Climate Justice and Land Rights: What to Expect at COP30

Belém, Brazil — The 30th UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) opens November 10–21, 2025, in Belém, Brazil — a strategic choice that spotlights the intertwined crises of climate change, land rights, and social inequality.

Land tenure has emerged as a central consideration in efforts to protect indigenous and community rights against corporate interests often denoted by deforestation, forest degradation and carbon emissions.

Delegates expect a groundbreaking commitment to tenure security for Indigenous Peoples and local communities (IPLCs), backed by significant financial, political, and strategic pledges. COP30 aims to deliver measurable progress on the ambition of “tenure security for all.”

Why COP30 Matters for Tenure Security

COP30 represents a historic opportunity to translate longstanding pledges on Indigenous land rights into enforceable action—and to build resilience against climate change by recognizing and empowering forest stewards.

Brazil, Norway, and Peru are spearheading an Intergovernmental Land Tenure Commitment, aimed at securing long-term legal recognition for IPLCs across tropical forest nations. This aligns with pressure from global coalitions like the Forest & Climate Leaders’ Partnership (FCLP), which underscores that land rights are foundational to halting deforestation by 2030.

Greenpeace further urges COP30 to weave tenure security into an actionable forest Implementation Plan, spanning national strategies, financial reform, monitoring, and political engagement across the Rio Conventions.

Financial Commitments

Brazilian leaders aim to unveil the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF) during COP30—a $125 billion blended-finance fund to reward forest conservation in tropical countries, with payouts expected to begin in 2026.

This flagship fund complements calls to scale global climate finance from $300 billion to at least $1.3 trillion annually by 2035 — known as the “Baku to Belém Roadmap.”

Strategies and Governmental Commitments

The COP30 agenda emphasises multi-level governance, empowering subnational entities, civil society, social movements, and academia to play visible roles — not just national governments.

Brazil has also proposed a Land and Forest Tenure Pledge, backed by donors like Germany, the UK, and Norway, to expand tenure security and financial access for IPLCs.

Critically, a Pre-COP in Brazil set ambitious community-driven goals including legal recognition (titling) of 27 million hectares by 2026, rights to veto land-use threats, tailored climate finance mechanisms, and a floor of R$225 million annually for land regularisation.

High-Level Political Dynamics

COP30’s location in Belém — an Amazonian city marked by poverty — was chosen to emphasise the urgency of climate solutions that uplift rather than bypass vulnerable communities.

President Lula’s recent partial veto of an environmental bill — removing provisions that threatened conservation areas and Indigenous protections — signals Brazil’s intent to balance development with ecological integrity during COP30.

COP president André Corrêa do Lago underscores the summit’s role in accelerating climate justice, touting the potential significance of U.S. technology and investor enthusiasm even amid federal retrenchment.

Voices from the Frontlines

“Protecting Indigenous Peoples’ and local communities’ land rights is one of the smartest, fastest, and most effective ways to protect tropical forests and fight climate change,” said Norway’s climate minister, Andreas Bjelland Eriksen.

Brazil’s Minister of Indigenous Peoples, Sonia Guajajara, framed the Intergovernmental Land Tenure Commitment as “a critical element of the COP30 agenda”.

Representatives from the Amazon’s traditional communities expressed urgency through their own fund-building:

“We’ve always said it’s not enough to recognise traditional peoples as forest guardians — you must finance those who are there… Direct financing is essential to get resources where real transformation happens.”Tenure Facility

Challenges & Balancing Acts

The construction of the Avenida Liberdade highway — a four-lane route carved through protected Amazon forest to facilitate COP30 access — has attracted criticism for ecological harm, despite state assurances that it predates and stands separate from the COP agenda. Deforestation concerns remain pointed among activists, underscoring the complexity of staging a global climate gathering amid fragile ecosystems.

At the same time, Indigenous groups in Brasília marched for strengthened land recognition, emphasising that their territories — which comprise 13% of Brazil — are critical carbon sinks and water sources.

Outlook: COP30 as a Turning Point for Justice

In sum, COP30 could mark a pivotal shift from pledges to actionable land justice — with significant financial backing, solid governance frameworks, and political will converging amid the world’s most vital rainforest. If successful, it may set a template for future COPs to prioritise the rights of land stewards as central to climate solutions.