COP30 in Belém marked a pivotal moment for global climate action, spotlighting the Amazon’s role in protecting forests, biodiversity, and indigenous communities while advancing 2035 climate plans.
There were five things that reportedly stuck out from the Belém summit. First, it was reported that nations agreed to a voluntary “collective effort” (the mutirão) to keep warming below 1.5 °C, yet they stopped short of a binding fossil‑fuel phase‑out. Instead, the presidency offered a voluntary plan for countries that want to join, and a separate de‑forestation initiative.
Also, the final text calls for tripling adaptation funding, creates a Just Transition Mechanism, a Global Implementation Accelerator and a $7 billion Tropical Forest Forever Facility. How the money will be sourced and tracked remains under negotiation.
Oil‑rich countries blocked language that would have named fossil fuels as the main driver of climate change. The summit ended without a formal roadmap to shift away from coal, oil and gas, leaving the issue to be pursued outside the formal UN process.
Over 3,000 indigenous participants attended, the largest ever, and the mutirão text recognises their land rights. Yet many proposals were left out of the final decisions, and accreditation gaps persisted.
About $9.5 billion was announced for forest protection, with $7 billion earmarked for Brazil’s flagship fund. A global de‑forestation roadmap was discussed but not adopted, with the presidency promising to develop it later.
There was a mix of modest progress and lingering division that defined COP30. However, there was a joint statement released in Belém on 18 November 2025 – signed by Japan, Malaysia and a raft of industry bodies (IATA, ACI, A4E, etc.) – this lays out a clear roadmap for aviation’s climate effort. Here, the signatories are urging governments and the industry to back ICAO’s leadership, fully roll out CORSIA, make Article 6 work, and steer clear of piecemeal taxes that could undermine the sector’s decarbonisation and connectivity goals.
In the statement, the signatories reaffirm that ICAO, the UN agency, under the UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol, is the exclusive body for governing international aviation emissions and urge states to avoid creating parallel mechanisms.
Then they call for full implementation of the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation, noting that the first phase (2024‑26) will generate up to 200 million credits worth roughly $4‑5 billion, with the scheme expected to offset nearly 2 billion credits through 2035.
Article 6 of the Paris Agreement establishes the rules for international cooperation on climate action, including carbon markets and non-market approaches. In simple terms, it allows countries to work together to meet their climate targets by trading or transferring emission reductions, while also encouraging collaboration beyond markets. The joint statement wants Article 6 operationalised. Here host countries should issue Letters of Authorisation and enable CORSIA‑eligible emissions units so the market can mobilise climate finance, especially for projects in developing nations.
Further, the statement warns that unilateral taxes or global solidarity levies are not effective climate tools; they risk diverting investment from real emission‑reduction projects and could hurt connectivity, particularly for small‑island and developing economies.
It points to a unified, market‑based approach – by keeping a single, robust global carbon market and avoiding duplicative policies, the sector can achieve the net‑zero goal for 2050 while supporting sustainable development, technology transfer and job creation.
The first mandatory phase (2027‑2035) will hit all ICAO members, so African carriers need robust MRV (monitoring‑reporting‑verification) systems now. The good news is that the scheme’s “sector‑growth factor” can actually ease the burden on fast‑growing airlines if they stay under the baseline.
ICAO has approved eight programmes for the 2024‑26 window and four more for 2027‑29, with many projects based in the Global South. African states that issue Letters of Authorisation (LoAs) can tap these credits, turning compliance costs into a revenue stream for local climate projects.
The statement stresses that climate finance should flow through Article 6, not through unilateral taxes. For Africa, this means potential funding for sustainable aviation fuel pilots, renewable‑energy airports, and modernisation of air‑traffic management — areas where investment is still scarce.
If regional or national ticket taxes appear, they could raise operating costs for African airlines and make routes less viable. The joint statement’s warning gives African governments ammunition to resist such measures and push for a unified CORSIA approach instead.
The CORSIA Implementation Guide highlights the need for dedicated teams, integrated monitoring platforms, and supplier relationships with verified credit providers. African aviation authorities can use the Belém momentum to seek technical assistance and training from ICAO and partner states, helping their carriers meet the upcoming requirements without falling behind.
The Belém declaration reinforces ICAO’s leadership and creates a clear path for African aviation to grow sustainably: get MRV systems in place, secure LoAs for CORSIA credits, and channel Article 6 finance into SAF and infrastructure. If Africa can seize these opportunities, the continent stands to benefit from cleaner skies, new revenue streams, and stronger connectivity — without the drag of fragmented taxes.
Ekelem Airhihen, an accredited mediator, has an MBA from the Lagos Business School. He is a member, ACI Airport Non-aeronautical Revenue Activities Committee; his interests are in market research, customer experience and performance measurement, negotiation, strategy and data and business analytics. He can be reached on ekyair@yahoo.com and +2348023125396 (WhatsApp only).
