High Hotel Prices Risk Excluding Poor Nations at Brazil’s COP30 Climate Conference
The United Nations climate conference COP30, set for November 2025 in Belém, Brazil, faces an unexpected challenge: sky-high accommodation prices that may stop poorer nations from joining critical talks.
Around 45,000 people are expected, but Belém has only about 18,000 hotel beds, far too few for the demand. As reservations fill up, hotels and rentals have raised rates dramatically.
Delegates have received nightly hotel quotes up to $700, while the official UN allowance for many countries is only $149. To manage the shortage, Brazil’s government arranged for two large cruise ships to provide 6,000 extra beds.
These were mostly for the poorest and most climate-vulnerable nations, at a capped rate of $220 per night. While this move offers some help, even the lower price is out of reach for many.
Nonprofit organizations and government teams, especially from Africa and small island states, report that they may not afford to send their full delegations. Some European countries are also planning smaller teams due to costs.
Brazil has promised continued efforts, like launching a booking platform and working with the UN to prevent price speculation. Nonetheless, several reports confirm that rooms once reserved at lower rates have later reappeared on the market at much higher prices.
Complaints about canceled bookings and lack of affordable options persist into late July 2025. This struggle reveals a problem deeper than logistics. When nations most affected by climate change can’t afford to attend, the global balance of voices and decisions suffers.
The countries with the least resources risk having the least say—even as they face the greatest climate threats. Business interests in travel and real estate drive prices up, while the promise of equal participation in negotiations falls short.
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Brazil — Live Market Board
+2.63%
192,114.55
+2.63%
64,531.68
+1.10%
10,916.57
+0.08%
2,767,663
+0.32%
2,515.02
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| Instrument | Last | Change | YoY | Prev. | High | Low | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IBOV | 192,114.55 | +2.63% | +21.85% | 187,197.46 | 168,310 | 167,142 | — |
| USD/BRL | 5.16 | +0.01% | -5.13% | 5.16 | 5.18 | 5.14 | — |
| SELIC | 14.00% | — | — | — | — | — | |
| PETR4 | 41.64 | -0.05% | +35.19% | 41.66 | 41.97 | 41.15 | 41,499,400 |
| VALE3 | 72.97 | +0.83% | +30.75% | 72.37 | 73.54 | 72.66 | 17,658,000 |
| ITUB4 | 38.60 | -1.03% | +4.57% | 39.00 | 39.34 | 38.39 | 29,487,800 |
| BBDC4 | 16.85 | +0.36% | +3.50% | 16.79 | 16.90 | 16.67 | 19,416,900 |
| BBAS3 | 19.37 | +0.47% | +0.73% | 19.28 | 19.44 | 19.16 | 11,069,200 |
| B3SA3 | 14.26 | -0.21% | +12.73% | 14.29 | 14.47 | 14.11 | 33,037,800 |
| ABEV3 | 14.89 | -0.80% | +21.91% | 15.01 | 15.07 | 14.81 | 16,453,100 |
| WEGE3 | 47.59 | +0.49% | +29.99% | 47.36 | 48.08 | 47.36 | 3,364,600 |
| PRIO3 | 59.14 | -0.19% | +50.67% | 59.25 | 59.81 | 58.74 | 3,325,600 |
| SUZB3 | 41.33 | +2.35% | -23.55% | 40.38 | 41.48 | 40.35 | 3,914,900 |
| RENT3 | 34.68 | -0.09% | +0.84% | 34.71 | 34.96 | 34.35 | 7,979,100 |
| AZZA3 | 15.89 | -2.63% | -53.76% | 16.32 | 16.42 | 15.82 | 1,330,300 |
| CSNA3 | 4.30 | +0.47% | -42.65% | 4.28 | 4.41 | 4.26 | 10,076,100 |
| GGBR4 | 24.69 | +2.19% | +51.38% | 24.16 | 24.85 | 24.18 | 7,047,600 |
| ENEV3 | 24.21 | -1.38% | +70.49% | 24.55 | 24.64 | 23.99 | 9,297,000 |
This article was drafted with automated assistance and reviewed before publication. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief