Climate Activists Protest Amidst Conference Chaos

This month, over 50,000 climate change advocates from various countries hopped onto planes, boats, and cars to make their way to Belem, Brazil. They gathered for the upcoming 2025 United Nations Climate Change Conference, which has drawn a lot of attention.

On the second-to-last day of the conference, tensions flared, especially with accusations directed at American delegates. The event faced delays largely due to discussions about a so-called crisis—one that, in a somewhat surprising twist, Bill Gates recently claimed wouldn’t “lead to the extinction of humanity.”

“The world is watching Belém,” seemed to echo through many discussions.

Inside the Amazon Hangar Convention and Fair Center, where the conference is taking place, various countries and NGOs set up public stalls. However, chaos erupted when a fire broke out, forcing a security guard to act quickly, trying to usher representatives and observers away from danger. It didn’t help that part of the roof was damaged, with some people making attempts to extinguish the flames.

Reports from the New York Times mentioned that officials confirmed firefighters managed to put out the fire in roughly half an hour. Remarks from COP30 organizers indicated that both firefighters and security teams were prompt in their response and continued to keep an eye on the situation.

As of now, the cause of the fire remains uncertain, but thankfully, there were no injuries reported.

The fire was just one issue in a series of distractions for the conference. Initially, heavy rains caused flooding at the entrances, leaving parts of the venue soaked. Complaints also circulated about malfunctioning toilets and the overall heat and humidity being unbearable.

Simon Steele, the Executive Director of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, expressed frustration over the inadequate air conditioning and poor conditions in the delegation offices. In a letter addressed to COP30 President Andre Correa de Lago, he pointed out security concerns, stating that protesters had caused property damage and injuries to staff.

The conference had been fraught with issues even before it commenced, largely due to a decision by local authorities to construct a four-lane highway through a significant portion of protected Amazon rainforest. This was done ostensibly to facilitate easy access for COP30 attendees to the host city.

In an earlier statement just hours before the fire, UN Secretary-General António Guterres had remarked, “the world’s eyes are on Belém,” urging negotiators to pursue an “ambitious compromise” regarding fossil fuel policies.