In end it was a mix of disappointment and the will to keep going. Guess it always was going to be that. All 194 countries in the climate negotiations stood by the Paris Agreement despite the US withdrawing. Which was good, but the final decision, so called a “global mutirão” after an Indigenous Brazilian word for ‘collective efforts’ failed to directly mention fossil fuels.

The burning of fossil fuels still accounts for around three-quarters of greenhouse gas emissions, and 80 countries wanted some form of roadmap to transition, but the oil-producing countries made sure that idea got flattened under veto.

Such a situation is frustrating to some countries and blocs, including the UK and EU who want a phase out a faster rate, in part because it is a fundamentally good thing for the planet, and secondly because it is placing their industry at a significant economic disadvantage in chasing net-zero whilst others ‘drill, baby, drill” and get cheaper energy. A double frustration.

COP30, sited close to the Amazon rainforest equally failed to agree a roadmap to stop and reverse deforestation. A frustration for the host nation too. Mind you, Brazil itself was not without criticism for expanding its oil drilling.

There was some good news for poorer nations who have been promised for more climate finance, so not everything was lost. An agreement calling for a tripling of funding for developing nations to protect their people from the growing impacts of the climate crisis, and for stepping up support for workers and communities in the transition to clean energy was recorded.

The final deal, or ‘mutirão’ calls for voluntarily action to reduce their use of fossil fuels. Weak, but it should not be underestimated that the greatest achievement of COP30 was that placed under great strain by conflicting concerns, geopolitical uncertainty and a maverick US (who didn’t even turn up) there is still a general consensus internationally to do at least something.

Of course, the delegates will paint a smile on the outcomes, as Ed Miliband said: “COP30 showed that clean energy and climate action remain the foundation on which the global economy is being remade and rebuilt.”

Which is a rather positive a take really.

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