By Rev. Mel Caraway
United Methodists were well represented at COP30, both in person and virtually. Rev. Dr. Becca Edwards, Climate Fellow at the General Board of Church and Society and Texas Impact was on the ground in Belém, Brazil during the first week of this year’s climate talks. GBCS also obtained virtual credentials for several Caretakers of God’s Creation—Rev. Joan Pell (Cal-Nevada), Rev. Laura Baumgartner (Pacific-Northwest), Nate Wieland (Illinois Great Rivers), Rev. Jonathan Brake (Western North Carolina), and Grace Pugh Hubbard (New England). Also credentialed was Rev. Mel Caraway (Horizon Texas) through Texas Impact. Both Becca and Mel had previous COP experience, while for the others it was their first time.
In this article we are going to present some brief observations and reflections on COP30 from a few of our observers. It is our intention to provide a more comprehensive recap before the end of the year.
This year’s COP was labeled as many things—“the COP of the Indigenous Peoples,” “the COP of Truth,” “the COP of Implementation”—and to some extent each of these was accurate. Each of us observers had a particular interest that we were following over the course of the two weeks. But one of the common themes that we each came back to was, as Joan Pell described it, “the Indigenous people from around the world. In the spirit of mutirão, a community coming together to work on a shared task. They told their stories of the work they are doing, the problems they are encountering, and advocated for change. Their voices, projects, ingenuity, and passion filled me with hope for the future.”
Joan went on to say that “finance, the topic that I was asked to follow, underpinned all the topics that were talked about.The main financial debate was about how much money the developed nations give to developing nations to help them adapt to climate change. In the end, the goal of tripling adaptation finance by 2035 was passed, although it was weakened from the originally proposed 2030 target, and it does not mention a specific baseline. New commitments called for accelerating reforms in multilateral development banks, enhancing the role of concessional and grant-based finance, and scaling innovative instruments such as guarantees and blended finance. However, with fossil fuels being the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, I was extremely disappointed in the lack of any progress on an implementation map towards the phaseout of fossil fuels.”
According to Nate, “COP30 made some important strides towards incorporating health into adaptation efforts. In alignment with the landmark Belém Health Action Plan, the Climate and Health Funders Coalition has pledged 300 million dollars towards solutions, research, and policies concerning extreme heat, air pollution, and climate related infectious diseases. These funds will strengthen our global response to climate-related health crises in vulnerable communities. It cannot be overstated how important these investments are. They will be of immediate and tangible benefit to the health systems on the front lines of climate catastrophe. Paired with the Belém Health Action Plan, there is reason to hope for similar actions and investments in the future that will continue to improve the health outcomes of the world’s most vulnerable communities. That said, the picture isn’t entirely rosy. Adaptation matters, but no amount of adaptation will matter in the long run if we don’t go to more serious lengths to mitigate climate change. The continued production and consumption of fossil fuels around the world (and especially in the global north) represents one of, if not the greatest public health crisis facing the world today. We can equip health systems with everything they could ever need, but no health system can carry the burden of a global economic system that burns fossil fuels at this rate. If we change that, perhaps our health systems won’t need so much padding.”
For Laura, “the theme that continues to resonate with me most is the pivot from study and information gathering toward implementation and accountability. An example of this was that one session I attended began with each panelist naming how their food choices have changed in sustainable ways, whether that was about eating lower on the food chain or eating more local foods or growing more food. From the national to the personal, this COP highlighted and encouraged ways to work together in collaborative and generative change. While not all the agreements that many had hoped for were ratified by all countries present, I observed general recognition that issues of justice are woven into climate policy. Even though there is not a world-wide plan to phase out fossil fuels, there is an open dialog about what such a phase out would require on the part of cities, countries, regions, and industries. Even though the US was not at the negotiating table and won’t be taking a leading role as a country in next steps of climate response, that absence made room for voices of those most affected like the voices of women, LGBTQIA+ persons, youth, and indigenous persons. The inclusion of these perspectives sets the table for a more just way ahead than if national governments were making the decisions in isolation. I am hopeful that the pivot toward action persists into future COPs and also into the lives of all who are touched by this and future COPs.
Personally, I (Mel) was following several tracks—immigration, methane, and the absence of the United States. First of all, the United States chose not to send an official delegation to COP30 for the first time in the history of these climate talks. In light of actions taken by the current administration prior to, during, and since COP30, I believe that this was a silver lining for global climate action since the USA was not present to obstruct the negotiations. What was promising was the presence of local, state, and congressional representatives, because it is on those levels that a meaningful climate response will be carried out. Leading the way were important voices in the climate debate such as Gina McCarthy (former head of the EPA), Al Gore (founder of Climate Reality Project), Gavin Newsom (Governor of California), and others. In terms of methane, the largest contributor to global warming, the Global Methane Pledge, which came out of COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland, was reaffirmed by its signees with the notable exception of the absent United States. Certainly not enough discussion was undertaken about the importance of the climate crisis to global immigration/migration. Over 50% of global migration is the result of our changing climate including the weather-related disasters that result. Climate induced migration is not recognized officially as a factor in immigration. This needs to be changed. One final note—the voice of the global faith community was present and was loud. Hopefully, it will be heeded.
