On Wednesday, September 17, representatives from the COP30 Presidency, the Special Secretariat for COP30 under the Office of the Chief of Staff (Casa Civil), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Ministério das Relações Exteriores/MRE), and the Government of the State of Pará met with the Bureau of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the internal governance body that supports the Conferences of the Parties (COPs). The meeting provided updates on the status of preparations, with an emphasis on accommodations and technological solutions.
At the meeting, Brazil informed the Bureau that 79 countries have confirmed accommodations in Belém, either through official partners such as Bnetwork and Qualitour, or through independent reservations. Another 70 countries are still negotiating. On August 18, a task force was created to strengthen this work. It involves the COP30 Presidency, Secop (Special Secretariat for COP30), the Ministry of Tourism, and the State Government of Pará. The task force’s mission is to provide direct, individualized support to each delegation, offering solutions for accommodation, transportation, health, and other operational needs.
The Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC, Simon Stiell, announced the revision of the UN Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSA) rate for Belém. The amount, which was previously USD 149, has been raised to USD 197 for 144 developing countries, including Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Regional representatives in the meeting welcomed this additional assistance, which is available to a limited number of delegates from each eligible country. The Executive Secretary acknowledged the strong commitment and efforts made by Brazil to address accommodation challenges thus far. “Progress has been made, with still more to be done”. He thanked Brazil for its leadership and reaffirmed the UN fully shares Brazil’s commitment to a successful and inclusive COP.
Mr. Valter Correia da Silva, Special Secretary for COP30, emphasized that since the launch of the official accommodation packages, there has been active dialogue with delegations. “We have shown flexibility in addressing their concerns,” he explained. “We have reached out via UNFCCC-designated focal points, embassies in Brasília, and Brazil’s network of embassies abroad. We reduced the minimum number of nights required for ship reservations and supported delegations in negotiations with hotels and short-term rental providers whenever necessary.”
According to data presented to the Bureau, more than 42,000 rooms are already available in Belém for November. This total includes hotels in the capital and metropolitan area (8,166 rooms), ship cabins (3,882, with 800 options priced at up to USD 200 per day), official platforms like Bnetwork (7,354 rooms, up to USD 600 per day), and platforms like Airbnb and Booking.com (23,300 units).
Ms. Ana Toni, Brazilian COP30 CEO, underscored the importance of Belém as the host city. She noted that during COP30 Presidency missions, “on every continent we visited, we were able to explain the importance of President Lula’s choice of Belém to host COP30. We received very positive feedback from all countries, and I would like to thank them for their understanding and support, especially considering the complex geopolitical moment and the symbolism of the Amazônia.” Ambassador Maurício Lyrio, Secretary for Climate, Energy and Environment, also emphasized the symbolism of choosing Pará’s capital as the venue.
“The entire Brazilian government and population recognize the significance of organizing the first COP in the heart of the Amazônia rainforest,” he said. “Unlike major urban centers, we are hosting the event in a symbolic location that reinforces the message of the Amazônia’s importance in global climate negotiations.” The ambassador also announced that all invitations for the COP30 Summit, to be held on November 6 and 7 have already been sent to the Parties.
Increase in UN DSA ceiling and ad hoc fee
The DSA adjustment met a request from Bureau representatives, supported by Brazil, and is seen as a step forward in facilitating the participation of developing nations. Still, Brazil considers that the amount remains below the average practiced in other Brazilian capitals and does not fully cover local costs. For this reason, the Brazilian government suggested that the UNFCCC consider applying an ad hoc fee (an emergency supplement that would apply only for this COP), which would further facilitate the attendance of delegates from developing countries.
Combating abusive pricing
Another topic discussed was the federal government’s efforts to curb abusive pricing practices through legal and administrative measures, as well as dialogue with the hotel sector, lodging platforms, and real estate agencies. A positive example came when Hotels.com and Airbnb.com complied with recommendations from the Pará Public Defender’s Office, the Public Prosecutor’s Office, Procon, and the Brazilian Bar Association, by blocking advertisements considered abusive and issuing alerts when rates exceeded market averages.
