Countries request removal of COP30 from Belém, says conference president

By Bianca Diniz – From Cenarium

MANAUS (AM) – The president of the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30), André Corrêa do Lago, stated this Thursday, the 31st, that countries from the climate bureau, the group responsible for administratively coordinating preparations and logistical decisions for the conference, have expressed concern over the “extortionate” hotel prices being charged in the city of Belém, in the state of Pará, during the event scheduled to take place from November 10 to 21, 2025.

During a meeting with the international press, organized by the Foreign Press Association (AIE) and the Brazilian Institute of Oil and Gas (IBP), the diplomat revealed that the discontent has led to formal requests for Brazil to consider moving the location of the climate summit. “It has become public that countries are asking Brazil to remove COP from Belém,” he stated.

When commenting on the diplomatic fallout of the situation, Lago highlighted the frustration among more vulnerable countries. “There is a literal sense of outrage among countries due to this insensitivity,” he said. He also noted that the Chief of Staff’s Office is leading a working group to negotiate with the hotel sector, as Brazilian legislation does not allow price controls. Despite mounting pressure, Belém remains the host city for COP30, though with an increasing risk of weakened participation. According to affected countries, the abusive rise in rates threatens the participation of delegations and undermines the global climate commitment.

According to information from the federal government and the state government of Pará, Belém, normally equipped with around 18,000 hotel beds, is struggling to meet the estimated demand for COP30. To expand capacity, the Lula administration has announced the use of two cruise ships, which will host thousands of delegates and offer around 6,000 beds.

Even so, hotel rates have reportedly reached amounts 10 to 15 times higher than usual, in some cases surpassing US$700 per night. For Lago, these costs exceed the US$149 housing allowance provided by the United Nations (UN) to more vulnerable countries, which has sparked collective dissatisfaction. UN data indicates that the housing allowance aims to ensure equitable participation of all delegations at climate conferences, particularly those from developing nations.

During the broadcast of the meeting, André Corrêa do Lago explained that, to address the impasse, the Chief of Staff’s Office is leading a working group negotiating with the hotel industry and other stakeholders to find ways to curb the abusive prices, although Brazilian law does not permit direct imposition of rate limits. “There is a literal sense of outrage among countries due to this insensitivity,” he emphasized, stressing the urgency of mediation to prevent the crisis from compromising the success of the event and Brazil’s image on the international stage.

Brazilian authorities continue to confirm that Belém will remain the host city of COP30, while stressing the need to expand infrastructure to receive delegations and ensure the participation of all previously announced countries. According to the Presidential Communications Secretariat, in addition to negotiating with hotels, the government has invested in other measures such as increasing transport and security capacity to accommodate the expected flow of more than 45,000 participants.

Edited by Jadson Lima
Translated from Portuguese by Gustô Alves