Activists described climate impacts in their countries and demanded youth representation in UN negotiations. Thousands marched to the gates of COP30 in Belem, Brazil, blocking access peacefully.
Brazilian youth groups, Indigenous communities, and climate activists joined the demonstration to push leaders for urgent action. Fridays for Future members urged negotiators to include young people in key discussions.
Rachelle Junsay from Climate Action Philippines said youth inherit the planet and feel frustrated. She added that decision-makers debate policies while actual victims remain excluded from the conversation.
Demonstrations Return After Three-Year Pause
Protesters returned outside UN climate talks for the first time since 2021. Conference organizers promoted the summit as a platform celebrating Indigenous peoples and empowering communities.
Earlier in the week, protesters disrupted talks twice, surrounding the venue. Two security guards suffered minor injuries during a Tuesday incident. Saturday’s march stopped short of the conference, where full-day sessions continued.
Many demonstrators appreciated greater freedom in Belem compared to recent climate summits in Azerbaijan, the UAE, and Egypt. Youth leader Ana Heloisa Alves called it the largest climate march she has ever joined.
Alves focused on protecting the Tapajos River from Brazilian government development. Her group’s signs read, “The river is for the people.”
Calls for Broader Public Involvement
Pablo Neri, coordinator for Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra in Pará, urged organizers to include more participants. He said the climate movement increasingly seeks popular involvement.
The talks continue through Friday, 21 November. Analysts do not expect major new agreements but hope for progress on prior commitments, such as funding to help poor countries adapt.
The United States skipped the conference. President Donald Trump has mocked climate change as a hoax and withdrew from the 2015 Paris Agreement, which aimed to curb global warming.
