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Today, within Brazil's Amazon region, the Belém summit opens ahead of the UN's 30th climate summit (Conference of the Parties 30). Leaders have been gathered by me global heads of state in the days leading up to the conference so that we can all commit to taking swift measures with the necessary speed the climate crisis demands.

If we fail to move beyond speeches into real action, our societies will lose faith – not only in the Cops, but in multilateralism along with global diplomacy in general. This is the reason for convening leaders to the Amazon: to establish this as the "truthful Cop", the moment we demonstrate our collective dedication's gravity to the planet.

Humanity has shown its ability to overcome great challenges when it acts together and scientific guidance. We protected the ozone layer. The global response to the Covid-19 pandemic showed that decisive global action is possible when there is courage and political will.

The Earth Summit was held in Brazil back in 1992. Agreements on climate, biodiversity, and desertification were endorsed, and adopted principles that defined a new paradigm for preserving Earth and humankind. During the last three decades, these meetings have yielded key accords and goals for cutting emissions – including halting deforestation by 2030 to tripling renewable energy capacity.

More than three decades later, the world returns to Brazil to confront climate change. There's a reason why Cop30 is being held in the heart of the Amazon rainforest. This is an opportunity for politicians, diplomats, scientists, activists and journalists to witness the reality of the Amazon. Our aim is for global observation of the forests' real status, the planet’s largest river basin, and the millions of people who live in the region. Climate conferences must not just display concepts or yearly meetings for delegates. They should serve as encounters with actuality and of effective action to tackle climate change.

To confront this crisis together, financial support is essential. And we must recognise that the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities remains the non-negotiable foundation of any climate pact. That is why the global south demands greater access to resources – not as aid, but as fairness. Rich countries have benefited the most from fossil fuel economies. They must now rise to their responsibilities, not only by making commitments but by repaying what they owe.

Brazil is doing its part. In only two years, we have already halved deforestation in the Amazon, demonstrating that real environmental measures can work.

In Belém, we will launch an innovative initiative to preserve forests: the TFFF fund. It is innovative because it operates as an investment fund, not a donation mechanism. The TFFF will reward those who keep their forests standing and contributors to the fund. A genuine win-win approach to tackling climate change. Leading by example, Brazil has pledged $1 billion to the TFFF, and we anticipate similarly bold pledges from other nations.

We also set an example by becoming the second country to present a new nationally determined contribution (NDC). Brazil has committed to reducing its emissions by 59% to 67%, covering all greenhouse gases and all sectors of the economy. With this mindset, we urge all nations to present equally ambitious NDCs and to execute them thoroughly.

The energy transition is fundamental to meeting Brazil’s NDC. Our energy matrix is among the cleanest in the world, with 88% of our electricity coming from renewable sources. We are a leader in biofuels and are progressing in wind, solar, and green hydrogen.

Redirecting revenues from oil production to finance a just, orderly and equitable energy transition will be essential. In the long run, oil companies worldwide, such as Brazil's Petrobras, will evolve into energy providers, because a growth model based on fossil fuels is unsustainable.

People must be at the centre of political decisions about climate and the energy transition. It's important to acknowledge that society's most at-risk groups suffer the most from environmental effects, which is why just transition and adaptation plans must aim to combat inequality.

We cannot forget that two billion individuals have no access to clean technologies and fuels for cooking, and 673 million people still live with hunger. To address this, we are introducing in Belém a declaration on hunger, poverty and climate. Our commitment to fight global warming should be closely tied to the fight against hunger.

It is also fundamental that we advance the reform of global governance. Today, multilateralism suffers from the paralysis within the UN Security Council. Created to preserve peace, it has not stopped conflicts. Hence, it is our responsibility to advocate for reforming this body. During Cop30, we will push for the creation of a UN climate change council connected to the General Assembly. This would form a fresh governance framework with the force and legitimacy to guarantee nations fulfill their pledges, and a practical move towards reversing the current paralysis in global cooperation.

During each environmental summit, we hear many promises but see too few real commitments. The era of declarations of good intentions has ended: the time for action plans has arrived. That is why today we begin the “Cop of truth”.