Belém, Brazil, November 11, 2025 – The following statement was issued today by the Wildlife Conservation Society upon the start of the UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP 30) taking place here Nov. 10-21.

“COP30 must close the ambition gap on mitigation and finance, make progress on a just transition and climate adaptation, recognize the leadership of Indigenous Peoples and local communities, and advance pledges on phasing away from fossils and deforestation. 

“The following are WCS priorities during COP30:

“Ecological integrity as the substantive link for climate-nature synergies: Several negotiations this year highlighted the need for greater coherence among the three Rio Conventions. COP30 must turn words into action. Parties should adopt a full COP/CMA decision calling for stronger coordination among the Rio Conventions and revitalize the Joint Liaison Group of Rio Conventions. Cooperation across climate, biodiversity and land degradation agendas should center on ecological integrity, a core principle of the Paris Agreement and other intergovernmental agreements.

“Ecological integrity as a key adaptation metric: COP30 must conclude the UAE-Belém work program on indicators under the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) by adopting a comprehensive and robust set of indicators for use by national governments. These indicators must capture the critical role of ecological integrity, and the relationship between the loss of ecological integrity and the risk of ecosystem collapse. Furthermore, Parties should agree to refine these indicators periodically.

“Halting and reversing deforestation and forest degradation: COP30 must establish a clear, time-bound process to implement the COP28 Global Stocktake decision calling for enhanced efforts toward halting and reversing deforestation and forest degradation by 2030.

“Nature as a mitigation strategy: COP30 must profile concrete national measures to expand and strengthen ecosystem conservation within NDCs (Nationally Determined Contributions). Critically, Parties should include the recognition and demarcation of Indigenous and Traditional Territories (ITTs) as a climate change mitigation policy within their NDCs, recognizing the crucial role of these territories in biodiversity conservation and global climate regulation. For example, WCS recommends the recognition of Brazil's Indigenous NDC, the demarcation of 270 indigenous territories in the process of formal title registration, as well as areas that have not yet had their processes initiated.

“Enhancing the resilience of nature and people: Alongside mitigation, countries must advance efforts to ‘climate-proof’ our current conservation strategies by linking biodiversity protection with adaptation. This requires sufficient attention to, and investment in, the Paris Agreement’s adaptation agenda. It will also require locating practical opportunities for synergies at national and local levels. An example would be the landmark intergovernmental commitment to safeguard climate-resilient coral reefs, and WCS encourages Parties to join this effort to enhance resilience for coastal communities.

“Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF): Developed by Brazil with other tropical forest nations, the World Bank, WCS and few other partners, the TFFF may become the largest financing mechanism for tropical forests to date. Ensuring strong capitalization and technical rigor before COP30 will be crucial — we urge governments to collaborate with Brazil to secure the TFFF’s long-term success.

“Indigenous Leadership and Climate Justice: WCS recognizes and values Indigenous knowledge and leadership as vital to climate action. There must be an increase in direct funding for Indigenous Peoples and organizations to strengthen territorial governance and management, and to ensure that Indigenous-led mitigation and adaptation strategies are included in national and international policies. Active participation of Indigenous peoples and traditional communities in decision-making processes is essential for building fair, effective, and rights-based climate solutions.

“As the world looks to Belém for leadership, WCS urges Parties to seize this moment to reaffirm global solidarity and act on the science. Protecting nature, respecting Indigenous rights, and restoring ecological integrity are not peripheral goals—they are central to stabilizing the planet’s climate and securing a just and livable future for all. COP30 must be remembered as the turning point where nations chose courage, cooperation, and integrity over delay, and placed the health of the Earth and its people at the heart of every decision.”

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