COP30 began with high expectations, while the global climate crisis is intensifying faster than governments are responding. Even so, Belém was enlivened by Indigenous leadership, youth and civil society demanding coherence. From the Amazon to the Arctic, Indigenous nations reminded the world that they are rights-holders and guardians of the world’s most vital ecosystems. But Canada stood in contrast with its quiet presence and the absence of high-level representation.

Several Indigenous delegates expressed frustration that states continue to speak of “partnership” while approving projects that violate treaty obligations and free, prior, and informed consent. As one youth advocate put it during the People’s Summit in Belém, “You are negotiating our future as if it were negotiable.”

Climate science and law align

Science could not be more clear: seven of nine planetary boundaries that make Earth safe for human life have now been breached. At COP30, invited to participate in more than a dozen events, I emphasized how climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution can no longer be viewed as separate issues. The fires, floods, heatwaves and ecosystem collapse we are now witnessing are not anomalies; they are systemic warnings, and the cost of inaction is unaffordable. Despite petrostate claims, the environmental crisis is also an economic and social one.

The law is now mirroring scientific evidence too. The International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion clarifies states’ obligations to align their actions with science and to prevent significant harm. While non-binding, such opinions are beginning to shape national courts. For countries such as Canada, which championed the rule of law internationally, this leads by example.

Multilateral cooperation and COP30 outcomes

COP30 demonstrated both the potential of multilateral cooperation and the systemic obstacles that still slow progress. Environmental groups called the protests the strongest since Paris, showing public will surpasses politics. Inside the halls, however, outcomes were modest as countries were called to strengthen their climate plans and the Global Implementation Accelerator was established – yet another voluntary measure.

Indigenous nations reminded the world that they are rights-holders and guardians of the world’s most vital ecosystems. But Canada stood in contrast with its quiet presence and the absence of high-level representation, writes Rosa Galvez

Over 1,600 fossil-fuel lobbyists overshadowed almost every country’s delegation. The influence of such a large group of lobbyists unsurprisingly shaped the pace and ambition of negotiations. And while COP28 secured language on “transitioning away” from fossil fuels, in Belém, with eighty countries calling for stronger phase-out language, efforts were sidelined by petrostates, who kept ‘fossil fuel’ out of the final statement. Many parliamentarians and environmental groups denounced this as regulatory capture on a global scale, asking how a process can claim legitimacy when those most responsible for the crisis have the loudest voice.

What COP30 did deliver, however, was more meaningful progress toward climate justice. A call was made for the development of a Just Transition Action Mechanism, along with transition pathways that will uphold human and labour rights, social dialogue, gender equality and the needs of marginalized communities. The Tropical Forest Forever Facility introduced a conservation finance mechanism directed to support Indigenous Peoples and local communities. New indicators for the Global Goal on Adaptation are being finalized. A commitment to triple adaptation finance by 2035 was made. At COP30, the loss-and-damage framework was strengthened. Crucially, finance is now clearly framed as the main enabler of climate action and a just transition.

Canada at COP30 and beyond

COP30 also led many to reflect on Canada’s role in the climate crisis and in climate action. Canada’s recent climate and environmental policy rollbacks and its quiet presence, along with the absence of high-level leadership at COP30, were all linked to its receipt of the “Fossil of the Day” award from Climate Action Network International. Indigenous leaders, environmental advocates and international observers alike questioned how a nation that claims climate leadership can expand fossil fuel infrastructure while speaking of reconciliation and sustainability. It was a stark reminder that Canada now faces not only an emissions gap, but a growing credibility gap.

Global economic shifts make Canada’s fair transition to renewables even more urgent. Worldwide energy investment is expected to reach US$3.3 trillion and $2.2 trillion in clean energy in 2025. China ($627 billion) and the United States ($400 billion) are already leaders in clean energy investment. While these countries are rapidly scaling up renewable energy, electric mobility and battery production, positioning themselves as electro-states, several petrostates — including Canada — are expanding fossil carbon-intensive assets. Some Canadian political voices frame this as “energy security,” but in reality it is economic and ecological risk being deferred to future generations.

Canada now stands at a crossroads between two emerging futures. The question is not whether change is coming but how effectively we position ourselves for prosperity in a decarbonizing world. The Climate-Aligned Finance Act offers a constructive, science-based framework to help Canada attract public and private finance for renewable energy and resilience. Bill S-238 provides clear expectations and ensures that financial decisions support Canada’s climate commitments and long-term prosperity, creating stability for investors. At a time of global economic reorientation, this kind of legislative coherence is not a constraint on growth — it is its foundation.

Hope lies in action

As the dust settles on COP30, and we take stock of both progress and failure, we must honestly reflect on our responsibility to people and the planet. There is a clear path forward for Canada. We must choose coherence and foresight. We must align our economy with science. We must protect nature. We must uphold Indigenous rights. And we must support the most vulnerable as the world moves toward a more resilient and regenerative future. In this decisive decade, neutrality is no longer possible — only leadership or complicity.

History will measure us not by our intentions, but by the future we build together.

The Honourable Rosa Galvez is a civil-environmental engineer and an independent senator for the province of Québec. She has been attending COP meetings since 2014.