Brazil’s COP30 presidency has appointed 30 envoys to liaise with “priority sectors and regions” ahead of the UN climate summit in November, among them champion surfer Maya Gabeira, first lady Janja Lula da Silva and New Zealand’s former prime minister, Jacinda Ardern.
The Brazilian government said the envoys, who will work in a voluntary and personal capacity, “will act as key liaisons for the flow of information and perspective from the areas they represent, enabling faster and more effective interactions”.
“They will be our voices and ears in strategic sectors and regions, contributing to a collective effort for a strong and effective COP30 that implements climate solutions,” said COP30 CEO Ana Toni.
The new COP30 envoy for Europe – former French diplomat Laurence Tubiana – said she was “honoured”, pledging in a LinkedIn post to “promote multilateral cooperation and deepen ties between Brazil and Europe – not only between governments, but also with civil society, indigenous leaders, and the business community”.
Novel approach
Kaveh Guilanpour, vice president of the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions and an experienced climate diplomat, said COP presidencies have often enlisted experienced external advisers for confidential advice.
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“But this approach, where external envoys are going to be used in an outward facing role, including in relation to specific sectors as well as regions, seems novel,” he told Climate Home. “I applaud Brazil for thinking outside the box.”
Turn COP30 into a talking shop?
Joanna Depledge, a climate negotiation academic at Cambridge University, said using so many envoys from outside government “seems unprecedented”.
But, she said, while “there are many well-known and illustrious names there”, there are “also many ‘formers’,” who have now left top positions. “How influential will they be?”
By appointing envoys for novel sectors like culture, family farming, sports and bioeconomy, Depledge said the Brazilian government may be “trying to broaden the climate conversation and inject fresh ideas”.
“But could this just dilute the serious business of the negotiations and mean that COP30 descends into a talk shop?” she said, adding that the omission of a finance envoy was surprising.
Brazil’s Belém races to make room for COP30 influx
The COP30 world leaders’ summit will take place in Brazil’s Amazon city of Belém on November 6 and 7 followed by a two-week UN negotiating session and conference starting on November 10.
