Cynthia Houniuhi, president of Pacific Island Students Fighting Climate Change speaking at an event in Tonga during the week of the 53rd Pacific Island Forum Leaders Meeting. Cynthia is representing the Pacific as one of four lead activists for the Oxfam global Make Rich Polluters Pay campaign. (Photo: Tini Media/Oxfam)
This document presents an overview of Oxfam and partner-led events during COP30 in Belém, Brazil.
It includes both Blue Zone official side events and Green Zone parallel events designed to advance dialogue on climate justice, just transition, and inclusive global cooperation.
Coffee with Journalists – What to Expect from COP30?
Green Zone
📅 Date: Sunday, 9 November
⏰ Time: 09:00 – 10:00 (Brazil time GMT-3)
📍 Location: Journalists House – Casa de Jornalismo na COP30
Lead / Co-Organizers: Oxfam Brazil (main organizer)
Speakers: Viviana Santiago, Naira Wayand, Maite Gauto – Oxfam Brazil
An informal coffee meeting between the Oxfam Brazil delegation and journalists participating in the Socio-environmental and Climate Journalism House.
The exchange shares key data and findings from Oxfam’s national and global reports to support journalistic analysis of COP30 and highlight priority themes under discussion.
Could you lift the carbon produced by the world’s richest polluters? Together with Positively Green Living, we challenged people to try, and exposed the real weight of carbon inequality. In 2024, global temperatures passed 1.5°C for the first time. From hurricanes to floods, climate disasters are crushing those least responsible. It’s time to make rich polluters pay.
Securing Ambitious COP Outcomes and Future Finance for Climate Justice
Blue Zone
📅 Date: Tuesday, 11 November
⏰ Time: 11:30 – 13:00 (Brazil time GMT-3)
📍 Location: Side Event Room 1
Lead / Co-Organizers: Oxfam International
Speakers: Frontline climate activists, civil society, and government representatives
COP30 is an inflection point for governments to act and make good on the promises they made 10 years ago in Paris to keep global warming 1.5C below pre-industrial levels.
Oxfam’s latest report Climate Plunder: How a powerful few are locking the world into disaster, shows that without government action to curb the emissions of the very richest, the carbon budget will be blown in less than two years.
We need urgent action for progressive taxation measures, and to limit the power of wealthy elites and corporations over political and economic systems.
This panel discussion event featuring frontline climate activists, civil society and government representatives will explore why this COP is a critical opportunity to push for ambitious climate finance outcomes. Our speakers will be able to share from their community, country, region and global perspectives why we cannot delay yet another year for governments to take bold steps and make meaningful commitments to ensure that climate finance be a tool of justice and can reach those most affected by the crisis.
As COP30 approaches in the Amazon, we must recognize that there is no climate justice without justice for the peoples of the Amazon. A just energy transition must center social, cultural, gender, and territorial equity. The participation of Amazonian women, men, and youth is not optional. It is essential. A fair energy future is not just a policy goal. It’s a moral obligation and a historical debt.
Reclaiming the Energy Future: Overcoming Inequalities for a Just Transition
Blue Zone
📅 Date: Tuesday, 11 November
⏰ Time: 13:00 – 14:00 (Brazil time GMT-3)
📍 Location: WWF Pavilion
Lead / Co-Organizers: Oxfam International & CAN International
Speakers: Amitabh Behar, Tasneem Essop, Hilda Flavia Nakabuye, Mohamed Adow, Representative of the Government of Colombia
The global energy transition stands at a pivotal moment: it can either dismantle the inequalities driving the climate crisis or deepen them. This session, jointly developed with CAN International, will explore how structural inequalities within and among countries shape the pathways of the energy transition—and how they can be overcome to achieve a truly just transition.
Drawing on key themes from Oxfam’s new report Unjust Transition: Reclaiming the Energy Future from Climate Colonialism, the discussion will unpack how extractivism, exploitation, debt, and unequal energy access reproduce colonial patterns of injustice.
This will be a space to hear insights from governments, activists, and civil society representatives on how to reclaim the energy future and build systems rooted in equality, justice, care, and collective wellbeing—where energy serves life, not profit.
The panel will feature Amitabh Behar (Executive Director, Oxfam International), Tasneem Essop (Executive Director, CAN International), Hilda Flavia Nakabuye (activist, Fridays for Future Uganda), Mohamed Adow (Founder and Director, Power Shift Africa), and a representative of the Government of Colombia.
Speakers are invited to share reflections on how to ensure the global energy transition is fair and inclusive. Contributions may highlight key challenges or opportunities from national, regional, or global perspectives, as well as the expected outcomes from COP30 regarding the just transition.
A further overview of the work of Oxfam and CAN International on Climate Justice is here: www.actforclimatejustice.com.
Human Mobility and Climate Justice: Voices and Proposals from the Territories
Outside UN Zone
📅 Date: Friday, 12 November
⏰ Time: 14:00 (Brazil time GMT-3)
📍 Location: Casa das ONGS Belém – Abong
Lead / Co-Organizers: Oxfam Brazil (not main organizer)
Speakers: Refugees, migrants, Indigenous peoples, traditional communities, peripheral populations
This activity proposes a space for dialogue, learning, and social mobilization on the impacts of climate change on human mobility, with an emphasis on the realities of refugees, environmental migrants, Indigenous peoples, traditional communities, and peripheral populations. By connecting personal testimonies, international data, and local experiences, the panel aims to promote the leadership of those who live, resist, and propose solutions in the most vulnerable territories.
