In this episode, we are unpacking how effective COP30 really was, did the promises match the expectations and where did world leaders deliver or fall short . COP 30 was held in Belém, the gateway to the Amazon. From extreme heat and climate-driven floods and fires to the political symbolism of choosing the Amazon over Rio, the setting shaped everything.

The expectations were high this year. Brazil promised a ‘forest-first COP,’ with more youth engagement, significant inclusion of indigenous communities and major moves on finance and fossil fuels. Our host Simon Chin Yee, from UCL’s School of Public Policy and one of our guest Elena, Climate Reality Project Central and Eastern Europe, both of whom attended COP30 shares their biggest takeaways from Belem.

Our other guest, Susannah Fisher, is a leading researcher and author whose new book on climate adaptation, Sink or Swim, was published in August (Sink Or Swim - Link to Susannah's latest book). In this episode, she explains why adaptation is a crucial part of the COP agenda and why it can’t be overlooked.

Credits:

Date of episode recording: 28th Nov 2026

Duration: 39:38

Language of episode: English
Presenter: Professor Mark Maslin and Dr Simon Chin-Yee
Producer: Adam Batstone

Guests:

Susannah Fisher – Author and Principal Research Fellow at Department of Risk and Disaster Reduction, UCL.
(Sink Or Swim - by Susannah's Fisher)

Elena-Alexandra Miron – Central and Eastern Europe Regional Organiser, Climate Reality Project.