Over 12 days, from November 10 to 21, delegates from governments, civil society, and academia debated solutions to the twin crises of climate change and environmental destruction, with a sharp focus on industrial agriculture and land use in the Amazon.

Global reports indicate that 70% of newly deforested areas in the Amazon are linked to soy and meat production, releasing nearly 5 billion tonnes of CO₂ annually.

One of the central outcomes of COP30 is the proposal for the Belém Action Mechanism (BAM), a framework designed to strengthen international cooperation, share knowledge, and support projects that protect ecosystems and communities.

BAM is intended to guide transitions in energy, agriculture, transport, and mining, applying Just Transition principles at both national and global levels.

Teresa Anderson, ActionAid International’s Global Lead on Climate Justice

Teresa Anderson, ActionAid International’s Global Lead on Climate Justice, emphasized the urgency of inclusive approaches, stating, “COP30 in the Amazon is a defining moment. Industrial agriculture is a driver of deforestation and climate disruption, but with the right frameworks, transitions can ensure communities and livelihoods are prioritized.”

The concept of Just Transition emphasizes fair, inclusive, and rights based transitions toward clean energy and sustainable agriculture.

Key principles include participatory decision making and community engagement, gender-responsive policies, protection of human rights and livelihoods, economic diversification, reskilling and social protection, and sustainable use of natural resources.

Paula Castro, ActionAid’s Climate Justice Policy Advisor

Paula Castro, ActionAid’s Climate Justice Policy Advisor, noted the current shortcomings in climate finance: “Climate finance is failing to support communities at the frontline. Only 2.8% of multilateral climate finance for mitigation has gone toward just transition projects over the last decade. COP30 must reverse this trend and redirect resources to empower workers, farmers, and communities.”

Grassroots representatives from Brazil, Zambia, Kenya, and South Africa emphasized that climate solutions cannot be abstract or elite-driven. Communities shared how industrial agriculture displaces traditional farmers, mining and extractive projects leave lasting environmental damage, and some renewable projects take land without adequate compensation.

Caroline Ntaopane, Climate Justice, Mining and Extractives Programme Manager at ActionAid South Africa, remarked, “People are not just passive victims of climate change, they have solutions. Women and communities must lead in shaping transitions that are fair and sustainable.”

Caroline Ntaopane, Climate Justice, Mining and Extractives Programme Manager at ActionAid South Africa

Chloé Farand, freelance climate reporter and editor, highlighted the importance of storytelling in climate accountability, saying: “We must go beyond data and charts. The lives of people, their struggles and innovations, are what drive real change and hold leaders accountable.”

Experts warned that if industrial agriculture and extractive practices continue, global temperatures could rise by over 2°C before 2035, threatening food systems and livelihoods worldwide. Communities in the Global South, especially women and children, bear the heaviest burdens.

 “Just Transition is not optional, it is essential. Climate action that ignores people’s needs only deepens inequalities and delays the solutions that are urgently needed,” Teresa Anderson added.

Successful just transition requires systemic change, inclusive planning, and a reorientation of finance to support communities rather than corporations. The Belém Action Mechanism is positioned as a critical instrument for achieving this vision.

As COP30 concludes, the message from the Amazon is clear: climate action must be just, inclusive, and transformative. Governments, financiers, and civil society must collaborate to ensure that transitions protect livelihoods and human rights, empower marginalized communities, address both environmental and social justice, and move away from extractive, polluting industries.

Paula Castro emphasized, “If COP30 is to be remembered as a turning point rather than a missed opportunity, the international community must ensure climate finance prioritizes people, not just industrial interests.”

The fate of the Amazon rainforest and millions of people dependent on it rests on whether global leaders put people first, adopt a just transition framework, and commit to inclusive, sustainable, and accountable climate action.

Over 12 days, from November 10 to 21, delegates from governments, civil society, and academia debated solutions to the twin crises of climate change and environmental destruction, with a sharp focus on industrial agriculture and land use in the Amazon.

Global reports indicate that 70% of newly deforested areas in the Amazon are linked to soy and meat production, releasing nearly 5 billion tonnes of CO₂ annually.

One of the central outcomes of COP30 is the proposal for the Belém Action Mechanism (BAM), a framework designed to strengthen international cooperation, share knowledge, and support projects that protect ecosystems and communities.

BAM is intended to guide transitions in energy, agriculture, transport, and mining, applying Just Transition principles at both national and global levels.

Teresa Anderson, ActionAid International’s Global Lead on Climate Justice

Teresa Anderson, ActionAid International’s Global Lead on Climate Justice, emphasized the urgency of inclusive approaches, stating, “COP30 in the Amazon is a defining moment. Industrial agriculture is a driver of deforestation and climate disruption, but with the right frameworks, transitions can ensure communities and livelihoods are prioritized.”

The concept of Just Transition emphasizes fair, inclusive, and rights based transitions toward clean energy and sustainable agriculture.

Key principles include participatory decision making and community engagement, gender-responsive policies, protection of human rights and livelihoods, economic diversification, reskilling and social protection, and sustainable use of natural resources.

Paula Castro, ActionAid’s Climate Justice Policy Advisor

Paula Castro, ActionAid’s Climate Justice Policy Advisor, noted the current shortcomings in climate finance: “Climate finance is failing to support communities at the frontline. Only 2.8% of multilateral climate finance for mitigation has gone toward just transition projects over the last decade. COP30 must reverse this trend and redirect resources to empower workers, farmers, and communities.”

Grassroots representatives from Brazil, Zambia, Kenya, and South Africa emphasized that climate solutions cannot be abstract or elite-driven. Communities shared how industrial agriculture displaces traditional farmers, mining and extractive projects leave lasting environmental damage, and some renewable projects take land without adequate compensation.

Caroline Ntaopane, Climate Justice, Mining and Extractives Programme Manager at ActionAid South Africa, remarked, “People are not just passive victims of climate change, they have solutions. Women and communities must lead in shaping transitions that are fair and sustainable.”

Caroline Ntaopane, Climate Justice, Mining and Extractives Programme Manager at ActionAid South Africa

Chloé Farand, freelance climate reporter and editor, highlighted the importance of storytelling in climate accountability, saying: “We must go beyond data and charts. The lives of people, their struggles and innovations, are what drive real change and hold leaders accountable.”

Experts warned that if industrial agriculture and extractive practices continue, global temperatures could rise by over 2°C before 2035, threatening food systems and livelihoods worldwide. Communities in the Global South, especially women and children, bear the heaviest burdens.

 “Just Transition is not optional, it is essential. Climate action that ignores people’s needs only deepens inequalities and delays the solutions that are urgently needed,” Teresa Anderson added.

Successful just transition requires systemic change, inclusive planning, and a reorientation of finance to support communities rather than corporations. The Belém Action Mechanism is positioned as a critical instrument for achieving this vision.

As COP30 concludes, the message from the Amazon is clear: climate action must be just, inclusive, and transformative. Governments, financiers, and civil society must collaborate to ensure that transitions protect livelihoods and human rights, empower marginalized communities, address both environmental and social justice, and move away from extractive, polluting industries.

Paula Castro emphasized, “If COP30 is to be remembered as a turning point rather than a missed opportunity, the international community must ensure climate finance prioritizes people, not just industrial interests.”

The fate of the Amazon rainforest and millions of people dependent on it rests on whether global leaders put people first, adopt a just transition framework, and commit to inclusive, sustainable, and accountable climate action.