The Nature Hub @COP30

Opening COP30 with a grounding Indigenous Blessing to honour the spiritual and cultural ties to nature and the vital role of Indigenous Peoples as its guardians. This ceremony will set the tone for two weeks of dialogue—inviting reflection, respect, and action rooted in reciprocity and stewardship.

As COP30 opens in the heart of the Amazon, this media briefing at the Nature Hub Pavilion will bring together leading experts and policymakers to brief journalists on the state of play for nature-based solutions (NbS) — from policy progress and finance flows to the growing bioeconomy and new pathways for adaptation.

Anchored around the Nature4Climate pillars — Lead with Nature, Invest with Nature, Adapt with Nature, and Grow with Nature — the discussion will set the scene for what’s at stake in Belém: how countries can embed nature in their climate plans, mobilize finance at scale, strengthen resilience, and ensure locally led action drives the global transition to a nature-positive, net-zero future.

This session will also offer practical background for media covering the negotiations, unpacking what the Baku-to-Belém roadmap means for nature, what signals are emerging from the latest NDC submissions, and how the new Bioeconomy Challenge and private sector initiatives are shaping momentum for investment in nature.

Objectives

• Equip journalists arriving at COP30 with the latest context, data, and trends on NbS and nature finance.

• Clarify the main negotiation items and expected outcomes for nature and climate action.

• Connect media with expert voices available throughout COP30 for ongoing commentary and analysis.

This session explores the interdependence of freshwater, biodiversity, and food systems in the Amazon Basin and how Nature-based Solutions can become adaptation pathways and enhance climate resilience both for communities and biodiversity conservation.

Despite delivering significant climate and biodiversity action — often with limited resources — subnational governments continue to face systemic barriers to accessing the finance needed to match their ambition and the urgency of the climate crisis.

This roundtable will bring together governors and subnational leaders from around the world to showcase how states, provinces, and regions are already driving national climate and biodiversity plans, advancing just resilience, biodiversity protection, and sustainable investments through nature-positive approaches.

It will explore how increased financing, recognition, and collaboration can help direct support to where change truly happens — in territories — where the impacts on people, nature, and the planet are most profound.

Birds tell us: climate change exacerbates the biodiversity crisis. Discuss climate research on forest birds and solutions helping nature and people.

This event marks the launch of the program developed by the Articulação dos Povos Indígenas do Brasil (APIB) to advance land demarcation as a climate solution. It will demonstrate how secure Indigenous territories are fundamental to achieving climate and biodiversity targets and will highlight opportunities for scaling Indigenous-led solutions through direct access to climate and forest finance, including the TFFF and FTTG Finance Pledge. The session will showcase Indigenous leadership while engaging governments, donors, and multilateral institutions in building new alliances.

Tropical forests affect the climate at local, regional, and global scales in ways other than through the global carbon cycle. For example, evapotranspiration affects transfers of moisture and energy between the Earth’s surface and the atmosphere, moderating local temperatures and rainfall patterns.

Deforestation disrupts these services, leading to warmer, drier conditions and more extreme weather events such as droughts and heat waves, compounding the effects of greenhouse warming.  These conditions in turn adversely affect the productivity of agriculture, agricultural workers, municipal water systems, and hydroelectric dams in ways that are costly to local communities and national economies. Much of the research documenting these effects is focused on the Brazilian Amazon.

This event will summarize the state of current knowledge on the effects of forest cover change on climate across scales through non-carbon pathways. Speakers will assess the potential for additional data collection and modelling to advance the knowledge frontier and enable the prediction of the effects of deforestation with greater spatial and temporal resolution.

The session will encourage discussion of the policy implications for various economic sectors and opportunities to provide actionable information for policymakers, producers and financiers.

Experience the deep connection to Mother Earth held by First Nations women from the world’s oldest continuous living culture. The event opens with a moving song by Josie Alec, proud Kuruma Marthudunera woman and Australian Conservation Foundation’s First Nations Lead, grounding participants in the spirit of Country and our shared responsibility to protect it.

The screening of Heart of Country, a short documentary produced by the Australian Conservation Foundation, takes audiences on a journey across Australia’s landscapes, revealing the profound spiritual relationship that First Nations peoples hold with their ancestral lands and waters — and the fossil fuel and nuclear projects that threaten that connection and damage nature and climate.

Following the film, a panel of remarkable First Nations women leaders will share personal reflections on caring for Country, the fight for justice, and how philanthropy can play a vital role in sustaining our shared humanity.

