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Today, within Brazil's Amazon region, the Belém summit opens ahead of the UN's 30th climate summit (Conference of the Parties 30). Leaders have been gathered by me world leaders in the days leading up to the conference to ensure collective dedication to acting with the urgency that the environmental emergency requires.

If we fail to move beyond speeches into real action, public trust will diminish – not only in the Cops, but in multilateralism and international politics more broadly. That is why I have summoned officials to the rainforest: to make this the “Cop of truth”, the occasion where we prove the seriousness of our shared commitment to the planet.

People have demonstrated their capacity to overcome great challenges when it acts together and is guided by science. The ozone layer was safeguarded by us. The global response to the Covid-19 pandemic showed that decisive global action is possible when there is courage and political will.

Brazil hosted the Earth Summit in 1992. We approved the conventions on climate, biodiversity and desertification, and adopted principles that defined a fresh model for protecting our planet and our humanity. During the last three decades, these gatherings have produced important agreements and goals for cutting emissions – including halting deforestation by 2030 to increasing renewable energy threefold.

More than three decades later, global attention returns to Brazil to address the climate issue. It is no coincidence that Cop30 takes place in the heart of the Amazon rainforest. This is an opportunity for politicians, diplomats, scientists, activists and journalists to observe the Amazon's actual conditions. Our aim is for global observation of the true state of the forests, Earth's biggest river system, and the numerous inhabitants of the area. Climate conferences must not just display concepts or yearly meetings for delegates. They should serve as encounters with actuality and of effective action to tackle climate change.

To confront this crisis together, financial support is essential. It's crucial to acknowledge that the concept of shared yet varied duties remains the non-negotiable foundation of any climate pact. This is why developing nations call for greater access to resources – not out of charity, but as fairness. Wealthy nations have gained the most from fossil fuel economies. They must now rise to their responsibilities, not only by making commitments but by repaying what they owe.

Brazil is fulfilling its role. In only two years, we have already halved deforestation in the Amazon, demonstrating that real environmental measures can work.

In Belém, we will launch an innovative initiative to preserve forests: the Tropical Forests Forever Facility (TFFF). It is innovative because it operates as an investment fund, rather than a charity system. The fund will compensate forest preservers and contributors to the fund. A genuine win-win approach to tackling climate change. Setting an example, Brazil has announced an investment of $1bn in the TFFF, and we expect equally ambitious announcements from other nations.

We also demonstrated leadership through becoming the second country to present a new nationally determined contribution (NDC). Brazil has vowed to cut its emissions by 59% to 67%, including all emission types and all sectors of the economy. With this mindset, we urge all nations to propose similarly bold NDCs and to execute them thoroughly.

The energy transition is fundamental to meeting Brazil’s NDC. Our energy mix is one of the globe's greenest, as 88% of our power is renewable. We are a leader in biofuels and are progressing in wind, solar, and green hydrogen.

Redirecting revenues from oil production to fund a fair, structured energy shift will be essential. Over time, global petroleum firms, such as Brazil's Petrobras, will transform into energy companies, because a growth model based on fossil fuels is unsustainable.

Individuals should be the focus of political decisions about climate and the shift to clean energy. We must recognise that society's most at-risk groups suffer the most from environmental effects, which is why just transition and adaptation plans should target reducing disparities.

It's crucial to remember that two billion individuals have no access to clean technologies and fuels for cooking, and over 673 million face hunger. In response, we will launch in Belém a declaration on hunger, poverty and climate. Our commitment to fight global warming must be directly linked to the effort to end hunger.

It is also fundamental that we advance the reform of global governance. Today, multilateralism suffers from the paralysis within the UN Security Council. Created to preserve peace, it has not stopped conflicts. It is our duty, therefore to advocate for reforming this body. At Cop30, we will advocate for the creation of a UN climate change council connected to the General Assembly. It would be a new governance structure with the force and legitimacy to ensure that countries deliver on their promises, and a practical move towards overcoming the present deadlock in global cooperation.

At every climate conference, numerous commitments are made yet few concrete actions follow. The era of declarations of good intentions has ended: the time for action plans has arrived. This is why we commence today the “Cop of truth”.