As the world has entered a period of intense global warming since last year, it is evident that we must continue to confront climate change, which may escalate in severity in the future. The 30th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, or COP 30, will be held in Belém (เบเลม), Brazil, from November 10 to 21, 2025. This global environmental forum is once again the subject of debate regarding the future of the environment and the economy that must progress together. This year, as the host, Brazil plans to launch the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF), aimed at providing incentives to 74 developing countries that can preserve ancient forests.
The TFFF aims to raise and invest a total of $125 billion, expected to come from government and charitable donations starting at $25 billion, and to attract an additional $100 billion in private investment. Although the TFFF appears to be an attractive environmental initiative, there are concerns about financial risks involved, as the compensation for forest conservation payments to various countries will depend on returns from stock market investments, which are volatile and uncertain. If the stock market declines, private investors may prioritize their own interests first, and payments for forest conservation could be the first expenses cut, leading to disappointment among countries that are environmentally conscious. Past meetings have faced criticism for being overly influenced by the fossil fuel industry, which has led to the ongoing neglect of issues regarding the reduction of fossil fuel use. Moreover, the investment goals to assist developing countries have been criticized for developed nations committing insufficient funding, such as a recent agreement to raise $300 billion annually, which is considerably less than the actual needed amount of over $1 trillion annually.
On another note, Bill Gates (บิล เกตส์), the American businessman and co-founder of Microsoft, commented on the COP30 meeting on his website, gatesnotes.com, on October 28, 2025, stating that currently, people are focusing too much on greenhouse gas emission targets, which has led to an excessive use of resources in this area, detracting from other goals that could more effectively help reduce global warming.
Bill Gates believes it is not too late to change perspectives and adjust strategies for addressing climate change, and he sees COP30 as a good starting point, as Brazil's leadership at this summit places a high priority on climate adaptation and human development.