“It’s lacking in ambition; it’s lacking in balance, but we won’t oppose,” an EU negotiator said. “It will provide much‑needed money for adaptation for the poorest and most vulnerable.”
This came only one day after the bloc rejected a draft agreement for the COP30 meetings, refusing to back the draft, stating that it fell short of advancing global efforts to cut greenhouse‑gas emissions and lacked a commitment to move away from fossil fuels.
Delegates had scheduled the two‑week negotiations to end on Friday, November 21 evening, but they continued the talks late into the night as they struggled to bridge deep divisions.
EU Climate Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra declared on Friday that the bloc would, under no circumstances, approve the current draft. He confirmed that the EU was willing to accept a greater financial burden for developing nations, but only if the text included stronger commitments to emissions reduction.
The deadlock stemmed from the removal of a commitment to transition away from fossil fuels in the latest revised draft, a concession made after pushback from major oil and gas producers. Although about 80 countries had initially demanded language committing to a phase‑out of fossil fuels, negotiators signalled that many would reluctantly accept a deal without it.
The Arab Group, whose 22 members include Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, told negotiators its energy industries were “off‑limits for debate,” sources told Reuters. The sources further noted that Saudi Arabia, delivering a statement on behalf of the group, warned that targeting its industries would collapse the negotiations.
Brazil’s COP30 President André Corrêa do Lago urged delegates to find common ground, stressing that the agenda “cannot be an agenda that divides us,” before sending them into further closed‑door sessions.
The draft agreement urges a tripling of global funding for climate adaptation by 2030 compared with 2025 levels. However, it lacks clarity on whether this increase must come directly from wealthy nations or through other channels, such as development banks and private‑sector finance. Securing any final deal requires unanimous approval from nearly all 200 participating countries.
