COP30 Outcomes: What they mean for Australian businesses

26 November 2025

COP30 reached a protracted conclusion last week in the hot and humid host city of Belém, Brazil. After negotiations carried on through the night – and an unplanned suspension of the final plenary due to procedural concerns – the gavel was brought down as 193 nations ultimately agreed on the final “global mutirão” text: the latest consensus position of parties to the Paris Agreement.

In this article, Sustainability Advisor Sophie Schlachter unpacks the outcomes of the negotiations, and what they could mean for business in Australia, including:

  • Key outcomes from COP30 negotiations in Belém
  • Australia’s position and Minister Bowen’s response
  • What COP30 signals for climate policy direction in 2026 and beyond
  • Practical implications for Australian businesses, investors and boards
  • Where companies should focus next in climate mitigation and adaptation planning

COP30: Deepening international divisions revealed

The talks were always going to be challenging, given global tensions on the world stage, and a recent rise in political opposition to climate policy – including in Australia.

Ultimately, the two week-long period of negotiations has revealed deepening divisions between those countries with a high ambition and capacity to meet the Paris Agreement targets, and those countries threatened by what the actions required to achieve those goals could mean for their own sovereign states.

Let’s explore the key items that were negotiated, Australia’s position going forward, and the implications for businesses in Australia.

Key issues and outcomes

1 – Emissions

  • Climate ambition: the final text of COP30 – termed the ‘global mutirão’ or ‘collective efforts’ – resolves to keep 1.5 degrees “within reach”. Fossil fuels are not mentioned at all in the text, drawing deep criticism from many groups.
  • Roadmap to transition away from fossil fuels:  The roadmap concept established in the final ‘UAE Consensus’ text of COP28 was not included, despite a group of 29 countries – including the UK, Germany, and Colombia – sending a letter to the presidency stating they ‘could not support a final outcome that did not include such a roadmap’.
  • Closing the emissions gap: there was reticence to progress the implementation of the Global Stocktake, which measures climate change efforts to see where progress is and isn’t being made. Further refinement of the stocktake will now take place in 2026 and 2027.

2 – Climate finance

  • Adaptation funding: the target for adaptation funding was tripled, though the deadline was pushed back from 2030 to 2035. A reduced list of adaptation indicators used to measure progress on the Global Goal for Adaptation was agreed to, also drawing criticism for perverting expert advice on the indicators themselves.
  • Climate finance: a two-year work program was agreed to define exactly how the $300bn target of funds will flow from developed to developing nations, to tackle climate change.

3 – Deforestation

Strategically hosted in the Amazon rainforest, there were hopes that this COP would deliver strong outcomes for deforestation. 

  • Brazil’s Tropical Forest Forever Facility was announced before negotiations started. This facility seeks to mobilise $25bn through a blended finance model, with the aim of paying countries for keeping their tropical forests standing. 
  • Over 90 countries supported a formal roadmap for halting and reversing deforestation to be formalised in the ‘mutirão’, however, it was removed from the final text. 

Australia’s position: ‘‘We cannot backslide”

In his closing comments at the final plenary, Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen used strong language to voice ‘grave’ concerns on a number of issues:

He specifically noted the unwillingness to implement Global Stocktake, attempts to undermine the science of the IPCC by petro-state negotiators, and a lack of action on deforestation. 

On the emissions reduction gap, he stated firmly: ‘We cannot backslide’. 

Bowen commended the promotion of technology development for climate solutions, the creation of a Just Transition work program, and the new Gender Action Plan – noting that ‘gender responsive approaches lead to equitable long-term outcomes.’ 

COP31: Australia to lead negotiations

While Australia lost its bid to host COP31, an unprecedented compromise was reached:  Türkiye will act as host and “COP president” and Australia will simultaneously hold the position of “president of negotiations”. 

The finer details of the arrangement are yet to be determined, but Minister Bowen stated he would ‘have all the powers of COP presidency to manage, to handle the negotiations, to appoint co-facilitators, to prepare draft text and to issue the cover decision.’ 

There is a risk that the unique arrangement could create confusion or undue tension, but how it really plays out remains to be seen. 

What COP30 means for business

The consensus positions achieved during COP30 do not send any major breakaway signs to business on climate action. Rather, taken on balance, they should be taken as a signal that the Paris Agreement is, at least, still on the agenda for all party nations, and that business should “stay the course” on climate mitigation and adaptation.

The final ‘global mutirão’ text is being criticised by many as too weak, which seems a reasonable response. However, businesses should note the demonstrated willingness of countries to collaborate outside of the official COP process. Both the roadmap for fossil fuel transition and for reversing deforestation will continue to be collaborated on by supporting nations over the coming year, under the helm of the COP31 president, despite being left out of the final text.

Australian businesses should also be encouraged to learn that China was reportedly not amongst those blocking more ambitious language, giving investors confidence that Beijing understands clean technology to be an enormous economic opportunity.

Reflecting Minster Bowen’s comments, COP30 affirmed that all stakeholders should continue looking to the IPCC for the best science on climate change. IPCC reports should therefore continue to be used to underpin climate risk and adaptation planning for corporations.

Further reading on COP30

Sustainable business planning

As people driven by a common purpose — to protect our natural world for the next generation — the team at Zooss is dedicated to delivering sustainable business planning to help make this possible.

We specialise in bringing clarity to financial and supply chain planning, using data analytics to form the insights that influence better decision-making.

We do this, and then go one step further. By joining the dots between financial, environmental and social planning, we empower coordinated action and enable more sustainable business.

About the author – Sophie Schlachter, Sustainability Advisor

Sophie holds a Master of Sustainability from the University of Sydney and has worked across regenerative agriculture and waste management sectors, including for OzHarvest and the Taronga Zoo Conservation Society. Sophie is experienced in business and sustainability analytics, and is passionate about enabling sustainable business that balances profit with positive environmental and social outcomes.

Better Planning. Better Planet.

 

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