Brazil’s COP30 presidency has gone ahead and appointed 30 envoys to work with “priority sectors and regions” before the big UN climate summit in November. Some of these envoys include champion surfer Maya Gabeira, first lady Janja Lula da Silva, and New Zealand’s former prime minister, Jacinda Ardern. The Brazilian government mentioned that these envoys, who are doing this work on a voluntary basis, will act as key liaisons to make sure information and perspectives flow smoothly from the areas they represent. This will help to speed up and make interactions more effective.
The COP30 CEO, Ana Toni, expressed that these envoys will be vital in making sure that the COP30 is strong and effective in implementing climate solutions. It’s not really clear how these envoys will achieve that, but it seems like a step in the right direction. Laurence Tubiana, the new COP30 envoy for Europe, said she was “honored” and promised to strengthen cooperation between Brazil and Europe. This all sounds good and well, but will it actually make a difference in the end?
A climate negotiation academic at Cambridge University, Joanna Depledge, raised some doubts about the use of so many envoys from outside the government. She pointed out that while there are some well-known names in the mix, a lot of them are no longer in top positions. Will they still have influence? Also, the absence of a finance envoy is a bit surprising. The COP30 summit will be happening in Brazil’s Amazon city of Belém on November 6 and 7, followed by a two-week UN negotiating session. It seems like there’s a lot riding on these envoys to make things happen, but only time will tell if they can really deliver.
