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Today, within Brazil's Amazon region, the Belém summit opens ahead of the UN's 30th climate summit (Conference of the Parties 30). I have convened global heads of state during the period before the conference to ensure collective dedication to acting with the urgency that the environmental emergency requires.

Should we not progress past speeches into real action, public trust will diminish – not only in the Cops, and in international cooperation and international politics more broadly. That is why I have summoned leaders to the Amazon: to establish this as the "truthful Cop", the occasion where we prove our collective dedication's gravity to the planet.

People have demonstrated their capacity to conquer major obstacles when it acts together and scientific guidance. The ozone layer was safeguarded by us. The global response to the Covid-19 pandemic proved that the world can act decisively when there is courage and political will.

Brazil hosted the Earth Summit in 1992. We approved the conventions on climate, biodiversity and desertification, and adopted principles that defined a fresh model for protecting our planet and our humanity. During the last three decades, these meetings have yielded key accords and targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions – including halting deforestation by 2030 to increasing renewable energy threefold.

After over thirty years, global attention returns to Brazil to address the climate issue. It is no coincidence that Cop30 takes place in the heart of the Amazon rainforest. It offers a chance for leaders, envoys, researchers, campaigners, and reporters to observe the Amazon's actual conditions. Our aim is for global observation of the forests' real status, Earth's biggest river system, and the millions of people who live in the region. Cops cannot be mere showcases of good ideas or yearly meetings for delegates. They must be moments of contact with reality and opportunities for real steps against environmental shifts.

To confront this crisis together, financial support is essential. And we must recognise that the concept of shared yet varied duties remains the non-negotiable foundation of any climate pact. That is why the global south demands increased resource availability – not out of charity, but as fairness. Wealthy nations have gained the most from fossil fuel economies. They should now fulfill their obligations, not only by making commitments but by honouring their debts.

Brazil is doing its part. In only two years, Amazon deforestation has been cut by half by us, showing that concrete climate action is possible.

In Belém, we will launch an innovative initiative to preserve forests: the TFFF fund. Its novelty lies in functioning as a financial investment tool, rather than a charity system. The TFFF will reward those who keep their forests standing and those who invest in the fund. A true mutually beneficial strategy for addressing environmental issues. Leading by example, Brazil has announced an investment of $1bn in the TFFF, and we anticipate similarly bold pledges from other countries.

We also demonstrated leadership through becoming the second country to present a new nationally determined contribution (NDC). Brazil has committed to reducing its emissions by 59% to 67%, including all emission types and every economic area. With this mindset, we urge all nations to propose similarly bold NDCs and to execute them thoroughly.

The energy transition is fundamental to meeting Brazil’s NDC. Our energy mix is one of the globe's greenest, with 88% of our electricity coming from renewable sources. We are a leader in biofuels and are advancing in wind, solar and green hydrogen energy.

Channeling oil earnings to fund a fair, structured energy shift is vital. Over time, oil companies worldwide, such as Brazil's Petrobras, will transform into energy companies, since an economic model reliant on fossil fuels cannot last.

Individuals should be the focus in climate policy choices and the energy transition. We must recognise that the most vulnerable sectors of our society suffer the most from environmental effects, which is why just transition and adaptation plans must aim to combat inequality.

It's crucial to remember that 2 billion people lack access to clean technologies and fuels for cooking, and 673 million people still live with hunger. In response, we are introducing in Belém a declaration on hunger, poverty and climate. Our pledge to combat climate change should be closely tied to the effort to end hunger.

It is also fundamental that we advance the reform of global governance. Today, multilateralism suffers from the paralysis of the UN security council. Established to maintain peace, it has failed to prevent wars. It is our duty, therefore to fight for the reform of this institution. During Cop30, we will push for the creation of a UN climate change council connected to the General Assembly. It would be a new governance structure with the force and legitimacy to guarantee nations fulfill their pledges, and a practical move towards overcoming the present deadlock of the multilateral system.

At every climate conference, numerous commitments are made yet few concrete actions follow. The era of declarations of good intentions has ended: the moment for implementation plans is here. This is why we commence today the “Cop of truth”.