In early December 2025, the city of Belém, Brazil, became a vibrant crossroads for global climate action as it hosted the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP30). With more than 45,000 participants from nearly every corner of the world, the event marked a pivotal moment for climate negotiations, ethics, and the growing influence of youth and marginalized voices in shaping the planet’s future.
For many, COP30 was about more than just technical agreements or emissions targets. According to the Bahá’í World News Service, the Bahá’í International Community (BIC) brought a fresh perspective to the table, emphasizing the ethical dimensions of climate decisions and the moral responsibility owed to future generations. Daniel Perell, representing BIC’s New York Office, noted a subtle but significant shift in the conference’s tone: “Urgent action actually requires long-term thinking and a long-term approach, looking at future generations and our responsibility to them.”
This focus on ethics was underscored by the Global Ethical Stocktake (GES), a new initiative introduced by the COP30 Presidency. The GES invited institutions and individuals worldwide to reflect on the moral imperatives of climate action. Within this framework, BIC co-hosted a forum titled “The Role of Faith Communities in Building an Ethic of Care and Climate Justice,” where Mr. Perell contrasted financial incentives with the deeper motivations found in family and community bonds. “Bringing such ethical considerations into climate discussions can unlock deeper stores of courage and perseverance,” he said, highlighting how love and responsibility for children and grandchildren can spur meaningful action.
Elsewhere at COP30, the intersection of science, dialogue, and community-driven solutions took center stage. In partnership with the government of Vanuatu, BIC hosted a side event, “From Principles to Policy: National Pathways for Addressing Loss and Damage.” Vahíd Vahdat of the Brazilian Bahá’í Office of External Affairs stressed that facing climate challenges demands more than technical fixes. “We will only be able to face these challenges if we also draw on our best qualities as a civilization,” he asserted. The event called for holistic approaches that view people as protagonists of social change, rather than mere victims, and emphasized the need for local communities to identify and address their own challenges.
The spiritual underpinnings of climate action were further explored in a TED forum, “The climate crisis is a spiritual crisis: A multifaith Global Ethical Stocktake,” moderated by Nika Sinai of the Australian Bahá’í Office of External Affairs. The forum brought together representatives from various faiths and civil society organizations. As Ms. Sinai articulated, “Reducing emissions requires the technical solutions we are familiar with, but it also requires a sense of compassion and justice to understand that our choices as emitters and consumers of energy ripple across the earth and impact both our fellow human beings and the planet that we share.”
Youth engagement was a recurring theme throughout COP30, both within official proceedings and in grassroots initiatives. The Brazilian Bahá’í community, for example, organized a “mini-COP” before the main event, inviting children and youth to reflect on their environmental dreams and take practical steps such as planting trees and improving waste management. Luísa Cavalcanti of the Bahá’í Office of External Affairs noted, “What is often missing is an ethical will that can advance decision-making processes.” She added that young people are already active contributors in their communities, not just future leaders.
This sentiment was echoed by young Pacific leaders who attended COP30 as part of Save the Children New Zealand’s delegation. Toa Sifia Fonoti, a 19-year-old student and Generation Hope Ambassador, described the atmosphere in Belém as electric. “There were so many people communicating, sharing stories, sharing ideas and doing so much learning. I couldn’t help but feel the hope and excitement from all types of people,” she told Pacific Mornings. Fonoti emphasized the importance of children’s rights and the need for youth voices to be heard in climate policy. “It’s really important that young people’s voices are heard and that their safety on this planet is a top priority.”
Her colleague, Vira Paky, highlighted a landmark achievement at COP30: the adoption of the Mutirão Decision, which explicitly prioritizes children and youth in climate action plans through 2030. “It is quite often that children and young people are implicitly discussed in these documents, but here we have it in the black and white that children and young people will be one of the high priorities and referenced as a priority group when it comes to climate decision-making, which is a huge win,” Paky said.
Pacific youth leaders are determined to keep their region’s unique challenges and perspectives at the forefront of global climate negotiations. Even as Australia withdrew its bid to host COP31, ceding the next conference to Turkey, Pacific nations are organizing a regional pre-COP meeting to ensure their collective voice remains strong. “Other stakeholders might theorize about climate change, but we have the lived experience and they can’t ignore what we bring to the table,” Paky added.
The energy and optimism of youth activism was not confined to the Pacific. Back in New Zealand, climate activists like Sophie Handford and Mary Moeono-Kolio, both featured in the upcoming book Kiwis in Climate, continue to build movements rooted in solidarity and diverse perspectives. Moeono-Kolio explained, “It is about ensuring Pacific voices, and those most impacted such as tangata whenua and people with disabilities, are truly at the table. We need to find ways to bring them into movements and systems that are not always built for us, challenge the structures in place, and work with allies who can help push for what is fundamentally right.”
Inside the formal negotiations, gender equity also gained ground. Olivia Cutka, a senior at Indiana University’s Hamilton Lugar School, attended COP30 to observe the negotiation of the Gender Action Plan (GAP), an official UNFCCC text aimed at promoting gender-responsive climate action. “The GAP was officially adopted by the 194 countries in attendance and was more progressive than before,” Cutka reported. While she celebrated the plan’s advancements, Cutka also noted challenges—some countries, including Russia and the Holy See, attempted to stall negotiations, particularly over issues of intersectionality and gender terms. Despite these hurdles, Cutka left COP30 reassured in the UNFCCC process, emphasizing the need for sustained, long-term commitment: “Although the urgency of climate change is critical, the process to address it must be a marathon, not a sprint.”
Across panels, pavilions, and informal gatherings, COP30 in Belém was a testament to the evolving nature of global climate governance. The conference highlighted not just the urgency of technical solutions but the critical importance of ethics, inclusion, and intergenerational dialogue. As Daniel Perell aptly put it, “The science of climate change is increasingly clear. The remaining questions are, at their core, ethical ones. How we answer them, and whose voices are included, will shape the kind of world we bequeath to those who come after us.”
In the wake of COP30, the world’s young leaders, faith communities, and advocates for equity are more determined than ever to turn principles into action, ensuring that the climate movement’s next chapter is written by—and for—those whose futures are most at stake.
