5°C within reach and secure a healthier future for our people and our planet.”
    - Dan Jørgensen, European Commissioner for Energy and Housing
  • Negotiations:
    - The COP30 Presidency released its 11th letter to Parties outlining its priorities for the days ahead. Read the letter here
  • Global Mobilization:

    “One in three people live in great vulnerability because of these climate changes. To them, climate change is not a distant threat, and to ignore these people is to deny our shared humanity…[a]s stewards of God’s creation, we are called to act swiftly, with faith and prophecy, to protect the gift He entrusted to us.”
     - Pope Leo XIV in a message to the bishops and cardinals of the Global South participating in COP30 in Brazil


    - Youth Leadership Takes Center Stage at COP30:
    ▪ Youth-focused programming throughout the day underscored the expanding influence of younger generations in global climate governance.
    ▪ In the Children and Youth Pavilion, Youth Climate Champion Marcele Oliveira convened 30 children and young people from Brazil and around the world for “From Listening to Action,” a dialogue that spotlighted how children experience the climate crisis and want to shape solutions, ending with a powerful manifesto from Indigenous youth calling for clean water, oil-free rivers, and respect for all living beings.
    ▪ At a ministerial-level session on the COP30 Action Agenda, Marcele Oliveira, Action Agenda leads, and representatives from youth organizations outlined practical ways to scale youth contributions across implementation efforts.
    ▪ In the Blue Zone, a High-Level Intergenerational Dialogue brought children into direct conversation with global leaders, including Mary Robinson, Ana Toni, and Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, who reflected together on the need for climate policies that safeguard child rights and future generations.

    - Indigenous leaders share community-driven climate adaptation strategies at COP30:
    ▪ At the Indigenous Pavilion, members of Brazil’s Indigenous Climate Change Committee (CIMC) held a dialogue on how Indigenous peoples across the country are developing their own adaptation plans in response to accelerating climate impacts. Speakers including Jânio Avalo, Suhyasun Pataxó, Sineia do Vale, and Cristiane Julião discussed the history and structure of the CIMC, its contributions to national Indigenous adaptation planning, and concrete experiences such as Roraima’s pioneering climate adaptation initiatives. Moderated by researcher Martha Fellows, the conversation highlighted how Indigenous knowledge systems, territorial governance, and youth leadership are shaping practical, community-led solutions for safeguarding lives, cultures, and ecosystems in a changing climate.

What to Expect on Day 9:

Themes: Forests, Oceans, Biodiversity, Indigenous peoples, Local and traditional communities, Children and Youth, and Small and Medium entrepreneurs

  • 2:30PM - 4:00PM High-Level Roundtable to Launch the NAP Implementation Alliance

For More Information:

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Visit the COP30 Website

UNFCCC/COP30 Daily Events Schedule:
● COP 30 - Overview Schedule
● Belém Climate Summit Documents
● COP 30 - Main conference schedule
● Global Climate Action at COP 30 | UNFCCC
● Climate High-Level Champions Website
● Top of the COP Newsletter
● 2025 Action Agenda Granary of Solutions