The 2025 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties, known this year as COP30, took place over two weeks in Belém, Brazil, and it marked a notable shift in the global climate agenda.
Across the negotiations, countries emphasised that climate action is widening in scope, now covering not only emissions but also resilience, adaptation and the systems needed for a fair transition.
In this blog, we explore four key developments from COP30 that will guide climate action over the next five years, and what they mean for organisations today.
What this means for UK businesses
While COP30 is a global summit, the signals from Belém carry direct implications for UK organisations.
These developments point to a 2026 landscape where:
- Expectations around transparency, data integrity and credible disclosures will rise sharply
- Nature-positive action becomes a mainstream compliance and investment area
- Supply-chain scrutiny intensifies, especially around land use, deforestation and labour rights
- Adaptation and resilience planning move from “good practice” to operational necessity
- The skills transition accelerates, reshaping workforce needs and competitive advantage
- The shift away from fossil fuels starts to influence markets, procurement and long-term strategy
Together, these pressures mean UK organisations will need clearer pathways, stronger evidence of progress and more robust action plans heading into 2026.
1. Progress on Nationally Determined Contributions
At COP30, 121 countries submitted updated Nationally Determined Contributions, an improvement on 2024, but still far from what’s needed. Taken together, current pledges would cut global emissions by around 12% by 2035, well short of the 57% required for a 1.5°C pathway.
There were notable signs of leadership: Denmark and the UK set ambitious 2035 targets of 82% and 81% reductions, while the EU agreed a collective goal of 66–72% by 2035 and 90% by 2040, with limited use of carbon credits.
For organisations, stronger NDCs signal tighter national policies ahead. Businesses that move early on decarbonisation will be better prepared and more competitive as regulation, supply chains and investors accelerate toward 1.5°C alignment.
2. Global Mutirão: A new five-year action agenda
COP30 introduced the Global Mutirão Action Plan, a five-year agenda built around six themes and 30 actions covering energy transition, agriculture, finance and technology, social development, and urban resilience. It represents one of the most ambitious attempts yet to mobilise governments and non-state actors behind coordinated climate action.
However, the final text stopped short of setting clear pathways for phasing out fossil fuels and deforestation, despite support from more than 80 countries, including the UK. A tangible step forward came through the Tropical Forests Forever Facility (TFFF), which secured $6.7 billion in commitments to protect tropical forests, although still below its original $25 billion target.
For businesses, the Global Mutirão provides a strong signal of where future policy and investment will focus. Sectors such as energy, transport, agriculture and finance should expect new programmes, standards and partnerships to emerge from these themes. With regulations like the EU Deforestation Regulation already in force, and others likely to follow, organisations that act now will be better placed to lead as expectations on supply-chain transparency and nature protection grow.
3. Adaptation and the Just Transition
COP30 placed much stronger emphasis on climate adaptation, with countries pledging to triple adaptation finance by 2035 and launching the Belém Action Mechanism (BAM) to support a fair and equitable transition. The Belém 4x Commitment, which aims to quadruple sustainable fuel use by 2035, was also framed as part of wider efforts to build resilience and diversify energy systems.
Despite this progress, adaptation funding still falls far short of what’s needed: around $26 billion is delivered each year, compared with the $310–$365 billion required annually by 2035.
For organisations, adaptation is quickly becoming a core area of investment. Businesses should expect climate risks to influence supply chains, operations and long-term planning. Developments under BAM and the Belém 4x Commitment point to growing attention on climate-resilient energy and fair workforce transition, areas where proactive action will support long-term competitiveness.
4. Indigenous leadership and land rights
Indigenous communities had a strong and visible presence at this year’s summit, offering an important reminder that climate action is deeply tied to land, culture and people’s lived realities. Their voices brought much-needed grounding to discussions that can often feel technical or removed from everyday experience.
A key milestone was a commitment from around a dozen countries to recognise Indigenous land rights across 80 million hectares of tropical forests by 2030, accompanied by $1.8 billion in funding, the first global pledge of this kind.
Even with this progress, many Indigenous representatives shared concerns about being left out of formal decision-making. It’s a clear signal that genuine inclusion still has some way to go.
Next steps for businesses
COP30 sets a clear direction for 2026: stronger accountability, deeper resilience and faster transition across all sectors. Planet Mark helps organisations translate these global developments into practical action and verified progress through certification. If you’re reviewing your climate plans after COP30, our team is here to support your next steps.
