Flemish Parliament refuses to send delegation to UN climate summit in Brazil

The Flemish Parliament will not send a delegation to COP30, the UN climate summit in November in Belém, Brazil, in the heart of the Amazon region. This decision was taken by the Extended Bureau of the Flemish Parliament on the proposal of parliament president Freya Van den Bossche. The decision is partly due to the fact that a highway is built “through tens of thousands of hectares of protected rainforest” for the summit, the use of cruise ships and high travel costs.
The decision means that no Flemish members of parliament will be sent by parliament to the UN climate summit this year. COP30 is taking place later this year in a city in the middle of the Brazilian Amazon region.
"Preparing for a climate summit with bulldozers in the heart of the Amazon rainforest undermines the credibility of the entire meeting"
"In the run-up to COP30, a highway has been built right through the vulnerable Amazon region,” stated Flemish parliament president Freya Van den Bossche. “Protected rainforest has been cleared over a length of 13 km. Given that this is a climate summit, that is ironic to say the least. Preparing for a climate summit with concrete and bulldozers in the heart of the Amazon rainforest is at odds with the summit's objectives and undermines the credibility of the entire meeting.”
Polluting cruise ships
In addition, there is also the cost, which is much higher than in previous editions. Due to limited hotel capacity, (highly polluting) cruise ships would also be used, and prices would rise to 1,500 euros per night per member of parliament. According to Van den Bossche, this is “unjustifiable”.
“Let's focus on the things that do make a difference, an expensive population movement that damages the Amazon rainforest is not one of them”
The decision has already been welcomed by N-VA MP Andy Pieters, who spoke of “common sense” on X. “Let's focus on the things that do make a difference,” he declared. “An expensive population movement that damages the Amazon rainforest is not one of them.”
The previous Flemish environment minister, Zuhal Demir, decided in recent years not to physically attend the UN climate summits. It remains to be seen whether her successor, Melissa Depraetere, will do so.
#FlandersNewsService | Infrastructure project for COP30 in Belém, Brazil © BELGA PHOTO Carlos Fabal / AFP
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