Civil society shapes COP30 in BelémCEFR B1
15 Dec 2025
Adapted from Isabela Carvalho, Global Voices • CC BY 3.0
Photo by Jonathan Philip, Unsplash
Isabela Carvalho, director of knowledge at Ashoka and a member of the Washington Brazil Office board, attended COP30 in Belém as a civil society delegate. The conference stood out for the visible presence of organized civil society across formal spaces, parallel events and street actions.
The People’s Summit became a key political space where social movements, urban collectives and local and Indigenous communities built consensus. At the end, representatives delivered a letter with collective demands to COP officials and members of the Brazilian government.
Indigenous participation grew markedly: the Yaku Mama Flotilla brought leaders from Ecuador, Peru and Colombia, and COP organizers said more than 900 Indigenous participants were accredited for the Blue Zone, up from a previous record. The final COP text recognized Indigenous territorial rights. Civil society groups welcomed some announcements, such as a fund for tropical forests, but called for direct access to resources and stronger action on land and rivers.
Difficult words
- delegate — person chosen to represent others
- civil society — groups and organizations outside government
- consensus — general agreement among a group
- indigenous — native peoples of a region or country
- accredit — officially allowed to enter or participateaccredited
- territorial — relating to land or territory
- participation — act of taking part in an event
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Do you think delivering a letter with collective demands can influence COP officials? Why or why not?
- How might stronger Indigenous participation change outcomes at conferences like COP?
- Why do civil society groups ask for direct access to resources, and what difference could that make locally?
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