Fire breaks out at COP30 climate talks in Brazil
A fire broke out Thursday at a pavilion inside the convention hall in Belém, Brazil, where more than 50,000 diplomats, journalists and activists have gathered for a global climate summit.
It is not yet known what caused the fire or whether any injuries occurred.
The blaze began shortly after 2pm, sending panicked delegates racing to evacuate the makeshift convention centre, a large tented facility built on a former airfield, as smoke billowed from the site.
Sign up to The Nightly's newsletters.
Get the first look at the digital newspaper, curated daily stories and breaking headlines delivered to your inbox.
By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.One video from the venue showed flames burning a large hole through the top as flames licked nearby billboards.
There was little official information made available by United Nations or Brazilian officials, but one person in the office of the summit presidency said the fire had been contained within about 30 minutes.
By 3pm, people had started to file back into the centre but were escorted back out and told that an evacuation was underway.
Thousands of people from nearly 200 countries have gathered in Belém for the annual climate negotiations, where Governments are trying to agree on how to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that are dangerously heating the planet.
The summit venue had come under criticism this week. Rain from a torrential downpour leaked into the meeting spaces, dripping on delegates.
There were complaints about food shortages, and the air conditioning struggled to keep up with the high heat and humidity. Simon Stiell, the UN climate chief, called for tighter security after protesters forced their way into the venue.
In a letter to the chief of staff of the Brazilian president and to André Corrêa do Lago, the Brazilian diplomat presiding over the summit, Mr Stiell flagged security concerns, like unsecured doors, as well as safety concerns, like malfunctioning air conditioning and rainwater seeping into lighting fixtures.
The area where the blaze occurred was at the main entrance to the venue, where countries have erected enormous pavilions to hold panel discussions and to highlight the ways their nations are addressing climate change.
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
© 2025 The New York Times Company
Originally published on The New York Times
