Talks at the COP30 climate summit in Brazil were disrupted on Thursday (20 November) after a fire broke out in the venue, triggering an evacuation just as negotiators were hunkering down to try to land a deal to strengthen international climate efforts.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had appealed earlier in the day for a deal from the summit in the Amazon city of Belém, welcoming calls from some for clarity on the hotly disputed subject of weaning the world off fossil fuels.
There are less than 24 hours until the scheduled end of the summit to find a consensus among nearly 200 participating countries.
Shortly after lunchtime, however, security footage showed flames breaking out at an exhibition pavilion and spreading rapidly up an internal fabric shell that lined the walls and ceiling of the building, before being extinguished.
Thirteen people were treated for smoke inhalation at the venue, organisers said.
The local fire service said it was probably caused by electrical equipment, likely a microwave, and was controlled within six minutes.
Thousands of delegates were evacuated from the area as security staff formed a human barrier across the hallway.
Negotiations were not expected to resume until Friday morning, a source told Reuters. Consultations between the presidency and negotiating blocs could continue on Thursday night, subject to safety assessments at the venue.
The summit already missed a self-imposed Wednesday deadline to secure agreement among the countries present on issues including how to increase climate finance and shift away from fossil fuels.
Brazil circulated a draft proposal for part of the COP30 deal among some governments on Thursday, which did not include a roadmap on transitioning away from fossil fuels.
Emissions from burning fossil fuels trap heat in the earth's atmosphere and are by far the biggest contributor to warming.
The draft proposal, seen by Reuters, included other elements for a deal. It said countries would call to triple the financing available to help nations adapt to climate change by 2030, from 2025 levels.
However, it did not specify whether this money would be provided directly by wealthy governments, or other sources including development banks or the private sector.
Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vučić and Azerbaijan’s Pr...
Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz are rising as a ceasefire nears expiry with no agreement in place, amid reported attacks on vessels that have heig...
Bulgarians headed to the polls on Sunday (19 April) in their eighth election in five years, with early signs pointing...
Secretly filmed footage from two UK laboratories has reignited debate over animal testing in drug development, after a former worker alleged that m...
Cleanup efforts are underway in Lena, Illinois, after a suspected tornado tore through the village on Friday (17 April), damaging homes, schools an...
An average of at least 47 women and girls were killed each day during the war in Gaza, according to new figures released by UN Women.
More than half of Haiti’s population is facing acute food insecurity, prompting the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to warn that recent progress in tackling hunger remains fragile and could quickly be reversed without urgent support.
Nations and organisations and Beirut react positively to the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. The Lebanese authorities negotiated the pause with Israel after an historic meeting on Tuesday in the U.S with President Donald Trump making the announcement on Thursday 16 April.
The United Nations says it reached millions of Afghans with healthcare, education and livelihoods support in 2025, despite declining global humanitarian aid and mounting pressures from displacement, climate shocks and operational constraints.
Dozens of Chinese-made humanoid robots have demonstrated improvements in speed, balance and autonomous navigation after completing a half-marathon in Beijing on Sunday (19 April), in a showcase of the country’s fast-developing robotics sector.
The U.S. Navy has forcibly intercepted and boarded the Iranian cargo ship TOUSKA in the Gulf of Oman after it attempted to breach the ongoing naval blockade. President Trump confirmed that the vessel was neutralised and seized by Marines following a direct strike on its engine room.
Two Indian-flagged ships were shot at in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, India's Foreign Ministry said, as Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz again, less than 24 hours after reopening the 167km long sea passage, which is essential for global trade.
Six people have been killed after a man opened fire in a supermarket in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, on Saturday (18 April). Ukraine's Security Service said it was investigating the incident as a "terrorist act."
Global leaders and diplomats gathered in southern Türkiye on 17 April for the fifth Antalya Diplomacy Forum, focusing on uncertainty, conflict, and the future of global cooperation.
Communities in Mexico have taken to the streets to protest against an ongoing oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico that has killed wildlife and damaged coral reefs over several weeks.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has warned that the Earth’s climate system is becoming increasingly unstable, with new evidence showing a growing imbalance in how the planet absorbs and releases energy.
China is preparing for a year of extreme weather in 2026, with authorities warning the country could face both severe flooding and widespread drought, underscoring mounting climate pressures.
Heavy rain, flash floods and lightning strikes across Afghanistan have killed 28 people and destroyed hundreds of homes in Kabul, Herat and other provinces.
Central Asia is stepping up efforts to address rapid glacier melt, following United Nations warnings of unprecedented climate pressure on mountain ecosystems.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment