One of the most consequential rounds of global climate negotiations has kicked off in Belém, Brazil. Leaders from nearly every country in the world — but notably, not the US — are gathering to try to ramp up action on climate change during a time of tremendous transformation when it comes to both energy systems and international cooperation.

UN climate summit leaders have been petitioned by California gubernatorial hopeful Steve Hilton, asking them to prevent Gov. Gavin Newsom from speaking at their summit this month.

Japanese companies showcase their latest technologies at UN climate change conference in Brazil - Anadolu Ajansı

There are other thorny issues to tackle for delegates who do attend the negotiations, including a plan to scale up climate finance to $1.3 trillion annually to help communities recover from climate disasters, adapt to the even more extreme changes ahead, and build out more carbon-free sources of energy.

As climate leaders gather in Belém — the so-called gateway to the Amazon — the host city lays bare disparities between global ambitions and local realities.

Edson Krenak, of the Krenak people and Brazil manager for Indigenous rights group Cultural Survival, said he has seen less participation from Indigenous people than he expected. He attributed that partly to the difficulty of finding space to stay in Belem, a small city that struggled to quickly expand lodging options for COP30.

COP30 in Brazil commenced amidst heavy rain and flooding that disrupted venues and press conferences, drawing ironic commentary. The opening day also saw activists clash with security, resulting in minor injuries and highlighting concerns over Indigenous participation and resource allocation for the event.