In mid-November, global climate negotiators will gather in Belém, Brazil, for the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. As in previous years, IKEM will be on site with a small delegation, host a side event, and support the Ukrainian delegation as an official partner. We spoke with Till Reinholz and Ievgeniia Kopytsia about the priorities of this year’s conference and IKEM’s contributions.
At the COP29 climate conference in Baku, the international com-munity agreed on new targets for climate finance and a binding framework for global emissions trading under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. What decisions can be expected this year?
Till Reinholz: Following the progress made in Baku at COP29, the focus in Belém will be on completing the Article 6 rulebook and turning frameworks into practice. Negotiators aim to finalize enforceable rules for generating, trading, and monitoring emission credits – ensuring integrity and avoiding double counting. Whether binding decisions will be achieved remains uncertain, but success could pave the way for a functioning global carbon market with strong environmental safeguards.
Ievgeniia Kopytsia: For both developed and developing countries – especially those affected by conflict, such as Ukraine – the discussions in Belém extend beyond the technicalities of market architecture. They concern linking climate policy with recovery, resilience, and long-term transformation. Building on progress from Baku, COP30 can demonstrate how Article 6 mechanisms serve not only emissions trading but also as tools to attract investment for green and resilient reconstruction. Ukraine’s experience shows that rebuilding infrastructure and energy systems can align with climate goals. The key message for Belém is that climate cooperation must connect markets with solidarity and recovery with decarbonization.
2024 was the first year in which the global average temperature exceeded 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels. How will this development affect the negotiations?
Ievgeniia Kopytsia: The first year with a global average temperature exceeding 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels has made the urgency of climate action undeniable. The question is whether this urgency will translate into ambition. Growing geopolitical tensions, nationalism, and multiple crises continue to challenge multilateral cooperation. At the same time, particularly vulnerable regions – small island states and the Arctic – are calling for stronger and fairer financial mechanisms.
Till Reinholz: This growing urgency also brings new technical tools into focus on the one hand and sets the stage for the absolutely necessary upscaling of nature-based solutions on the other. As global temperature targets move further out of reach, Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) technologies are gaining importance to address potential overshoot scenarios. These methods – among others ranging from afforestation and soil carbon sequestration to direct air capture and storage – can help offset residual emissions and stabilize the climate. While rapid emission reductions remain the priority, CDR can serve as an essential complement, provided it is implemented with robust monitoring, governance, and environmental safeguards. Besides that, we need to address key questions for a potential overshoot scenario: how do we want to act by still following a global, multilateral approach without falling into resignation, and which new targets do we set ourselves, in case we evidently fail to reach our climate targets as a global society?
How will IKEM contribute to COP30?
Till Reinholz: At COP30, IKEM will champion several important topics, including land use, soil protection, and just transition. Together with partners from Brazil and South Africa, IKEM has recently published studies on international land-use governance and soil protection, emphasizing the role of legal frameworks and property rights in promoting sustainable management. IKEM will also co-host an official COP30 side event, “Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation for Agriculture in Conflict-Affected Countries,” exploring how climate policy and agricultural recovery can be advanced under crisis conditions.
Ievgeniia Kopytsia: In addition, IKEM will support the Ukrainian delegation as an official partner. During COP30, IKEM and the Ukrainian government will present a prototype model for implementing Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. This bilateral framework with partners such as the United Kingdom establishes solidarity-based carbon credits that channel finance into reconstruction, renewable energy, and grid modernization.
Why are land use and soil protection central topics this year?
Till Reinholz: Soils are among the least regulated environmental resources, yet they play a central role in carbon storage and ecological stability. Globally, land consumption continues almost unchecked, and Brazil, as the host country, lies at the heart of numerous land-use conflicts. The decisions made now – particularly regarding climate finance and national commitments – will be crucial to addressing these challenges. This COP therefore represents a key moment for advancing sustainable and equitable land-use policies.
Ievgeniia Kopytsia: For Ukraine, land use and soil protection are particularly important because conflict has severely affected soils and ecosystems. Contamination, emergency land use, and disrupted governance create both environmental and social challenges. Integrating sustainable land management into recovery and climate action is essential to ensure that the energy transition and post-conflict reconstruction can proceed together.
Why are social justice and inclusion crucial for successful climate action?
Till Reinholz: Deep transformations in energy, land use, and infrastructure affect people’s lives directly. A just transition ensures that these changes are participatory, fair, and socially inclusive. Transparent and inclusive decision-making strengthens policy legitimacy, promotes equitable distribution of benefits, and supports compliance with international climate commitments.
Ievgeniia Kopytsia: This principle is not just theoretical – it has concrete implications on the ground, especially in Ukraine. In order to ensure a fast and sustainable recovery, reconstruction policies must address both environmental and social dimensions and it needs to include a regional balance that particularly benefits war-affected and rural areas.
