Cop30 live: ‘Clownshow’ talks run into overtime with no clarity on climate deal

Ahead of the final plenary, I checked in with our environment editor Fiona Harvey in Belem to ask what we might expect in the next couple of hours. The word on the ground is that we should expect a final plenary to begin in the next 90 minutes or so. But in truth, it is unclear.

This is what she told me:

It’s as clear as mud. They have called the plenary for 10am Belem time but we don’t know what is happening to the text or if they will try to gavel something through without that. It could be that there’s a plenary and then it adjourns quite quickly for people to finish the negotiations – or they just try to barrel it all through. We just do not know.

Meanwhile, ministers are arriving at the venue.

Britain’s Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero Ed Miliband walks at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP30), in Belem, Brazil, November 22, 2025. Photograph: Adriano Machado/Reuters

Wopke Hoekstra, European Commissioner for Climate, Net Zero and Clean Growth, arrives at the EU meeting room during the COP30 Photograph: Pablo Porciúncula/AFP/Getty Images

Good morning and welcome to our coverage of Cop30 in Belem.

We are at the business end of the climate summit. Today appears to be the day that we will get an agreement in some form, but anything is still possible at this stage. Delegates are tired – ministers will have likely negotiated into the early hours – and return flights are getting closer. We are still waiting for a revised text for governments to debate at a closing plenary, which is set to begin at 10am local time (1pm in London). But as always, timings are flexible.

Cop30 president Andre Correa do Lago has arrived at the venue. He was photographed whispering into his phone a few minutes ago. Countries appear to be still far apart on any agreement to draw up a roadmap to transition away from fossil fuels. Can do Lago and his negotiating team thread the needle?

If you would like to catch up on the state of play, our reporters on the ground have been hard at work summarising proceedings. Here is a summary of the headlines:

• The UK energy secretary Ed Miliband said a deal to create a roadmap away from fossil fuels needed to happen “one way or another” – even if it was a voluntary process.

• One representative from a country vulnerable to the climate crisis said: “Sometimes it’s like we are arguing with robots.”

• Observers claimed the Arab group of nations had warned any mention of phasing out fossil fuels in final negotiations would see the talks collapse.

• The architect of the Paris climate deal, Laurence Tubiana, said countries should not fear pursuing a deal on a roadmap.

• Turkey and Australia has agreed to the details on hosting next year’s Cop31 summit, that will be held in Turkey. Turkey will take on the Cop31 presidency and an Australian – energy minister Chris Bowen – will be appointed vice-president and “president of negotiations”

• Africa governments were still pushing for a tripling of the finance available from rich countries to help the poor world adapt to the impacts of the climate crisis.

COP30 President Andre Correa do Lago speaks on the phone during the UN Climate Change Conference (COP30), in Belem, Brazil, November 22, 2025. Photograph: Adriano Machado/Reuters