This session will leave attendees inspired by the depth of First Nations wisdom and the power of partnership in protecting the planet — a timely reminder that healing Country is inseparable from healing people.

This Nature Hub Pavilion session will explore the growing recognition that no single solution can tackle the interconnected crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, and rural livelihoods.

Through discussion of Silvania’s emerging program and the Race to Belém campaign, speakers will examine what a portfolio approach to natural climate solutions looks like in practice—combining jurisdictional REDD+ programs, large-scale restoration, Indigenous-led action, and biodiversity finance to drive durable, real-world impact.

The conversation will unpack why integrating these approaches—rather than treating them as competing priorities—can deliver stronger environmental and social outcomes, de-risk investment, and reinforce market integrity.

The session will bring together voices from government, Indigenous Peoples, science, and the private sector to explore how high-integrity natural climate solutions can mobilize finance at scale while supporting local communities and protecting and restoring ecosystems. Participants will also reflect on the shift from awareness to implementation—and how collaboration between public and private actors can turn global commitments into measurable progress on the ground.

With a focus on beef and soy, two major drivers of land use change, this high-level discussion will highlight how financial innovations and supply chain partnerships can support farmers to produce on already-cleared lands, while protecting forests, savannas, and other critical ecosystems in Latin America. Government, finance, and private sector leaders will share insights from active regional initiatives — including the Pará Sustainable Cattle Program, VISEC and CCAT — to demonstrate how the private sector can support investment and procurement approaches that align with global climate targets, biodiversity goals, and corporate sustainability commitments.

As global attention turns toward nature-based solutions during COP30, this event will explore how Brazil’s leadership in large-scale forest restoration can inspire and inform global efforts to scale restoration through private finance.

Building on the work of initiatives such as the Brazil Restoration and Bioeconomy Finance Coalition (BRB), the discussion will highlight what it takes to mobilize private capital, design investable restoration models, and deliver measurable outcomes for climate, biodiversity, and communities. Panelists will share practical insights from Brazil and Latin America on how to move from ambition to implementation—covering project design, financing mechanisms, partnerships, and on-the-ground delivery. The session will also examine how these lessons can be replicated and adapted across regions to accelerate the global restoration agenda.

Bringing together leaders driving innovation in restoration finance, science, and implementation, the event will explore how Brazil’s experience can serve as a model for accelerating global restoration efforts.

Key Discussion Topics:

• Tangible progress from large-scale restoration initiatives in Brazil and Latin America
• The role of private finance and innovative investment structures in scaling restoration
• Lessons learned from multi-sector collaboration, such as the Brazil Restoration and Bioeconomy Finance Coalition
• Overcoming on-the-ground implementation challenges through science, partnerships, and community engagement
• Replicating successful restoration models globally to achieve climate, biodiversity, and socioeconomic outcomes

At a time when the credibility of carbon markets faces intense scrutiny, this session places Indigenous Peoples as well as local community leadership at the heart of the conversation. Drawing on lived experience, Indigenous Peoples’ Knowledges, and direct engagement in climate solutions, panellists will reflect on what integrity looks like on the ground – and why rights-based approaches must shape the future of the market.

The session will open with a brief address previewing the Forum’s evolving strategy and spotlighting new forms of leadership, partnership, and accountability.

Join The Nature Conservancy and special guests for a reception highlighting innovations in unlocking finance for the solutions our planet urgently needs. Celebrate a decade of breakthroughs and bold approaches that prove we can tackle climate change, protect nature and strengthen communities at scale.

This session will kick off Business Day at the Nature Hub Pavilion, focusing on key challenges and solutions for businesses integrating nature into their broader climate strategies.
Topics will include:

• Addressing nature-related challenges within supply chains
• The role of carbon markets in supporting nature-related investments
• Mobilizing finance through NBSAPs and NDCs
• How policy and regulatory mechanisms have supported nature-related investments

The opening remarks will feature insights from on-the-ground conservation project leads, highlighting the issues they face in scaling solutions and where they need business support.

Introduction and round table discussion on technical and operational challenges and solutions to integrating nature-related challenges into supply chains.

Introductions and roundtable discussion on financial and economic challenges to scaling nature into wider climate strategies.

Introductions and roundtable discussion on policy & regulatory challenges to scaling nature into wider climate strategies.

This event will feature a dialogue among representatives from government agencies, corporations, Indigenous leaders and NGOs on how to drive greater investment for climate and nature impacts via bioeconomy efforts. The participants will discuss their experience and lessons learned from concrete projects that bring together key value chain actors to stimulate a restoration and regenerative production economy that delivers climate outcomes and livelihood benefits for ecosystems and producer communities. It will showcase results from Indigenous peoples, coffee sector and restoration economy initiatives.

