Environment chief urges UN to shield climate cooperation from sanctions at COP30
Head of Iran’s Department of Environment, Shina Ansari, met with UN Secretary-General António Guterres on the sidelines of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belém, Brazil on November 6, calling for the protection of global environmental cooperation from what she described as “unilateral, unjust and illegal sanctions.”
Ansari stressed that the environmental sector must remain immune to coercive measures, adding that international collaboration on climate and sustainability should advance “without restrictions and in the spirit of shared global interests.”
Guterres endorsed Ansari’s view, underscoring the need for climate justice and the equitable consideration of all nations in addressing the growing impacts of climate change. He reiterated that promoting fairness in mitigation and adaptation efforts remains one of the UN’s top priorities.
COP30 is the 30th annual United Nations Climate Change Conference, part of the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) process.
Held from November 10 to 21 in Belém, this year’s summit marks the first time the global climate conference is being hosted in the Amazon region.
Each year, the conference brings together world leaders, policymakers and experts to discuss strategies for adaptation to climate change and reducing greenhouse-gas emissions.
Brazil is also hosting a high-level leaders’ summit ahead of the two-week negotiations, setting the stage for renewed commitments to sustainability, environmental protection and global climate action.
A high-level Iranian delegation is attending the event, viewing it as a strategic opportunity to strengthen both bilateral and multilateral partnerships, particularly in areas such as technology transfer, capacity building, and enhanced access to international climate finance mechanisms.