A developing fire at the main conference centre abruptly halted proceedings at the Cop30 climate summit in Brazil on Thursday, triggering a full-scale evacuation and throwing meticulously planned negotiations into disarray.
Evacuation and Immediate Aftermath
The incident occurred just as delegates were intensifying their efforts to reach a consensus on a deal to strengthen global climate action. The blaze originated in the pavilion area of the vast conference complex. Security personnel swiftly ordered thousands of delegates, including those in closed-door meetings, to evacuate the building.
The United Nations confirmed that no one was injured during the emergency. Firefighters managed to bring the fire under control, but the entire venue had to be cleared from shortly after 2pm local time. Authorities indicated it would likely be several hours at least before anyone would be permitted to re-enter the building, causing significant delays to the summit's packed schedule.
Impact on Critical Negotiations
The fire caused major disruption at a pivotal moment in the talks, which are officially scheduled to conclude on Friday evening. The Brazilian presidency of the summit was in the process of preparing a new draft text of the central "mutirão" decision. This key document was expected to include a potential commitment to start formulating a roadmap for transitioning away from fossil fuels.
This development followed a direct appeal from United Nations secretary-general, António Guterres, who had earlier urged delegates to secure a strong agreement, specifically welcoming moves to address the contentious issue of fossil fuels.
The evacuation forced the cancellation of a series of high-stakes meetings. The Aosis group of small island nations saw their scheduled meeting with the presidency cancelled, and the timetable for crucial ministerial coordination meetings with the EU was thrown into serious doubt.
Summit Timetable in Jeopardy
The severity of this disruption so late in the negotiations makes it highly improbable that the original Brazilian timetable can be adhered to. This incident is almost certain to push the talks well into overtime, delaying the outcome of a summit that many hoped would deliver concrete progress on the global phase-out of fossil fuels. The Brazilian president is expected to take the resulting plan to the upcoming G20 summit.
