Why The World Shouldn’t Be Holding It’s Breath for the Outcomes of COP

This year at COP30, I’m not waiting for breakthroughs.

The oil lobby will show up in force. So will cynicism. How we show up will matter more.

World leaders will gather in Belém, Brazil, starting next week for COP30, the thirtieth United Nations Climate Change Conference.

Before the talks have even begun, controversy surrounds them.

The oil and gas lobby is expected to outnumber climate scientists and policy experts in the negotiation rooms. Civil society groups have raised concerns about representation, transparency, and the slow pace of action since the Paris Agreement was signed a decade ago.

For many changemakers, this is one of the hardest times of the year to stay grounded.

To write about COP is to acknowledge the discord, dissonance, and inner struggle that come with watching the gaps grow and the timelines compress.

On one hand, we want to communicate hope; to inspire others to engage, innovate, and believe in the possibility of a better future.

On the other hand, it is painful to witness the institutional failings of the world’s most crucial climate forum repeat themselves year after year, as the impacts of climate change hit ever closer to home.

Writing about COP means sitting with this contradiction. It means holding both belief in human potential and disappointment in human systems. Resilience in this context is not about pushing through or pretending it is all fine. It is about meeting the moment with honesty, compassion, and clarity.