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Science Weekly

Bitter rows and overnight talks: how a fragile Cop30 deal was agreed

Science Weekly

The Guardian

Science

4.21K Ratings

🗓️ 24 November 2025

⏱️ 16 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

After bitter arguments, threatened walkouts and heated all-night negotiations, delegates eventually reached a deal this weekend at the Cop30 climate summit in Brazil. To unpick what was achieved and what was left out, Madeleine Finlay hears from the Guardian’s environment editor, Fiona Harvey, who has been following every twist and turn. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod

Transcript

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0:00.0

This is The Guardian.

0:11.0

COP 30 has come to a dramatic end in Brazil, amid an Amazonian rainstorm and a conference

0:18.2

centre up in flames.

0:20.3

It's been a very dramatic moment.

0:22.3

As you can see, the UN security guards are telling us to leave, but it's really understandable

0:26.6

why the fire is really burning very intensely, burn a huge hole in the roof.

0:32.5

After bitter rows, threatened walkouts and 12 hours of overnight negotiations on Friday, a deal was

0:40.2

snatched from the brink of collapse. These are always painful, difficult, frustrating processes,

0:47.5

but the world is moving forward and that's really important. I'm going to have to go.

0:53.1

With intense pushback from oil-producing countries

0:56.9

and the absence of a US delegation for the first time in COP history,

1:02.3

even getting a deal signed was a victory.

1:05.0

United Arab Emirates Just Transition Work Program contained in document CMA slash 2025 L.14.

1:21.7

The final package was called the Global Mutsrao, translated as collective efforts.

1:30.5

But with glaring emissions and weak promises, is this deal good enough to keep the world

1:36.5

from climate disaster? Today I hear from Environment Editor Fiona Harvey, who witnessed it all

1:43.5

unfold.

1:50.7

From The Guardian, I'm Madeleine Finley, and this is Science Weekly.

2:02.4

Fiona Harvey, as an Environment Editor at The Guardian, you've been in Bilem for three weeks now.

2:09.9

We're speaking on Sunday, and the talks have finally wrapped up after a text was gaveled through.

2:14.4

It was a hard one deal, and we'll come on to some of the things that were included.

2:19.3

But there was plenty Brazil didn't quite get everyone to agree on.

...

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