As the 30th UN Climate Change Conference enters its final stages in Belém, Brazil, the global climate agenda stands at a crossroads. 10 years on from the Paris Agreement, governments, businesses, and civil society have converged once more to take stock of progress and define the next phase of collective climate action. Yet the mood at COP30 is one of realism and adaptation, rather than celebration. 

The conference has taken place against the backdrop of escalating climate impacts, economic uncertainty, and political turbulence. The withdrawal of the United States from the Paris Agreement again, has cast a long shadow over proceedings, threatening to weaken the global consensus that has underpinned climate diplomacy for a generation. However, a coalition of over 80 countries and major business alliances have united to demand a global fossil fuel phase-out roadmap, signaling renewed ambition from non-state actors. While political momentum remains uneven, the emerging dynamic at COP30 in Belém is clear: business and finance are increasingly stepping into the breach, offering the implementation firepower that governments alone are struggling to muster [1].  

A turning point for the global climate effort. 

COP30 has been the first major opportunity for countries to update their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) since the Paris Agreement’s midpoint. Yet the results fall short of the ambition required. Even with new pledges, global emissions are on track for around a 6-7% reduction by 2030 compared to 2019 levels, far from the 43% cut needed to keep 1.5°C within reach [2]. 

In recognition of this shortfall, negotiators have agreed on a Belém Action Agenda, a non-binding but forward-looking framework designed to accelerate implementation. It links national commitments to practical measures on adaptation, finance and the energy transition, aiming to turn promises into plans. Alongside this, the Baku to Belém Roadmap has set a global ambition to mobilise US$1.3 trillion annually for developing countries by 2035, combining public and private capital [3]. The agenda also commits to tracking fossil fuel transition plans, reinforcing the shift from negotiation to accountability. 

These developments may sound familiar, yet the significance lies in what they signal. The conversation is shifting decisively from negotiation to implementation. Brazil’s presidency has championed the notion of a global mutirão – a collective mobilisation across governments, business, and civil society [4]. The Búzios Scientific Statement, released during COP30, warns that continued deforestation and fossil fuel use risk pushing the planet past critical tipping points, underlining the urgency of delivery. COP30’s legacy may be less about grand diplomatic breakthroughs and more about the practical architecture of delivery and adaptation. 

The private sector steps forward.

This transition mirrors what is already happening in the corporate world. As Simply Sustainable’s 2025 report, ‘Sustainability: The job has changed. Again,’ highlights, large businesses are navigating a landscape of regulatory uncertainty, tighter budgets and growing scrutiny. Yet businesses are not stepping back. Instead, sustainability professionals are refocusing on the basics: reliable data, efficient compliance processes, and integration with commercial priorities [5]. 

At a time when governments are struggling to deliver on their commitments, corporate sustainability continues to move forward. The number of companies with validated science-based targets has doubled since 2022, now representing over 40 per cent of global market capitalisation. Businesses are holding one another accountable through supply chain engagement and performance data. Even as resources tighten, sustainability is increasingly viewed as a business-critical capability [6]. At COP30, the We Mean Business Coalition called on companies to ‘show up in force’ to demonstrate private-sector leadership and to back a just energy transition. 

From conviction to pragmatism. 

For senior in-house professionals, the outcomes of COP30 reinforce the importance of pragmatism. The conference has underscored that the next phase of climate action will be shaped not in negotiation halls but within organisations, through the systems, investments, and decisions that determine how businesses operate and grow [7]. 

The Global Goal on Adaptation is a clear example of COP30’s shift from policy to practice [8]. With governments agreeing on a common framework and indicators to measure progress, businesses must now translate these global ambitions into tangible strategies – addressing supply chain vulnerabilities, resource constraints and infrastructure risks. At the same time, the emphasis on just transitions and energy system change aligns closely with corporate decarbonisation and procurement plans. 

To respond effectively, organisations will need to embed adaptation thinking into their core planning and governance, ensuring that resilience becomes part of everyday business decisions. The practical challenge now lies in turning these policy signals into action: embedding sustainability key performance indicators into commercial and financial planning, using credible data to guide investment choices, and engaging employees and suppliers in purposeful collaboration [9].  Simply Sustainable’s 2025 survey with in-house sustainability professionals found that 71% of sustainability leaders identify resilience planning as their organisation’s top priority for 2026 [5]. 

The global mutirão called for by Brazil’s presidency invites businesses to act as catalysts – mobilising innovation, finance and collaboration to close the gap between ambition and reality [10]. The private sector’s ability to execute, scale and adapt will be critical in the years ahead.  

The decade ahead. 

COP30 marks the end of the first decade since Paris, and the beginning of the decade of delivery and adaptation. Governments have set direction, but progress will now depend on those capable of turning strategy into action. For senior sustainability professionals, the task is both daunting and defining as we also found in our 2025 Annual Report, ‘Sustainability: The job has changed. Again’ – to align climate ambition with business success, to lead with evidence and empathy and to demonstrate that doing what matters most is still possible [5]. 

In the words of one sustainability leader from our 2025 report, ‘It’s not about doing more with less. It’s about doing what matters most.’ That sentiment captures the essence of this moment.  

The global climate effort is entering a new phase; one led by those who can balance realism and adaptation, with ambition, hope and a commercial mindset.