COP30 Chaos: Will Brazil’s Soaring Hotel Prices Keep Poor Nations Out of Climate Talks?

BRUSSELS (Reuters) — The UN’s climate bureau convened an urgent meeting on Tuesday amid concerns that sky-high accommodation prices for this year’s COP30 climate summit in Brazil could price poorer countries out of the negotiations, according to diplomats and a document obtained by Reuters.

Brazil is preparing to host this year’s UN climate summit in November in the rainforest city of Belém, where representatives from nearly every government worldwide will gather to negotiate their collective efforts to combat climate change.

Logistical challenges have plagued preparations for COP30.

Developing nations have warned that they cannot afford Belém’s soaring accommodation prices, which have skyrocketed due to a shortage of available rooms.

During an emergency meeting of the UN climate body’s COP bureau on Tuesday, Brazil agreed to address countries’ concerns about accommodation and provide an update at a follow-up meeting on August 11, according to Richard Muyungi, chair of the African Group of Negotiators, who called for the meeting.

“We were assured that we will revisit this issue on the 11th to get confirmation on whether the accommodation will be adequate for all delegates,” Muyungi told Reuters after the meeting.

He emphasized that African countries are not willing to reduce their participation due to cost constraints.

“We are not prepared to cut down our numbers. Brazil has numerous options for hosting a successful COP. That’s why we’re pushing Brazil to provide better solutions rather than asking us to limit our delegation,” Muyungi stated.

Another diplomat familiar with the meeting noted that affordability concerns were raised by both developing and wealthy nations.

An agenda for Tuesday’s meeting, seen by Reuters, confirmed it was convened to address operational and logistical preparations for the Climate Change Conference in Belém and the African Group of Negotiators’ concerns on the matter.

Brazil’s Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Brazilian officials organizing the summit have repeatedly assured that poorer countries will have access to affordable accommodation.

A spokesperson for the UN’s climate body, UNFCCC, declined to comment on the meeting.

Brazil is racing to expand the 18,000 hotel beds typically available in Belém, a coastal city of 1.3 million, to accommodate the approximately 45,000 attendees expected at COP30.

The government recently announced it had secured two cruise ships to provide an additional 6,000 beds for delegates. It also opened bookings to developing countries for more affordable accommodation at daily rates of up to $220.

However, this rate still exceeds the daily subsistence allowance of $149 that the UN provides to some poorer nations to support their participation at COPs in Belém.

Two UN diplomats shared with Reuters quotes they received from hotels and property managers in Belém, showing rates of around $700 per person per night during COP30.

Officials from six governments, including wealthier European nations, told Reuters they had not yet secured accommodation due to high prices, with some indicating they were preparing to reduce their participation.

A spokesperson for the Dutch government said it may need to halve its delegation compared to recent COPs, where the Netherlands typically sent around 90 people during the two-week event, including envoys, negotiators, and youth representatives.

Poland’s deputy climate minister Krzysztof Bolesta told Reuters earlier this month, “We don’t have accommodation. We’ll probably have to cut our delegation to the bone.” He added, “In an extreme scenario, we might even have to consider not attending.”