How COP30 Brazil opens doors for action on food and climate
Ten years on from the Paris Agreement, COP30 in Belém, Brazil arrived at a critical moment for global climate action. With food systems under pressure, the Amazon under threat, and the world facing escalating climate impacts, expectations were high. While some steps forward were made, COP30 Brazil also exposed stark divides and missed chances to act decisively on the biggest challenges of our time.
From debates over tackling fossil-fuel use and deforestation to the launch of new initiatives on adaptation, food systems, and Indigenous rights, the outcomes of COP30 Brazil reveal both progress and priorities for the road ahead.
Divides in agriculture: talks collapse, food emissions overlooked
Agriculture was meant to be a cornerstone of COP30 Brazil. Instead talks collapsed early, revealing significant policy gaps between the Global North
and South. EU countries pushed for food-system transformation and market-driven solutions like precision agriculture, while the G77 and China (a group of developing nations that collaborates to advocate for the global south) focused on adaptation finance and hunger alleviation.
As a result, agriculture negotiations have been delayed until June 2026, in Bonn, Germany. Meanwhile, no commitments were made on reducing food system emissions – a missed opportunity, given that a third of all global emissions come from food. Discussions around meat and livestock, major contributors to those emissions, were also notably absent. However, there’s growing recognition that these issues can’t be side-stepped forever.
What can you do? For allmanhall’s client partners, this means the policy momentum for tackling food-related emissions may continue to lag. However, forward-thinking organisations can lead the way by proactively reducing your own emissions through effective procurement strategies and menu changes. With the right support, it’s possible to get ahead of future regulation and demonstrate leadership in sustainability.
Reforming COP: needed but not delivered
For the first time, COP30 Brazil included calls to reform the COP process itself. Proposals included capping national delegation sizes, limiting new agenda items, and introducing efficiency mechanisms.
Despite wide acknowledgement of the process’s inefficiencies, final commitments were vague. Given the increasing complexity and interconnectedness of food, forestry, biodiversity, and climate change, procedural reform remains essential (in addition to the participation of all key stakeholders).
What can you do? In a policy environment that’s still evolving, clarity comes from within. Reliable data, informed procurement decisions, and sustainability tools like Foodsteps and our sustainability dashboards offer the insight and control needed to make measurable progress today.
Fossil fuels and deforestation: still no deal
A formal agreement to phase out fossil fuels and end deforestation remains elusive. Brazil, home to much of the Amazon, championed the issue, while the EU and UK pushed for ambitious commitments. Yet oil-producing nations such as Saudi Arabia resisted, citing their right to development as other nations had in the past.
While consensus remains elusive, the need for change is now widely accepted – and those ready to act can gain a competitive and reputational edge.
What can you do? Increasing climate volatility means food availability and pricing will become more unpredictable. Our support helps client partners build resilience into their supply chains through smarter sourcing, alternative suppliers, and waste reduction measures that reduce both risk and cost.
A leadership void
Leadership engagement at COP30 Brazil was mixed, with the absence of China, India, and the US making unified progress more difficult. These countries are not only the biggest contributors to climate change but are central to global food supply chains. Despite this, strong calls to action from Brazil’s President Lula and UN Secretary-General António Guterres kept ambition alive.
Some countries did update their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and Biennial Transparency Reports, placing new emphasis on food and agriculture. However, the projected 12% emissions reduction by 2035 still falls short of the 60% required.
What can you do? Organisations can’t afford to wait. allmanhall enable clients to take ownership of your emissions and efficiency goals now, with real data insights and practical steps that create measurable, positive change.
Climate science delivers a stark wake-up call
Scientific assessments presented at COP30 Brazil highlighted the accelerating impact of climate change on food systems.
Experts warned that the remaining global carbon budget is rapidly diminishing, narrowing the window for meaningful action. Extreme weather events are already reducing agricultural yields across multiple regions, driving up food prices and destabilising supply chains.
Meanwhile, warming waters and accelerating acidification threaten global fisheries, affecting livelihoods and food access. These converging scientific findings underscore the need for food systems to be central in both mitigation and adaptation strategies.
Without urgent action to cut emissions and build resilience within agriculture, fisheries, and supply chains, food security risks will worsen in the years ahead.
What can you do? For catering teams and foodservice providers, this reinforces the importance of planning ahead. Through carbon labelling, dietary planning, and menu resilience strategies, allmanhall’s clients are prepared for change and can demonstrate responsibility to stakeholders.
Voluntary action keeps momentum alive
Even as negotiations stumbled, voluntary initiatives kept food, agriculture, and water in the spotlight:
- The Belém Declaration on Hunger placed food security at the heart of climate action.
- Brazil’s National Food Bank Network linked food waste reduction with resilience.
- UNEP’s global food waste commitment secured new signatories.
- The Blue NDC Challenge brought ocean-based food systems more firmly into climate planning, acknowledging the role fisheries play in people’s livelihoods around the world.
These initiatives are examples of the collective effort that’s still possible – and growing.
What is being done? These actions show that, even without top-down mandates, organisations are moving. allmanhall’s client partners can align with these best practices – reducing waste, cutting emissions, and developing community food initiatives – demonstrating leadership on climate change.
Indigenous rights and climate justice
Indigenous voices featured strongly in Belém. These communities are among the least responsible for climate change yet face the most direct impacts, including disrupted food systems and threats to land and culture.
Their knowledge is vital in protecting key ecosystems like those found in the Amazon – ecosystems that sustain food security far beyond their borders.
What can you do? Ethically conscious procurement is about more than emissions – it’s about people and ecosystems. allmanhall help our client partners make responsible responsible sourcing choices that align with broader values of fairness and equity.
Why this matters - and what allmanhall are doing to help
That’s where allmanhall come in. We support clients to reduce their food-related emissions through:
- Sustainable procurement and better sourcing
- Plant-rich menu changes
- Food waste minimisation
- Transparency through carbon labelling with Foodsteps
Given that food systems account for a substantial share of global emissions, and that climate change increasingly threatens food availability and affordability, this work has never been more important.
Let’s transform food systems together. Contact allmanhall to begin your sustainability journey today. Together, we can turn insight into impact – building more sustainable and secure food systems for the long term.