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Reflections on Davos, COP30 and Rainforests

The avalanche of geopolitical turmoil at Davos this year was matched only by the intensity of conversations around AI disruption. That said, it would be misleading to think that sustainability, climate and nature were being sidelined. They were not! Beyond the main stage, countless discussions took place across corporate houses throughout Davos, focusing on long-term risks, such as extreme weather events, biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse, and natural resource scarcity.

What stood out most for me was the shift in tone. These conversations were less about distant commitments and more about action already taken—or about to be taken. The focus was on concrete, measurable steps.I left Davos optimistic about the willingness of major corporations to confront the climate challenge and address biodiversity loss. The real question now, however, is speed and scale. Are we doing enough and moving as fast as we can? This question made me reflect upon the progress that we made last year at COP30.

The Portuguese word, mutirão means a community-driven, collective effort toward a shared goal, where people voluntarily contribute their time and skills. This perfectly captured what happened in Belém. It was wonderful to reconnect with colleagues and friends from rainforest country delegations. Special appreciation to the ministers from the Democratic Republic of Congo (Arlette), Liberia (Emanuel) and Suriname (Patrick), who were exceptional throughout the long and demanding days of the summit.

After years where rainforests faced strong political headwinds, we enjoyed a very successful climate summit. Here are some of the highlights:
  • Historic Finance Partnerships Announced
Honduras and Suriname partnered with Deutsche Bank, Bayer, Siemens, and Symrise to mobilize large-scale private finance for rainforest protection. The countries intend to issue high-integrity Rainforest Carbon Credits (Article 6.2 ITMOs) at the national level, a milestone for Paris-aligned, results-based conservation. This is important progress for the markets.
  • Article 5 Spotlight in the Belém Political Package
We successfully negotiated Article 5 into the final accord. The Mutirão Agreement highlights the centrality of conserving and restoring nature “in accordance with Article 5 of the Paris Agreement,” putting forests at the heart of global climate ambition.
  • Roadmap to Reverse Global Deforestation
The COP30 Presidency will create a roadmap for rainforests before the end of their tenure. CfRN met with the Presidency and are committed to actively supporting them on their roadmap and its implementation with our countries.

The COP30 Mutirão is working—and I believe that it is unstoppable.

Thank you as always for your support.

In Solidarity,

Federica Bietta
Managing Director
Coalition for Rainforest Nations
New York

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