Belém COP30 Diary, Day 3

Walking into the venue it was clear security had changed from the first day following the ingenuous people’s protest that breached the security the first night. The military and police were very present but it was still quickly getting in. 

Rodolfo, our Regional Director, South America, and my first meeting was with Emma Shockley, Climate Cardinals Chief Programs Officer. It was fantastic diving into their programs. I was particularly excited to hear about their training initiatives— they’re providing people with green transferable skills. It was one of those moments that really hits home: seeing organizations actively working to build the human capacity needed for the green economy is encouraging. We can’t solve this crisis without the people trained to do the work.

At the end of this meeting Djian Sadadou, the International Relations and Communications Manager, happened to walk by. We got into a quick, but important, chat about the future of climate education and the commitments made in the updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Those chance encounters are exactly why COPs are so vital—they bring together the right people at the right moment to facilitate a massive, shared goal like universal climate education.

After that, I needed to write out some notes and emails. Finding a decent spot was a little funny—I found an open seat in the computer center, but it was open for a reason: it was directly in the sun. It was funny watching everyone shuffle around the seats to avoid that one patch of direct sunlight, given the heat. Eventually, I found a shady spot and got my work done.

The next event took me near the water, and for the first time, I got a glimpse of the Amazon River. It was genuinely beautiful. Seeing those massive ships docked, including the Sea Shepherd vessel (the one that works to actively stop illegal activity in the oceans), really crystallized something for me: COPs are this fascinating mix of high-level government negotiators, passionate youth leaders, grassroots activists, and NGOs. Everyone is here, each playing a critical role.

I headed to my event that was part of a full-day program sponsored by the Alana Institute focused on nature and climate education. This is only my third COP, but chatting with colleagues revealed how significant this focus is. Education was barely a whisper in past COPs. Earthday.Org had the first-ever education pavilion in Egypt, and now, we’ve seen education and green skills pavilions in Dubai and Baku and youth and children and youth here in Belem. It’s clear that the persistent work we’ve done to elevate education to a central focus has been incredibly effective.

I listened to one panel (thank goodness for excellent translation services for the Portuguese speakers!) and then joined the stage for my own session. The topic was how global commitments can support local communities, and I got to share the news about the major jump in countries including education in their NDCs—going from about 40 to over 150! 

My panel was moderated by Christopher Castle, a director in the education sector at UNESCO, someone whose name I’ve heard many times but never met. The biggest takeaway is that education is a vital tool and we must ensure that the commitments made in those global documents reach the teachers and students on the ground. Securing the financing and tools to build  teacher capacity is critical.

After the panel, my colleague Rodolfo and I stayed for a reception, meeting education leaders from Brazil and other countries. We were then invited to a reception by EARTHDAY.ORG’s  special envoy to climate education, Max Falcone, hosted by Italy.

Aside from the delicious food, the highlight was an art installation. It was a massive platform with seating, but in the center, there was a pool of water taken from the river. The water level was set to show the projected water height 100 years from now. It was strikingly visual, the moving water demanded your attention. It was a perfect example of what we always say at EARTHDAY.ORG: we need truly interdisciplinary climate education. Every subject, including art and design, plays a critical role in shaping our understanding and motivating action against the climate crisis. 

Despite the small plates at the reception, I was ready for a proper dinner. I stopped by a beautiful, 18th-century church, the Catedral Metropolitana de Belém Nossa Senhora da Graça, which was a moment of quiet reflection before grabbing a quick meal and heading home. No repeating last night’s Uber issue!

One final observation from the day: it’s interesting to see who is filling the space often dominated by the United States at past COPs. While there are fewer U.S. businesses here, the commitments of groups like America Is All In, led by figures like Governor Gavin Newsom, and the public presence of other major U.S. corporations, clearly show who remains dedicated and who is holding the line on climate action during these challenging times.