A global, practitioner-led discussion on how Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs) participate as co-designers and compensated partners in market rules, project governance, and benefit sharing, with perspectives from across the globe.

This high-level session will explore how carbon markets, when designed and implemented with integrity, can accelerate climate ambition, protect tropical forests, and deliver equitable outcomes for IPLCs. It will showcase community-led models from the Asia Pacific, Australia, and Amazon regions, highlighting the dual facets of NCS and Carbon market integrity in delivering meaningful outcomes.

1. Show how the latest research is strengthening confidence in the effectiveness and integrity of nature-based solutions within carbon markets. This session will move beyond the narrow “permanence debate” to explore the full scientific evidence base – from carbon flux and durability to biodiversity, resilience, and socio-ecological co-benefits.

Through a series of short lightning talks and/or fireside conversations, leading scientists will share what the science actually says – and what it doesn’t – about the role of nature in high-integrity carbon markets. 

The Beyond Alliance’s “From the Ground Up: Voices of the Carbon Market” is a mini-documentary spotlighting individuals in the American South and the Midwest participating in carbon removal and methane abatement projects. In it, we meet a cross-section of landowners who are passionate about their land and want to see a better future for themselves and their families. Their stories share a powerful common thread: each of them has decided the best thing they can do for their property, and for their loved ones, is to make their land a part of the climate solution.

Moderated discussion to connect the dots between international and national carbon-market policies, corporate guidance frameworks, and buyer demand. The discussion will show how 2025’s major policy milestones—Article 6.4, UK Voluntary Carbon and Nature Markets consultation, SBTi, ISO Net Zero and others – have played out, and preview what’s in store for 2026. Highlight the importance of aligned and coherent policy to unlock demand. 

A reflection on the “integrity shift” that seems to have taken place in the market in 2025, and discussion of what’s in store on this front in 2026. 

Exploring how leading companies are adapting procurement, risk management, and climate strategy in response to integrity reforms.

The science is clear: nature is one of our strongest allies in slowing climate change, storing carbon, building resilience, and securing a safe future for everyone. From governments to corporates, investment into Nature-based Solutions is growing, driven by a rising awareness – that the world cannot sustain an economic model that rewards undermining natural resources. 

At COP30, in the heart of the Amazon, this is our moment to move from ambition to implementation –  to usher in a new era: one where climate action moves hand in hand with the protection, management and restoration of nature – and where Nature-based Solutions are understood as not only environmental interventions, but as strategic investments in prosperity, health, and stability. 

The Nature Hub Pavilion hopes to bring together leaders from all walks of life to make a united commitment to embed nature and climate and economic planning. Together, we can send a clear signal to global leaders: growing with nature is not just possible, it’s the pathway to a thriving future for people, businesses, and the planet.

This event will mark the official reception of the Nature Hub Pavilion at COP30. Eleven organisations have united to spotlight cross-sector action to Lead, Invest, Adapt, and Grow — with Nature during two weeks of vibrant programming on the sidelines of the UNFCCC COP30. There are 30 organisations in the Nature4Climate coalition, also engaging in various ways throughout the programme.  

The event will be an invite-only reception, kicking off with short remarks from the speakers before opening up the floor for networking with refreshments. It will be an opportunity for attendees to meet diverse leaders from the front line of nature-based solutions – and to get a sneak preview of the pavilion and exciting programming that will be taking place during the two weeks of COP30.   

The session is designed to bring the topic of Indigenous economic initiatives in forest territories to the fore. Through presentations of existing initiatives from around the world, the potential of these activities to combat climate change will be demonstrated, as well as the AGCT’s GIFT mechanism. 

After an introduction by a national authority (possibly the Minister of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil) on the importance of the Indigenous economy, there will be a presentation of Indigenous economic experiences from different parts of the world (Indonesia, Ecuador, Peru). Finally, the new support mechanism for the Indigenous economy, the Global Alliance of Territorial Communities (GIFT), which has been working on, will be presented.

Through discussion between farmers organisation, IPLC partners and representatives from key global finance mechanisms, the session aims to: 

• Further highlight the opportunities and needs for enhancing climate finance to shape existing and future climate finance, especially a dedicated farmer fund 

• Strengthen and build partnerships with donors, NGOs, and philanthropic foundations to support key reforms and specific fund development to accelerate climate finance directly to smallholder farmers. 

• Develop initial ideas for the FO-led fund design process for learning and input from IPLCs and other experiences – especially on governance, objectives, fiscal partners, distribution mechanisms, risks mitigation, safeguards, private sector engagement. 

As COP30 unfolds in Brazil, the world’s attention is turning toward COP31 – expected to be hosted by Australia. This moment offers a powerful opportunity to connect the leadership, challenges and solutions shared by both regions. From the Amazon to Australia, Indigenous and First Nations peoples are on the frontlines of climate and nature protection. This event will explore how their leadership – supported by philanthropy – can accelerate a transition that ends fossil fuel expansion, accelerates renewable energy, halts deforestation and restores nature. By linking the Amazon and Australia, this session will chart a global pathway from COP30 to COP31 that keeps nature and justice at the heart of climate ambition. 

Hosted by the UNDP Equator Initiative in partnership with the N4C Coalition, and with the participation of Her Excellency Sônia Guajajara, Brazil’s Minister of Indigenous Peoples, this event will spotlight frontline Indigenous and local community leaders from Latin America and Africa who are redefining development through nature-based solutions (NbS) rooted in local knowledge, biodiversity, and inclusive economies. Featuring voices from UNDP Equator Prize-winning organizations, the session will highlight pioneering bioeconomy models that link conservation, cultural identity, climate resilience, and sustainable livelihoods. Framed within the COP30 context and aligned with Brazil’s bioeconomy goals, it will foster dialogue among local leaders, global audiences, and policymakers.

Objectives:

• • Showcase exemplary, locally-led nature-based solutions that are driving inclusive bioeconomies.
  • Highlight the role of the Equator Initiative in scaling and supporting these innovations.
  • Emphasize the intersection of biodiversity conservation, cultural identity, and sustainable economic development.
  • Promote cross-regional learning between Indigenous and local organizations from Brazil, Argentina, Tanzania, and Ecuador.
  • Explore enabling policy conditions and partnerships that help locally-led NbS thrive.

Coming Soon.

Blue carbon ecosystems, like mangroves, seagrasses, and salt marshes, are essential for climate mitigation, biodiversity, and coastal resilience. Yet despite their immense value, they remain undervalued and underfunded. This session will spotlight global and national efforts to conserve and restore these ecosystems, emphasizing how strong policy frameworks and enabling conditions can unlock finance and drive large-scale implementation.

Bringing together leaders from government, finance, industry, and communities, the discussion will explore how public–private collaboration can mobilize capital, support local livelihoods, and scale tangible impact on the ground, all of which can collectively advance the goals of the Mangrove Breakthrough.

The event will showcase tangible solutions and leadership pathways for Indigenous and grassroots women in climate governance, finance, and delivering nature-based solutions on ground. It will launch a practical action agenda for climate developed by Nature’s Leading Women; a diverse gathering held in Australia late 2024 that centered grassroots women’s leadership across Australia, Pacific Island Nations and Africa.

This session will introduce the Peatland Breakthrough, a global collaborative effort to accelerate action towards the conservation, restoration, and sustainable, wise use of peatlands- one of Earth’s most carbon-dense ecosystem. Drawing on findings from the Global Peatlands Assessment (GPA), the event will demonstrate the urgency for coordinated global action and showcase practical, nature-positive solutions such as paludiculture and enabling policy and finance frameworks. The discussion will set the stage for the official evening side event: PEATLAND BREAKTHROUGH: A Global Call to Unlock the Power of Peatlands, where the Science-Based Framework for Global Peatland Targets and Guiding Principles will be formally announced, and the endorsement process opened.

Objectives:

• Demonstrate the urgency for coordinated global action to halt peatland degradation and unlock their potential for climate, biodiversity, and sustainable development.
• Present the Peatland Breakthrough’s collaborative vision and approach to scaling peatland action globally.
• Highlight “wise use” solutions, including paludiculture (productive land use of wet and rewetted peatlands) as a nature-positive approach that reconciles livelihoods with restoration.

This panel will share the perspectives of country leaders on Jurisdictional REDD+ (JREDD+). They will discuss how JREDD+ can support the protection of forests by providing economic incentives that demonstrate the value of conservation, reforestation, and sustainable management of forest ecosystems.

This event is an opportunity to celebrate those countries that demonstrated true climate leadership by presenting 2035 Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) that are ambitious, comprehensive, and implementable. The reception will provide an opportunity to recognize countries with NDCs that are 1.5C-aligned, and on a credible path towards their respective net zero goals.

