Brazil as the president of COP30, is taking outreach to a new level

Dr Seema Javed

Brazil who is the host and president of the COP30 this year, the UN’s Climate Summit, is taking outreach efforts to a new level that goes beyond the usual. Brazil is the host for COP30 this year.

It has appointed 30 envoys ahead of the Summit in November, including the first lady Janja Lula da Silva andFormer Prime Minister of New Zealand (2017–2023), Jacinda Ardern to liaise with “priority” sectors and regions.

The Special Envoys will support engagement and outreach with priority sectors and regions to help ensure the success of COP30. There are 10 envoys for strategic regions, who will act more broadly in the regions they represent, and 20 envoys for key sectors.

The Brazilian government said the envoys will work in a voluntary and personal capacity. Among them are Kenyan diplomat and development economist ADNAN AMIN,the first Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) from 2011 to 2019.

Also Founder and CEO of the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), one of Asia’s leading climate think tanks ARUNABHA GHOSH from India is also chosen as an envoy .As well as development economist and Honorary Professor at the Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance at the University of Cape Town CARLOS LOPES is an envoy. Also economist, CEO of Bemol, and investor in sustainable projects in the Amazon DENIS MINEV is also among them.CEO of the European Climate Foundation and a key architect of the Paris Agreement LAURENCE TUBIANA is also an envoy Mexican diplomat with over 35 years of experience in international relations PATRICIA ESPINOSA are some of the prominent names.

COP30 CEO Ana Toni said that-“They will be our voices and ears in strategic sectors and regions, contributing to a collective effort for a strong and effective COP30 that implements climate solutions.”
Deploying such envoys in an outward-facing role is a novel approach and could hopefully generate fresh ideas and solutions.It certainly is a change from the top-down, closed-door efforts of previous COP presidencies