As the world gears up for the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 30) in Brazil, calls are growing louder for a more inclusive approach that reflects justice, fairness, and equity in global climate action.
Speaking on the matter, AVM (Rtd) Akugbe Iyamu, President of the Association of Environmental Protection and Climate Change Practitioners, said vulnerable countries and small island states can no longer remain on the sidelines but must take centre stage in shaping climate solutions.
According to him, worsening global weather patterns, from floods in Nigeria to rising sea levels across coastal regions, are already beyond the capacity of current policies and agreements.
“Where vulnerable countries were once silent spectators in the international climate arena, they should now engage as key actors in the architecture of global efforts,” Iyamu stressed. “COP 30 must not merely record our participation; it must make history. This is a moral imperative grounded in demographic logic, resource contribution, and the aspirations of a people too long marginalised.”
Iyamu argued that the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) must reform itself to move beyond the Paris Agreement and embrace a multipolar order where the global South is recognised as a force, not an afterthought.
“The new global weather conditions are not waiting for policies. They roll in with patience and relentlessness. That is why the world’s biggest climate gathering must learn to dance with the tides rather than fight it,” he added.
The retired Air Vice Marshal insisted that Nigeria and other African nations must act not only as advocates for fairness but also as architects of global climate governance, driving innovation and attracting climate financing to build resilience.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump has taken a sharply different stand. Speaking recently at a United Nations conference in New York, President Trump dismissed climate change concerns as exaggerated, describing them as “the biggest con job in history.”
“They talk about climate change — it’s a hoax,” the American president declared. “What they really want is to control you, shut down your industries, and take away your wealth. The United States will not be part of any agreement that undermines our economy.”
Trump’s comments highlight the widening gap between industrialised nations and vulnerable countries demanding urgent action, a division that could dominate the debates at COP 30.
For Iyamu, however, the path forward is clear.
“UNFCCC must not only invest in systems but also in people, communities, and institutions that support sustainable change,” he said. “COP 30 should not be whispers but a clear voice for the global South — not for stipends, but for systematic, inclusive, and sustainable climate action.”
He concluded with a call for courage and leadership:
“From Brazil to the world, the architecture of climate action must not only be imagined but built on courageous efforts.”