Petersberg Climate Dialogue 2025: Towards COP30

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Ten years after the Paris Agreement, the international community is facing increasing pressure to meet the commitments made. Annalena Baerbock, former German Foreign Minister, inaugurated the Petersberg Climate Dialogue, emphasizing the need for immediate actions to counter climate change. Studies by the OECD and the UNDP confirm that the cost of inaction will far exceed that of mitigation policies, suggesting that climate actions concern not only the ecological sphere but also the economic one. It also emerged that providing support to developing countries, which are among the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change, is essential to build a global and coordinated response. International cooperation is therefore fundamental to combat the climate crisis and ensure a just and equitable transition for all.

One of the central points of the Petersberg Climate Dialogue was the growing role of renewable energies. According to Baerbock, in 2024 global investments in clean sources have far exceeded those in fossil fuels, with China seeing the green technologies sector contributing 10% to its GDP. Forecasts indicate that the global sustainable technology market will reach 2 trillion dollars by 2035, creating enormous economic opportunities. In addition to economic aspects, the debate highlighted the need to strengthen infrastructure to ensure a fair and inclusive transition. Another central aspect of the discussion was the need for more ambitious policies to gradually eliminate fossil fuel subsidies, a fundamental step to make renewable energies more competitive and accelerate the decarbonization of the global economy.

Another central theme of the Petersberg Climate Dialogue was the financing of global climate policies. Baerbock emphasized that the financial solutions that emerged during the COP29 in Baku must now translate into concrete actions. The event offered an important opportunity to discuss innovative tools such as green bonds, public-private partnerships, and other financial mechanisms to attract the private capital needed to fill the investment gap in the fight against climate change. According to the OECD, well-structured climate policies could not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions but also stimulate the global economy, increasing GDP by 0.2% by 2040. At the same time, uncertainty in climate policies could reduce investments and slow economic growth, with a negative impact on global GDP that could reach up to 0.75% as early as 2030.

The designated president of COP30, André Corrêa do Lago, reiterated the importance of effective multilateral governance to address global climate challenges. During the dialogue, Corrêa do Lago proposed a collaborative approach inspired by the Brazilian concept of "mutirão", based on collective commitment for the common good. The COP30, to be held in Belém, must mark a turning point in climate policies, with the aim of strengthening trust between countries and promoting concrete actions. The dialogue also highlighted the need for greater coherence in climate governance policies, in order to ensure that actions are consistent with economic and social development goals, fostering an ecological transition that leaves no one behind.

As the deadline for submitting new Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) approaches, participants at the Petersberg Climate Dialogue discussed the global challenges and opportunities in the fight against climate change. According to an OECD study, well-designed climate policies could increase global GDP by 0.2% by 2040, while policy uncertainty could negatively affect investments, causing GDP to fall by 0.75% as early as 2030. This makes stronger international coordination essential to ensure timely actions and effective results leading up to COP30, and achieve tangible outcomes in the fight against climate change. The Petersberg Dialogue thus represented a crucial moment to define global priorities and ensure a united and robust response to the climate crisis.

This article was created as part of the "Biodiversity services EU expansion" project (CUP: E43D22000480009) under the Lombardy Region "PR FESR 2021-2027 – LINEA INTERNAZIONALIZZAZIONE 21-27" call, aimed at supporting the internationalization of Italian companies. 3Bee is the naturetech company that develops innovative technologies for the monitoring, protection, and regeneration of biodiversity, supporting companies in defining personalized climate strategies based on the analysis of their impacts and dependencies on nature. With a consolidated portfolio in Italy, Germany, and France and significant partnerships, 3Bee continues its expansion in international markets to create a tangible impact through technology.