Talks at the COP30 climate summit in Belem, Brazil, were thrown into chaos on Thursday after a fire broke out at the venue, forcing the evacuation of thousands of delegates just as negotiators were scrambling to finalize a deal to strengthen global climate action.
Earlier in the day, UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged countries to deliver a meaningful agreement, praising calls for clearer commitments on phasing down fossil fuels — a key sticking point between nearly 200 participating nations. With less than 24 hours left before the summit’s scheduled conclusion, host nation Brazil has pushed for a deal that would accelerate long-promised climate actions.
Security footage showed flames erupting inside an exhibition pavilion shortly after lunch, spreading rapidly along the fabric lining the walls and ceiling before being extinguished. Organizers said 13 people were treated for smoke inhalation. Local fire authorities believe the blaze was likely caused by electrical equipment, possibly a microwave, and said it was brought under control within six minutes.
Negotiations were halted and are not expected to resume until Friday morning, although some behind-the-scenes consultations may continue pending safety checks.
The disruption came after the summit missed its own Wednesday deadline to reach consensus on critical issues, including climate finance and the global shift away from fossil fuels. Brazil circulated a draft proposal on Thursday that called for tripling adaptation financing by 2030 but notably lacked a roadmap for reducing dependence on fossil fuels — the world’s largest contributor to global warming. The proposal did not clarify whether new funding would come from wealthy governments or alternative sources such as development banks or private investors.
Some delegates said they had been reviewing the draft moments before the fire. Others reported they had not yet received it, underscoring the opaque and fragmented nature of COP negotiations.
The two-week summit has been dominated by deep divisions over fossil fuel commitments and climate finance obligations. Dozens of nations — both developed and developing — support creating a clear plan to transition away from fossil fuels, while major oil-producing countries continue to resist. Although COP28 agreed to pursue such a transition, countries have yet to determine how or when it should happen.
Guterres expressed optimism, saying he remained “perfectly convinced that a compromise is possible.”
Another major sticking point is adaptation financing for vulnerable nations — an issue complicated by lingering mistrust over last year’s $300 billion climate finance pledge from COP29, especially amid the United States’ withdrawal from climate cooperation under President Donald Trump. Many developing countries argue that without concrete, guaranteed funding, they cannot protect their populations from climate-driven disasters.
“Our people are losing their lives and livelihoods from storms of unprecedented strength,” said Steven Victor, Environment Minister of Palau. “If we leave Belem without a transformative outcome on adaptation, it will be a failure.”
European officials acknowledged the urgency of adaptation financing but said they were not authorized to approve new binding targets.