So much more could be said about our experiences at COP30, and those will be forthcoming. I feel as if our collective response at the end of these two weeks was one of cautious hopefulness, with extreme disappointment in the lack of any progress on the phaseout of fossil fuels. Many new voices were heard, especially from those most impacted by climate change. Hopefully, those voices will continue to speak out and be listened to.
Our blog posts during COP30 can be found at texasimpact.substack.com/s/cop30-coverage and linked below.
- December 4. Making the Right Decisions for the Wrong Reasons by Rev. Joan Pell
- December 2. Cutting off Our Nose by Rev. Dr. Becca Edwards
- November 24. The Grownups in the Room: US Climate Leaders Press on Despite Federal Absence by Rev. Dr. Becca Edwards
- November 22. A Fundamental Conflict: What do we do when the world we dream of threatens capital accumulation? by Nate Wieland
November 21. Youth Leadership at COP30 by Grace Pugh Hubbard - November 21. Connecting the Dots by Rev. Joan Pell
- November 19. Lives of Care by Nate Wieland
- November 19. The Good, the Bad, and the Silver Lining by Rev. Mel Caraway
- November 18. “When Humans Have Cut the Last Tree, We Will Realize We Cannot Eat Money” by Rev. Laura Baumgartner
- November 15. Shining the Light of Truth by Rev. Dr. Becca Edwards
- November 14. Somos El Barco: COP President, Delegates Call for Expanded Multilateralism by Rev. Dr. Becca Edwards
- November 13: America is Still All In by Rev. Dr. Becca Edwards
- November 13. Will COP30 Deliver on Climate Finance? by Rev. Joan Pell
- November 12. Truly Just Transition by Nate Wieland
- November 11. The COP of Indigenous Peoples by Rev. Laura Baumgartner
- November 10. A Spiritual Change: Faith Advocates Gather for Talanoa Dialogue at COP30 by Rev. Dr. Becca Edwards
See also climate-cnumc.org/cop30-outcome, which points to articles from various news sources and non-profits about COP30.
Further Reflection from Rev Mel Caraway and Dr Levi Bautisa
Recently, I asked Rev. Dr. Levi Bautista of the United Methodist Church’s office at the United Nations for his reflection on the recently concluded COP30.
For the past 28 years, Rev. Dr. Levi Bautista has served as the Assistant General Secretary for United Nations and International Affairs at the General Board of Church and Society. Located in the New York City office across the street from the United Nations, Levi leads, manages and represents international priorities for The United Methodist Church at the United Nations and other international settings.
Levi also serves as President of the Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations, which has some 600 NGOs accredited with the UN, including GBCS.
Levi was honored on October 23, 2025 with the 2025 Spirit of the United Nations Award in the Non-government Organization (NGO) category. The award was presented during a ceremony at the Tillman Chapel in the Church Center for the United Nations in New York City.
The Spirit of the United Nations Award honors individuals whose lives and work embody the founding vision and spiritual values of the United Nations. Organized by the NGO Committee on Spirituality, Values, and Global Concerns (CSVGC-NY), the award recognizes outstanding contributions across four categories: Diplomat, UN Secretariat, NGO, and Youth.
Below is Levi’s reflection on COP30.
“Advocacy for climate justice at the United Nations, particularly during COP conferences, is not a matter of choice—it constitutes a moral obligation. The United Methodist Social Principles exhort us to ‘care for creation and seek justice for all people,’ emphasizing that environmental stewardship is intrinsically linked to human dignity. Amidst the worsening climate crisis, our advocacy must be courageous and prophetic, giving voice to the vulnerable and holding nations accountable. At the United Nations, we serve as advocates for a future where justice and sustainability are paramount, demonstrating faith in action for the benefit of God’s creation and future generations.”
“Advocacy for climate justice at the United Nations, especially at COP gatherings, is not optional—it is a moral imperative. The United Methodist Social Principles call us to ‘care for creation and seek justice for all people,’ reminding us that environmental stewardship is inseparable from human dignity. In the face of escalating climate crises, our witness must be bold and prophetic, amplifying the voices of the vulnerable and holding nations accountable. At the UN, we stand as advocates for a future where justice and sustainability prevail, embodying faith in action for the sake of God’s world and generations yet to come.”