Belém (Brazil): United Nations Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell today urged world leaders to speed up and scale up collective climate action, calling for a “faster and fairer” implementation of the Paris Agreement during his address at the COP30 Leaders’ Summit in Belém.
Speaking against the backdrop of the Amazon — the symbolic heart of the planet’s ecological balance — Stiell traced the global climate journey from the 1992 Rio Earth Summit to the landmark 2015 Paris Agreement, and now to COP30. He described the moment as a critical juncture for humanity to prove that multilateral cooperation can still deliver results amid rising temperatures and widening inequalities.
“The Paris Agreement proves that global cooperation is delivering progress,” Stiell said. “But ten years on, we must prove it again — by making this extraordinary framework work faster and fairer, for everyone, everywhere.”
Clean Energy Revolution Gains Momentum
Stiell noted that the global clean energy transition is no longer theoretical but in full swing. “Last year, two trillion dollars flowed into renewables – twice as much as fossil fuels,” he said, adding that “ninety per cent of new power capacity worldwide was renewable.”
He highlighted that this transformation has already altered the trajectory of global warming. “The world’s climate response, though far from complete, has changed the curve. The clean energy transition is booming,” Stiell said, while urging countries to ensure that this momentum translates into real benefits for all.
Call for Equitable Climate Finance
Despite the growing investment in renewables, Stiell warned that without adequate and equitable financing, developing nations risk being left behind. “Climate plans and climate finance are the spark that can accelerate action, driving green growth and resilience for every nation,” he said.
He referred to the Baku to Belém Roadmap as a defining initiative to scale up global climate finance from $300 billion to $1.3 trillion annually by 2035. Stiell stressed that such ambition is not charity, but a shared global investment in future stability and prosperity.
“This is shared interest, not charity – an investment in stability and prosperity,” he emphasized. “Every climate dollar invested brings multiple dividends: jobs, cleaner air, health, security, and resilience.”
‘We Are in the Delivery Decade’
The UN Climate Chief’s remarks echoed a sense of urgency that has come to define recent Conferences of the Parties. “We are in the delivery decade,” Stiell reminded delegates. “Ambition without implementation is no longer acceptable. We need credible pathways, transparent accountability, and sustained political will.”
He noted that the Paris Agreement framework must be strengthened through cooperation that bridges the North-South divide, ensuring that climate solutions are inclusive and just. “Progress must not be a privilege of a few. It must be a right for all,” he said.
From Rio to Paris to Belém — and Beyond
Drawing a symbolic connection between the historic milestones in global environmental governance, Stiell reflected on the journey of collective climate commitment. “From Rio’s vision to Paris’s promise, and now Belém’s resolve – we stand at the threshold of transformative change,” he said.
As world leaders gathered in Belém for COP30 under Brazil’s presidency, the conference is widely seen as a test of global unity ahead of the next round of national climate commitments due in 2025.
“Ten years on, we must prove that the Paris Agreement can deliver not only ambition but impact,” Stiell concluded. “The framework works — now it must work faster, fairer, and for everyone.”
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Below are remarks delivered by UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell at the COP30 Leaders’ Summit session on “10 years of the Paris Agreement: NDCs and Financing” in Belém, Brazil, on Friday 7 November 2025.
Excellencies,
Friends,
Over three decade ago in Rio, humanity set a new course of global climate cooperation.
Ten years ago, in Paris, we took a major step forward.
Without that act of collective courage, we would still be heading for an impossible future of unchecked heating, of up to 5 degrees.
Because of it, the curve has bent below 3°C – still perilous, but proof that climate cooperation works.
The clean energy revolution is booming, though we need to ensure all countries can get fully on board.
Last year, two trillion dollars flowed into renewables – twice as much as fossil fuels.
Ninety per cent of new power capacity worldwide was renewable.
Our focus today – climate plans and climate finance – are the spark that can accelerate action, driving green growth and resilience for every nation.
Our analysis shows progress: not just in bending the emissions curve, but more credible, whole-of-economy plans; stronger links to adaptation, just transitions, and gender equality; closer alignment with the Global Stocktake and with real-world delivery.
And, we see major economies saying they will strive to do better.
Because nations that move fast will gain the greatest share of the clean-energy boom reshaping global growth.
I commend those who have submitted their plans – and urge those who haven’t to do so now.
Here in Belém, we must accelerate on all fronts. That means doubling down on international cooperation. Our not-so-secret weapon in the climate fight.
But we all know that plans without finance cannot reach their full potential.
Finance is the great accelerator.
The Baku to Belém Roadmap charts the path from $300 billion a year to $1.3 trillion by 2035 – and it must become reality.
This is shared interest, not charity – an investment in stability and prosperity.
Every dollar invested in climate solutions brings multiple dividends: jobs, cleaner air, better health, resilient global supply chains, stronger energy and food security.
To unlock that transformation, finance must be scaled up, sped up, and spread out – reaching every nation, fast, fair, and in full.
Friends, the Paris Agreement has proved that global cooperation is working to deliver progress, but still not fast enough.
Ten years on, we must prove it again – by making this extraordinary framework work faster and fairer, for everyone, everywhere.
History will not ask what we intended.
It will ask what we achieved.
Thank you.
(India CSR)
