COP30 in Belém didn’t just deliver another cycle of negotiations, it reset the global climate narrative. Across two weeks of hard truths and new commitments, one message stood out: the world is running out of road, and climate action now extends far beyond emissions alone.
Here are the six developments from COP30 that will shape the next decade, 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. Forests and indigenous leadership take centre stage
Nature protection became a defining theme of COP30. The $5.5B Tropical Forests Forever Facility, offering ongoing finance for avoided deforestation, and the Indigenous & Community Land Rights Pledge, securing 160 million hectares backed by $1.8B, marked a major shift in global priorities.
Mobilisation from Indigenous groups and civil society reinforced that land stewardship and Indigenous leadership are now recognised as essential climate solutions. For businesses, this signals growing expectations around land-use transparency, deforestation-free supply chains and nature-linked due diligence.
2. Adaptation advances, but the finance gap widens
A decade of climate disasters has displaced 250 million people, while extreme heat now causes 550,000 deaths annually. These realities shaped COP30’s heightened focus on adaptation.
Progress included Brazil’s Belém Health Action Plan, faster negotiations on the Global Goal on Adaptation, tools like RAIZ for land restoration, and urgent calls from cities lacking the finance and technical capacity to respond. Yet the message from vulnerable nations remained clear: adaptation funding still falls far short of need.
For organisations, resilience across people, assets and supply chains is becoming a strategic necessity.
3. Momentum builds in the low-carbon economy
The shift to a low-carbon economy is accelerating. Workers with green skills are now 47% more likely to be hired. Over 300 organisations backed Responsible Timber Construction, while the EU advanced its 90% emissions-cut target for 2040.
The Belém Declaration on Global Green Industrialisation gained broad support, alongside national momentum: China’s emissions have stayed flat or falling for 18 months, and South Korea committed to phasing out coal by 2040.
The takeaway: the transition is already under way. Organisations investing in skills, low-carbon materials and future-fit supply chains will be best positioned.
4. Growing alignment on moving beyond fossil fuels
Fossil fuels shaped many COP30 discussions despite not appearing on the formal agenda. More than 80 ministers backed a fossil fuel roadmap, while Colombia announced the first global fossil phase-out conference. The IEA confirmed that demand for coal, oil and gas is expected to peak between 2030 and 2035, and Denmark set the West’s most ambitious interim target with 82–85% emissions cuts by 2035.
Together, these signals point to a managed transition away from fossil fuels becoming increasingly mainstream.
5. Rising expectations for transparency and integrity
COP30 highlighted persistent concerns about credibility in climate action. Over 1,600 fossil fuel lobbyists attended, the highest number ever, while 54% of delegates failed to disclose affiliations. Only 31% of global emissions are currently covered by updated national commitments.
In response, countries launched the first Declaration on Information Integrity, signalling a coordinated effort to counter misinformation and strengthen trust. For businesses, expectations around traceability, accurate data and credible climate plans will continue to grow.
6. Nature-positive action accelerates
Nature-positive strategies gained significant momentum. More than $9B was committed to regenerative landscapes, wildfire resilience efforts expanded across 260 million hectares, and over 1,000 organisations aligned with Nature Positive for Climate.
Ocean-based solutions also advanced, with 17 countries expanding blue-economy commitments, while the new Bioeconomy Challenge supported the growth of nature-based industries with shared metrics and financing frameworks. Nature is fast becoming a core element of net zero strategies, and a major investment priority.
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.
