Global Leaders Grapple with Climate Emergency and Development Priorities Amidst Geopolitical Tensions

Johannesburg, South Africa & Belém, Brazil – November 22, 2025 – Today, world leaders convened at the G20 Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, to address pressing global development challenges, while thousands of miles away in Belém, Brazil, crucial UN climate talks teetered on the brink of collapse. These parallel events underscore a fractured international landscape grappling with both immediate humanitarian needs and the long-term existential threat of climate change, all against a backdrop of persistent geopolitical instability.

The global stage today is dominated by high-stakes negotiations and urgent calls for action on two critical fronts: sustainable development and climate mitigation. In Johannesburg, the G20 Summit, the first to be held in Africa, saw Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposing a G20 initiative to combat the drug-terror nexus and establish a global healthcare response team. This summit aims to make progress on long-standing problems affecting the world's poorest nations, with leaders and officials from major economies seeking consensus on host country priorities. Notably, U.S. President Donald Trump was absent from the gathering.

Meanwhile, the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belém, Brazil, faced significant hurdles. Several nations and environmental groups vehemently criticized draft proposals in the final stages of the talks for failing to explicitly name fossil fuels as the cause of global warming. Juan Carlos Monterrey Gomez, a top negotiator for Panama, warned that the decades-long UN process risks "becoming a clown show" due to this omission, with 36 nations objecting to the proposal. The contentious atmosphere was compounded by a fire that briefly swept through pavilions at the conference on Thursday, leading to thirteen people being treated for smoke inhalation.

The year 2025 is considered a pivotal year for climate policy, with nations expected to submit updated, more ambitious climate commitments under the Paris Agreement by year-end. Experts note that despite technological advancements in areas like carbon capture and green hydrogen, significant challenges remain, particularly concerning climate finance for developing countries who are disproportionately affected by climate change. A critical ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on climate obligations is also anticipated, which could strengthen accountability for state-level emissions reductions.

These developments unfold amidst a complex geopolitical landscape, characterized by accumulating shocks such as the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and the Israel-Hamas war, which continue to fuel regional instability and impact energy and food security globally. Forecasts for 2025 highlight increasing geopolitical uncertainty and volatility, with US-China relations and potential trade protectionism also playing a significant role. The return of a new US administration is expected to bring changes to America's alliances and the global trading system, potentially leading to increased economic competition and global fragmentation. Against this backdrop, climate change itself remains one of the most politically polarizing topics and a significant geopolitical risk, with far-reaching impacts on national security and global stability.