Cliff Notes
- Brazilian officials, including Climate Minister Marina Silva, criticise a NATO agreement to raise defence spending to 5% of GDP, arguing funds should instead support climate initiatives and address hunger.
- The COP climate conference last year ended without sufficient financial commitments, hampering efforts to assist countries coping with climate-induced migration due to rising sea levels and extreme weather.
- Silva highlighted Brazil’s goal to ensure COP30 is distinct from past summits, emphasising the need for action on prior climate pledges despite the geopolitical climate complicating negotiations.
Brazil calls out world ‘preoccupied’ by defence, as it prepares to host global climate summit COP30
Brazilian officials have rebuked the push to increase defence spending, as it tries to bring countries together for negotiations on tackling climate change later in the year.
Last year’s COP climate conference ended in disappointment after failing to cough up anything like enough money to help countries cope with already rising sea levels, heavier floods and harsher droughts, which are forcing people to migrate.
But this week NATO member states broadly agreed to a US demand to boost defence spending to 5% of gross domestic product.
Leaders are anxious about military threats from Russia and terrorism, while the number of global conflicts and people killed in them have been rising since the 2000s.
Brazil’s climate minister Marina Silva, in London to drum up support before Brazil hosts COP30 in November, admitted countries are somewhat “preoccupied”.
Sources
Brazil calls out world ‘preoccupied’ by defence, as it prepares to host global climate summit COP30 – Sky News