With less than two months to go before the United Nations climate summit in Brazil, activists, youth groups, and delegates from poorer nations fear they may not be able to attend due to skyrocketing accommodation costs in the Amazon city of Belem.
Pooja Tilvawala, a London-based climate activist, has already spent over $46,000 of her own savings to secure affordable lodging for young participants. She set up a housing portal through her organization, Youth Climate Collaborative, to ensure youth voices are represented at COP30. “There’s always a huge number of fossil fuel company representatives there. Who’s going to be there to counter those voices if we can’t?” she said.
So far, only about 36% of the 196 participating countries have confirmed attendance and secured housing, according to the COP30 presidency. Hotel rates have surged to several hundred dollars per night, with even private homes and makeshift accommodations demanding exorbitant prices.
The Brazilian government, acknowledging the crisis, has announced measures including two large cruise ships capable of hosting 6,000 people and “accessible rooms” for vulnerable nations priced between $200 and $600 per night. Climate Minister Marina Silva said, “Facing climate change must be done by all of us, especially those already living its consequences.”
Still, challenges remain. A construction workers’ strike, which began on September 15, has disrupted preparations. Meanwhile, U.N. Climate Change chief Simon Stiell has urged agencies to reduce delegation sizes to ease the pressure.
Local residents initially welcomed the summit but later struggled to meet U.N. standards. “It’s in our culture to be hospitable, but expectations have been difficult to manage,” said Arnaldo Vaz Neto, who has been helping visitors find housing.
The high costs are already forcing tough decisions. NGOs, Indigenous groups, and youth-led organizations say they will be forced to scale back delegations. Some activists are considering camping, while others have already withdrawn.
Youth NGO leader Hailey Campbell said her group, Care About Climate, has “never faced such difficulties with access to accommodation,” warning on social media with the hashtag #DontPriceUsOut.
Activist Hikaru Hayakawa of Climate Cardinals noted that dozens he knows have decided not to attend. “This could be a lost opportunity to build global networks,” he said, warning that the vibrant civil society culture Brazil is known for may be underrepresented.
Despite the hurdles, Brazil’s presidency insists that all 196 nations will be accommodated, expecting around 50,000 participants — fewer than recent COPs, but still considered one of the most critical climate negotiations in years as countries are due to update their carbon-cutting commitments.
