Fire outbreak halts climate negotiation activities at COP30 in Brazil

A fire outbreak on Thursday has disrupted activities at the Blue zone axis of the ongoing United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belém, Brazil, forcing the temporary closure of the Blue Zone where formal negotiations are taking place.

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Organisers said emergency responders swiftly evacuated delegates and contained the blaze within minutes.

In a joint statement, the Brazilian government and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) said the area would remain shut while the fire department conducts a comprehensive safety assessment.

“Earlier today, a fire broke out in the Blue Zone of the COP30 venue in Belém. The fire department and UN security officers responded swiftly, and the fire was controlled in approximately six minutes. People were evacuated safely,” the statement said.

It added that, as a precaution, both parties had “jointly decided to temporarily close the Blue Zone while the fire department carries out a comprehensive safety assessment.”

The Blue Zone is the UN-administered, high-security section of a COP venue where official climate negotiations occur. Access is restricted to accredited participants, including government delegations and registered media. It hosts plenary halls, meeting rooms and national pavilions where countries showcase climate programmes and hold technical sessions.

Authorities said 13 individuals were treated on site for smoke inhalation. Delegates have been advised to await an official update scheduled for 8 p.m., which will determine when the negotiation zone can safely reopen. The Green Zone remains unaffected, and activities there are continuing as planned.

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The incident occurred less than 48 hours before the conclusion of COP30. Delegates expressed mixed feelings as the conference, which began on 10 November and is expected to close on 21 November, entered its final stretch.

Details of what triggered the fire and the extent of the damage remain unclear. It is also uncertain whether the negotiations will be extended.

COP30 Focus

This year’s summit is centred on efforts to keep global temperature rise within 1.5°C, the submission of new national climate commitments (NDCs), and implementation of finance pledges made at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Organisers say the Global Stocktake guides the COP30 Action Agenda and focuses on six thematic areas: energy, industry, and transport; forests, oceans, and biodiversity; agriculture and food systems; resilient cities, infrastructure, and water; human and social development; and enabling conditions, including finance, technology, and capacity.

READ ALSO: COP30: UN official demands tripling of climate finance by 2030

At the opening of the conference on 6 November, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said COP30 “must ignite a decade of acceleration and delivery.”

“The 1.5°C limit is a red line for humanity. It must be kept within reach,” he said, urging countries to scale solutions that transform economies and protect vulnerable populations.

Mr Guterres also warned that the widening adaptation finance gap continues to expose the world’s poorest to rising seas, deadly storms and extreme heat.

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima, said Nigeria intends to use COP30 to “harness all opportunities for financing climate-resilient projects and related interventions, particularly from the global carbon market.”