The so-called pre-COP30, the final event before the actual UN (United Nations) climate conference, will not take place in Belém, the host city of the summit, but in Brasília.
The preparatory summit, scheduled for October 13 and 14, will include the participation of diplomats and is seen by negotiators as crucial to the official agenda, which will begin in the capital of Pará about a month later. These meetings will be held in Brasília due to the Círio de Nazaré, set for October 12, according to people involved in the event’s organization. The Círio is one of Brazil’s most traditional Catholic festivals and attracts pilgrims from across the country.
Although Belém can host hundreds of thousands of pilgrims for the Círio, the infrastructure for COP30 has become one of the main challenges for President Lula’s (PT) administration and that of Pará’s governor, Helder Barbalho (MDB).
To meet demand, the organizers turned to alternatives to increase lodging capacity, such as cruise ships, schools, temporary villages, and contracts with international companies, in addition to a partnership with the Airbnb platform.
The pre-COP to be held in Brasília will be smaller. Up to a thousand participants are expected —a number the federal capital is logistically equipped to handle.
