Ecowatch: Why global talks matter

From Nov 10, 2025, onwards, the world – including Malaysia – will meet in Belem, Brazil, for this year’s climate talks. — Development Aid

WHEN international climate negotiations make the news, it is usually in the context of the annual Conference of the Parties (COP) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). These conferences dominate headlines, as world leaders debate how to tackle the climate crisis. Yet the climate COPs are only one part of a wider system of intergovernmental negotiations that shape our shared future.

Alongside climate, there are global processes on biodiversity, desertification, plastics, and oceans. These may sound distant, but they quietly determine the quality of the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the ecosystems we depend on. For Malaysia, and our Asean family, these talks are not abstract. They affect our forests, our coasts, our livelihoods, and our health. As COP30 convenes in November 2025 in Belém, Brazil, it is time to broaden our view.