By Atoyebi Nike
Close to 100 countries, including nearly 40 Heads of State and Government, have announced or reaffirmed new climate commitments ahead of COP30 scheduled for November in Belém, Brazil.
The pledges were unveiled at a Climate Summit convened on Wednesday, September 24, 2025, by UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
“The science demands action. The law commands it. The economics compel it. And people are calling for it,” Guterres said, urging nations to close ambition gaps and finalise Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
Around 100 parties to the Paris Agreementrepresenting about two-thirds of global greenhouse gas emissions have now submitted or announced new NDCs. For the first time, major economies, including China and Nigeria, unveiled economy-wide emissions reduction targets covering all sectors and gases. Other countries announced renewable energy targets, forest protection strategies, methane reduction plans, and measures to phase out fossil fuels.
Developing nations stressed the need for finance to scale adaptation, resilience, and loss and damage measures. UN and Brazilian-led Climate Solutions Dialogues highlighted tools already available to decarbonise energy, transport, and industry, but warned the pace of scale-up must quicken.
“COP30 in Brazil must conclude with a credible global response plan to get us on track,” Guterres urged.
Closing the summit, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed noted: “Even at a moment of division and uncertainty, the resolve to fight the climate crisis is alive and strong.”
