On December 12, 2025, Brazil marked a pivotal moment in its scientific and environmental journey with the official inauguration of Jaci, a state-of-the-art supercomputer designed to revolutionize weather forecasting, climate modeling, and environmental monitoring across South America. According to the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, this achievement is not merely technological—it represents a strategic commitment to combating the escalating impacts of climate change through innovation and international cooperation.
The unveiling of Jaci comes at a time when the world’s attention is squarely focused on Brazil, the host of COP30, the United Nations’ annual climate summit. Held in Belem, a city at the edge of the Amazon rainforest, the summit has drawn nearly 200 nations, all grappling with the urgent need to address global warming, trade disputes, and the persistent gap between climate pledges and actual carbon reductions. As reported by AFP, the Brazilian government, led by President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva, has been eager to demonstrate both leadership and unity in the global fight against climate change, particularly as the United States chose to skip this year’s summit.
Minister Luciana Santos, speaking at the inauguration, underscored the significance of Jaci for Brazil’s scientific sector and its broader climate ambitions. “We are talking about the most advanced weather and climate forecasting system ever installed in Brazil, the result of approximately US$5.52 million investment by the MCTI that paves the way for the full modernisation of the institute’s data centre – a project worth around US$36.8 million that will include new supercomputers, upgraded electrical infrastructure, efficient cooling and a photovoltaic power plant,” she stated, as reported by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation. This investment is expected to enable significant progress in forecasting extreme weather events, modeling climate trends, and supporting environmental monitoring efforts not just in Brazil, but across the entire South American continent.
The timing of Jaci’s inauguration is no coincidence. As the COP30 negotiations intensified, Brazil unveiled a first draft of a climate deal intended to bridge deep divides among participating nations. According to AFP, the nine-page draft addressed the summit’s major flashpoints: trade measures, demands for increased climate finance for poorer nations, and the inadequacy of current national carbon-cutting pledges. The draft’s release, just days before the scheduled end of the summit, was interpreted by observers as a sign of Brazil’s confidence in brokering a deal—one that balances ambition with the realities of international diplomacy.
President Lula’s decision to return to Belem on December 11, 2025, was seen as a decisive move to push negotiations over the finish line. “It would be a way of putting pressure on delegates to move quickly to resolve issues,” explained David Waskow, international climate director at the World Resources Institute, in comments to AFP. The draft itself offered several options, reflecting the gulf between nations: a potential “roadmap” for phasing out fossil fuels, an optional workshop or ministerial roundtable on low carbon solutions, or, in a nod to the contentiousness of the issue, the possibility of omitting the topic altogether. The document also floated the idea of assessing national climate pledges annually—rather than every five years—as a way to more quickly identify and address shortfalls in global efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions.
One of the most contentious issues at COP30 has been climate finance. The draft deal suggested tripling financial assistance from wealthy countries to developing ones for climate adaptation by 2030 or 2035, a key demand from nations most vulnerable to climate impacts. “Climate finance is not charity. It is a legal and moral obligation,” Vanuatu’s climate change minister, Ralph Regenvanu, told the summit, as quoted by AFP. The draft also addressed trade concerns, particularly China’s opposition to the European Union’s flagship carbon pricing policy on imports. Four separate proposals were outlined, including the creation of a summit under the UN secretary-general to address climate trade disputes—a sign of just how complex and intertwined climate and economic policies have become.
Brazil’s efforts at COP30 were further bolstered by broader trends within the BRICS bloc, with several member countries unveiling their own technological innovations to address climate challenges. In Iran, for example, authorities have launched a project to manufacture drones specialized in cloud seeding, aiming to combat drought and water scarcity—a move reported by Alalam News Network. This initiative could increase rainfall by 15 to 20 percent, offering a lifeline to regions plagued by chronic water shortages.
Meanwhile, China has turned to artificial intelligence to predict genetic changes in staple crops like wheat, rice, and maize, according to China Daily. This cutting-edge approach holds the promise of boosting agricultural productivity while minimizing environmental harm—a critical consideration as climate change threatens food security worldwide. In India, scientists have developed a portable, fully automated device to detect pesticide residues in the environment, food, and water, as reported by IANS. This innovation not only protects human health but also supports more sustainable management of toxic substances in agriculture.
These initiatives underscore a broader shift among emerging economies: a recognition that technological innovation is essential for both adapting to and mitigating the effects of climate change. As Minister Santos emphasized, the worsening impacts of climate change on the environment and agricultural production require precisely these kinds of forward-looking solutions. Within the BRICS context, countries are increasingly coordinating efforts to reduce their environmental footprint and promote sustainable practices, leveraging everything from supercomputers to AI and advanced robotics.
Back in Belem, the marathon climate talks—scheduled to end on December 13, 2025—have already stretched late into the night, with many expecting negotiations to run into overtime. The stakes are high: the world is watching to see if Brazil can deliver a deal that not only bridges divides among developed and developing nations, but also sets a new standard for ambition, accountability, and innovation in the global climate response. “We must show the world that multilateralism is alive,” Josephine Moote, permanent representative of the small-island state of Kiribati, told the summit, according to AFP.
As the clock ticks down in Belem, Brazil’s twin efforts—investing in cutting-edge technology at home and championing international climate diplomacy abroad—signal a renewed commitment to leading by example. Whether these efforts will be enough to galvanize the world into more decisive action remains to be seen, but for now, the message from Brazil is clear: the fight against climate change demands both bold ideas and collective resolve.
