The United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belem (Palestinian Authority) on its second day witnessed clashes between demonstrators and security guards in the Blue Zone, the diplomatic center of the event.
On the other hand, at the negotiating table, Brazil is trying to find ways to overcome the plan’s resistance to fossil fuels. Internally, research shows that support for oil exploration in Foz do Amazonas has increased.
But President Lula’s repeated argument that fossil fuels can help finance the energy transition has been called into question by scientific studies.
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Why this matters: The conference in Belém faced its first major confusion on the second day of the event. After a march on health and climate that included 3,000 people, according to organizers, a group invaded the Blue Zone, a limited space that includes negotiators and pavilions of participating countries.
Among other issues, demonstrators protested oil drilling in Foz do Amazonas and advocated taxing billionaires while blaming them for global warming. At least two security guards were injured.
This is the first major protest at the COP since the 2021 edition in Scotland. The subsequent conferences were held in non-democratic countries (Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and Azerbaijan), so the demonstrations were suppressed and had less impact.
Why this matters: As president of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30), Brazil is trying to find ways to advance the project to stop using fossil fuels – the main cause of global warming.
The country has already managed to reach a consensus on the topics that will be on the agenda, but the energy transition is a more sensitive topic, because many rich countries, such as those whose economies depend on this type of exploration, reject major changes in their energy models.
Meanwhile, a new survey by Quaest found that the number of people who say they support oil drilling in Foz do Amazonas has increased in Brazil. Under pressure from Lula’s government, Obama granted Petrobras the environmental license to drill wells on the tropical rim and verify the feasibility of exploration – a move widely criticized by environmentalists. According to the poll, the majority of the population still says they are against this measure, but the percentage of supporters has increased.
Why this matters: President Lula responded to criticism against potential oil exploration in Foz do Amazonas by saying that money from fossil fuels could finance an energy transition, for which Brazil had never had a specific plan.
But scientific studies say that is not the case. Only 20% of the 250 oil companies surveyed have renewable energy projects in operation. Not even clean energy research has massive support from the oil sector. The data shows that Brazilian cities that received royalties from oil exploration developed less than others that did not.
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