Maria da Graça Carvalho: "Portugal was a country of solutions, cooperation, and ambition at COP30"

Portugal ended its participation at COP30 on a clearly positive note set by relevant multilateral outcomes and a presence that was asserted from day one as a space for encounters, diplomacy, and cooperation in the heart of the Amazon. 

The Minister of environment and Energy Maria da Graça Carvalho played an active role in the negotiations leading to the approval of the main political texts of the conference in a complex global context and strong disagreement between states.

According to Maria da Graça Carvalho, "COP30 allowed us to take concrete steps in a particularly difficult international context. Portugal actively contributed to essential decisions being approved – from the "Mutirão" to the global adaptation indicators – ensuring the Paris Agreement is still alive, operational, and oriented toward the 1.5°C ceiling".

It is worth noting that during the Leader Summit prior to COP30, Portugal, represented by the Prime Minister Luís Montenegro, was the first European Union country to pledge a financial contribution to the Tropical Forest Forever Facility, an initiative set up by the President of Brazil Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

In an environment set by delays, tensions, and backstage disputes, the conference approved a series of decisions, preserving essential consensus and ensuring concrete advances in global climate action. Portugal was among the states that most worked towards maintaining ambitions and unlocking misunderstanding, namely in the European framework. 

Among the decisions adopted, we note:

• Mutirão decision: The COP30 central political text reaffirms that the global transition for low emission development is irreversible and that the Paris Agreement "is still working", even though we still need to move "further and quicker". It launches the "Global Implementation Accelerator" and calls on reinforced international mobilisation to accelerate the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) in line with the 1.5°C threshold.

• Just Transition Work: the creation of a new formal mechanism to boost just transition policies with a focus on technical cooperation, jobs, inclusion and social protection for workers affected by the energy change.

• Decision on the Global Stocktake: COP30 ensued the continuity of the space for monitoring set up in Dubai, enabling the monitoring and implementation of the recommendations of the first Paris Agreement assessment.

• Article 2.1(c): Boosting international commitment to align financial flows with low emissions trajectories and climate resilience — central theme in the discussion on the climate funding reform.

• Response measures: Adopting the decision on social and economic impacts of climate policies, helping countries manage the adverse effects of quick transitions, such as impacts on employment and competitiveness.

• Loss and Damage Fund: Installing the Barbados Implementation Modalities, which allow direct funding for vulnerable countries in 2025 and 2026 — a priority set by the European Union and backed by Portugal.

• Adaptation Fund: Increasing the ceiling of projects from 10 to 25 million dollars per country and recognising the urgency in increasing financial support given the insufficiency of current resources. Portugal announced a one-million-euro contribution to the Adaptation Fund, reinforcing its commitment to climate action and international solidarity.

• Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) — Indicators: Approval of an intermediate set of global indicators that will allow the standardised measurement of vulnerabilities, progress, and resilience actions.

In the field of technology, COP30 approved the new Technology Implementation Programme (TIP) in line with the Paris Agreement and meant to accelerate technology transfer to support the ambition of limiting global warming to 1.5°C. 

The programme will be funded by the GEF – Global Environment Facility and the GCF – Green Climate Fund and will be rolled out by 2034. 

The Minister of Environment and Energy Maria da Graça Carvalho played a decisive role here by acting as the European Union negotiator on the matter representing the 27 member states and contributing directly to an agreement that boosts international cooperation and climate innovation.

Despite the negotiation difficulties, the texts were approved by the 195 states in attendance, guaranteeing concrete advances and preserving the minimum necessary ambition to maintain the 1.5°C trajectory alive.

Portuguese Pavilion: culture, language, climate and science — and, lastly, resilience 

The Portuguese participation was also signalled by debuting a pavilion: a 150 m² space designed by the architect Eduardo Souto de Moura, fully built using Portuguese materials and complemented with designer furniture by Souto de Moura himself and Álvaro Siza. 

A space where architecture, science, and Portuguese language achieved a global expression.

The pavilion was opened on 10 November with a performance by António Zambujo in a symbolic moment that strengthened the connection between culture, lusophone identity, and climate action. 

During the entire conference it hosted seven daily events bringing companies, universities, polytechnic institutes, NGOs, research centres and projects from several CPLP countries.

One of the greatest successes was the Get Together space at the end of the day, which became an unmissable meeting point at COP30. 

Crowds made their way to the pavilion to taste the Belém custard tards, salt cod fritters, Portuguese wine and the traditional expresso coffee in an environment that united informal diplomacy, culture, and the Portuguese way of being. 

The initiative showed Portugal’s capacity to bring together culture, diplomacy and international participation in a natural and engaging way.

One of the gifts offered in the pavilion, the cork fan, not only offered a unique cultural experience; it also helped participants to cool down during the days when temperatures were above 30°C inside the COP venue.

For the Minister of Environment and Energy, "the Portuguese pavilion became one of the most vibrant, sought out and recognised spaces inside COP30. Portuguese culture, science, companies, and Portuguese way of life found a daily meeting point here, and in the last days, a space for solidarity by housing the Brazilian authorities during the fire that broke out".

On the day before last, the fire that struck the area where the pavilions were housed, near the Portuguese representation, led to an emergency plan being activated by the Brazilian authorities. One of the final activities set for the Portuguese pavilion, to be held on the day the fire broke out ended up not taking place.

The pavilion was then requested by the local authorities to house the operating centre and becoming the point to control access to the area hit by the fire.

Portugal fully collaborated and ensured the Brazilian civil protection teams had the conditions to operate and showed in practice the spirit of solidarity and responsibility behind its entire participation in COP30.

The Portuguese pavilion’s legacy endures beyond COP30. All the pavilion’s materials and structures were donated to the Pará Portuguese charity, an institution that has existed for more than 170 years, recognised for its continuous work in social, educational, and cultural areas in the local community. In this wat, the pavilion’s space and resources will continue to serve the population and foster sustainability.

All of the Portuguese pavilion’s events were streamed live on the

 Ministry of Environment and Energy’s YouTube Channel.