One of the defining elements of international climate policy in 2025 is the submission of NDCs with a 2035 target date. The implementation of these national pledges will set the global climate trajectory for the next decade. They represent the last real chance to keep global temperature rise of 1.5C within reach, and avoid the most catastrophic impacts of climate change.

Though many of the NDCs submitted to date fall short of the ambition needed, a number of countries have stepped forth with ambitious 2035 targets, and are setting clear implementation strategies to achieve the NDC goals. These absolute, economy-wide NDCs demonstrate the bold political leadership and commitment to action needed to put the world on a 1.5C trajectory.

Many of these countries include a strong focus on nature in their NDCs and implementation plans, with forests, grasslands, and wetlands providing critical sequestration to help accelerate progress towards net zero emissions. Some of these countries have already achieved net zero status, with nature capturing more greenhouse gases each year than the country emits.

This reception will celebrate countries that have demonstrated real climate leadership with ambitious 2035 NDCs, and the role nature will play in putting the world on the path to a safer climate future.

How can we ensure that adaptation solutions maximise benefits for people, biodiversity and climate? How can we turn the locally led adaptation principles into practice?

In this session, we will share lessons and good practices from communities at the forefront of nature-based climate action, and reflect on how these findings can inform adaptation planning and policy. Local actors will present evidence why locally led and ecosystem-based approaches are key to effective, sustainable and just climate adaptation action. They will also share lessons learnt, guidance and tools on how to deliver on the LLA principles in different sectors. We also highlight that cross-sector partnerships – enabling a whole-of-society-approach – and enhancing access to climate finance for local actors are both vital to accelerate the implementation of climate resilience measures.

Discover innovative initiatives delivering biodiversity conservation, climate action, and community-led solutions across the Americas.

This session will share insights and the latest efforts made by various institutions to strengthen direct access for Indigenous peoples and local communities. The panelists will discuss the institutional mechanisms that have been created to support and strengthen Indigenous peoples’ direct access to climate funds. They will share lessons learned and best practices with institutional programs and projects that have strengthened Indigenous peoples’ direct access and reduced intermediation so that more resources reach communities. How can transparent dialogue and connection be facilitated to bridge donor interests linked to global goals and Indigenous peoples’ genuine interest in self-development?

This session will bring together governments, funders, and practitioners to showcase cutting edge approaches to coastal resilience, including the use of the Coastal Resilience Methodology, as a catalyst for scaling investment and meeting adaptation targets.

All IUCN constituents attending COP30 are invited to attend the IUCN reception to connect, collaborate and take action for nature at the UN Climate Change Conference. The reception will take place on 18 November from 18.00 to 20.00 (local time) in the Nature Hub Pavilion. Please note this event is by invitation only.

The event will showcase the best examples of ambition in increasing the potential contribution of nature-based solutions to 2035 NDC targets as well as NDCs aligned with NBSAPs. Further, the speakers will discuss the scientific and economic rationale behind this alignment, as well as how countries can transition into converting NDC commitments into investment on the ground, that is synergistic with biodiversity, land, and sustainable development goals.

The first segment will feature a presentation on global insights on the state of 2035 NDCs, as it relates to increased ambition in nature-based solutions, alignment with the NBSAPs, and compliance with GST guidance. The presentation will be followed by a panel of country representatives who will highlight how they plan to harness nature as a climate solution in the implementation of their climate strategies – across mitigation, adaptation, loss & damage, and access to climate finance – as well as examples of inclusive and nature-positive climate action.

Sustainable agriculture lies at the heart of the climate and food security challenge. Transforming the sector requires coordinated action across all of the value chain: innovative practices at the farm level, resilient and low-carbon commodity supply chains, and new financial mechanisms that can benefit farmers, support implementation, and scale impact.

COP30 in Brazil — in the Amazon region — provides a unique opportunity to spotlight solutions and partnerships that align food system transformation with climate action, nature protection, and sustainable production.

Hosted by Danielle Carreria, Head of Finance Sector at World Economic Forum’s Tropical Forest Alliance, and Ajinomoto, this event will bring together finance and value chain actors to discuss how to accelerate a pro-farmer agriculture transition that can reduce emissions, restore and protect land, and deliver food security.

GYBN, YOUNGO, and Y4N release an update to the Global Youth Position Statement on NbS, showcasing new findings from youth. Linking youth voices and local leadership to UNFCCC and UNCBD, we will explore resource mobilisation, safeguarding, and equity in implementation of climate-nature solutions