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Today, within Brazil's Amazon region, the Belém summit opens ahead of the 30th United Nations climate change conference (Cop30). I have convened global heads of state during the period before the conference so that we can all commit to taking swift measures with the necessary speed the climate crisis demands.

If we fail to move beyond rhetoric to tangible steps, public trust will diminish – not just in climate conferences, but in multilateralism and international politics more broadly. That is why I have summoned leaders to the Amazon: to establish this as the "truthful Cop", the occasion where we prove our collective dedication's gravity to the planet.

Humanity has shown its ability to overcome great challenges when it acts together and is guided by science. We protected the ozone layer. The global response to the Covid-19 pandemic proved that the world can act decisively when there is courage and political will.

Brazil hosted the Earth Summit in 1992. We approved the conventions on climate, biodiversity and desertification, and principles were embraced that established a fresh model for protecting Earth and humankind. During the last three decades, these meetings have yielded key accords and targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions – including halting deforestation by 2030 to increasing renewable energy threefold.

More than three decades later, global attention returns to Brazil to address the climate issue. There's a reason why Cop30 is being held deep within the Amazon jungle. This is an opportunity for politicians, diplomats, scientists, activists and journalists to observe the Amazon's actual conditions. We want the world to see the true state of the forests, Earth's biggest river system, and the numerous inhabitants of the area. Cops cannot be mere showcases of good ideas or yearly meetings for delegates. They should serve as encounters with actuality and of effective action to tackle climate change.

To confront this crisis together, financial support is essential. And we must recognise that the concept of shared yet varied duties stays as the fixed basis of any climate pact. This is why developing nations call for increased resource availability – not as aid, but justice. Wealthy nations have gained the most from the carbon-based economy. They should now fulfill their obligations, not only by making commitments but by repaying what they owe.

Brazil is doing its part. In only two years, we have already halved deforestation in the Amazon, showing that concrete climate action is possible.

At Belém, we are introducing a novel program for forest conservation: the TFFF fund. It is innovative because it operates as an investment fund, rather than a charity system. The fund will compensate forest preservers and those who invest in the fund. A genuine win-win approach for addressing environmental issues. Leading by example, Brazil has pledged $1 billion to the TFFF, and we anticipate similarly bold pledges from other nations.

We also demonstrated leadership through being the second nation to present a new nationally determined contribution (NDC). Brazil has vowed to cut its emissions from 59% to 67%, covering all greenhouse gases and every economic area. In this spirit, we call on all countries to propose similarly bold NDCs and to implement them effectively.

Shifting energy sources is crucial to meeting Brazil’s NDC. Our energy mix is one of the globe's greenest, as 88% of our power is renewable. We excel in biofuel production and are advancing in wind, solar and green hydrogen energy.

Channeling oil earnings to fund a fair, structured energy shift will be essential. In the long run, oil companies worldwide, such as Brazil's Petrobras, will transform into energy companies, since an economic model reliant on fossil fuels is unsustainable.

People must be at the centre of political decisions about climate and the energy transition. We must recognise that society's most at-risk groups are the most affected by the impacts of climate change, this is why equitable transition and adjustment strategies must aim to combat inequality.

It's crucial to remember that two billion individuals have no access to clean technologies and fuels for cooking, and over 673 million face hunger. To address this, we are introducing in Belém a statement on hunger, poverty, and climate. Our commitment to fight global warming must be directly linked to the fight against hunger.

It is equally essential that we push for changes in international governance. Today, multilateralism suffers from the paralysis of the UN security council. Established to maintain peace, it has not stopped conflicts. Hence, it is our responsibility to fight for the reform of this institution. At Cop30, we will advocate for the creation of a UN climate change council linked to the general assembly. This would form a fresh governance framework with the force and legitimacy to guarantee nations fulfill their pledges, and a practical move towards reversing the current paralysis in global cooperation.

At every climate conference, numerous commitments are made but see too few real commitments. The era of declarations of good intentions has ended: the time for action plans has arrived. That is why today we begin the "truthful Cop".