Simultaneous interpretation available in English, Spanish, and Brazilian Sign Language (LIBRAS).
Climate Finance: Pathways for NDC Implementation and the Promotion of Climate Justice
Blue Zone
📅 Date: Saturday, 15 November
⏰ Time: 11:00 – 12:00 (Brazil time GMT-3)
📍 Location: Blue Zone – Brazil Pavilion
Lead / Co-Organizers: Oxfam Brazil & Oxfam International
Speakers: Amitabh Behar, Adriana Vásquez, Érico Rocha, Mônica Gregori, Tainá de Paula, Moderator: Viviana Santiago
This multi-stakeholder dialogue will explore the role of international climate finance in delivering countries’ Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and promoting climate justice. Drawing on new findings from Oxfam Brazil and Oxfam International’s 2025 Reports, the session will examine how finance can bridge the gap between ambition and implementation, while addressing the deep inequalities that shape climate impacts and responses.
Government representatives, civil-society leaders, and private-sector actors will discuss how financial flows can be structured to reduce inequalities, empower local actors, and make national climate plans truly fair and effective. The event will feature the launch of Oxfam’s Recommendations Letter on Climate Inequalities, offering practical proposals to inform COP30 outcomes and strengthen future cooperation.
Speakers include Amitabh Behar (Oxfam International), Adriana Vásquez (Ruta del Clima, Colombia), Érico Rocha (Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, Brazil), Mônica Gregori (UN Global Compact Brazil), Tainá de Paula (Secretary for Environment and Climate Change, Rio de Janeiro), moderated by Viviana Santiago (Oxfam Brazil).
Decolonizing the Energy Transition: A Call for Fair Rules, Just Finance, and Global Solidarity
Blue Zone
📅 Date: Saturday, 15 November
⏰ Time: 17:00 – 18:00
📍 Location: Nordic Pavilion
Lead / Co-Organizers: Oxfam, ILC, CooperAcción, Polen
Speakers: Experts and activists from Nordic and Global South contexts
The energy transition will define the next decades — but without fairness, it risks repeating old extractive injustices. This panel brings together experts and activists to explore how to embed principles of justice, equity, and human rights in national and international transition frameworks.
Together with ILC, CooperAcción and Polen we will discuss fair financial rules, global solidarity mechanisms, and the need for Southern leadership in shaping equitable transitions. The event will also reflect on how Nordic and international actors can ensure that climate finance and energy investments support rather than constrain countries’ right to lead their own transitions.
Together, we will explore how to align financial flows, strengthen coherence, and ensure that the energy transition truly becomes a pathway toward equality — not a new form of dependency.
A further overview of the work of Oxfam on Climate Justice is here: www.actforclimatejustice.com.
Press Conference – Oxfam at COP30
Green Zone
📅 Date: Sunday, 16 November
⏰ Time: 09:00 (Brazil time GMT-3)
📍 Location: Journalists House – Casa de Jornalismo na COP
Lead / Co-Organizers: Oxfam Brazil (main organizer)
Speakers: Viviana Santiago – Oxfam Brasil; Naf/Jan – Climate Finance; Hilde Stroot – Just Transition; Clemence Abbes/Adam Musgrave – Make Rich Polluters Pay (MRPP) [tbc]; Stefano – InfoAmazônia; Policy Leads Oxfam Delegation
Press conference updating journalists on COP30’s key discussions and next steps, featuring Oxfam’s policy leads on Just Transition, Climate Finance, Loss & Damage, and Adaptation.
Strengthening Networks for Environmental Justice: The Role of the Escazú Agreement
Outside UN Zone
📅 Date: Sunday, 16 November
⏰ Time: 10:00 (Brazil time GMT-3)
📍 Location: Casa das ONGS Belém – Abong
Lead / Co-Organizers: Oxfam Brazil (not main organizer)
Speakers: Organizations and initiatives from the Amazon and other territories
The panel proposes a space for dialogue and collective action around the Escazú Agreement as a strategic instrument for environmental justice, climate governance, and the protection of human and environmental rights. Bringing together organizations and initiatives working in the Amazon and other territories, the activity seeks to connect diverse perspectives—from grassroots advocacy to philanthropy, from community safety protocols to political advocacy strategies—strengthening networks of cooperation and a shared sense of belonging around the Agreement.
Youth Power to Shift Systems: From Europe to the World – Mobilizing and Policy Participation for Climate Justice
Blue Zone
📅 Date: Monday, 17 November
⏰ Time: 12:10 – 12:55 (Brazil time GMT-3)
📍 Location: Children & Youth Pavilion
Lead / Co-Organizers: European Youth Forum & Oxfam
Speakers: Youth leaders and policymakers
Young people are driving change across the globe — mobilizing millions, shaping public debates, and influencing policy decisions. Yet, despite their recognized role in the Paris Agreement and the UN Declaration on Future Generations (2024), youth still face barriers to participation, representation, and access to funding.
This session, led by the European Youth Forum and Oxfam, will bring together youth leaders and policymakers to discuss how to remove structural barriers, amplify youth-led action, and embed youth participation in climate decision-making at all levels.
Speakers will share concrete proposals for strengthening youth engagement and policy influence at COP30 and beyond — building bridges between European and Global South movements to ensure that youth power truly drives systemic change for climate justice.
A further overview of the work of Oxfam on Climate Justice is here: www.actforclimatejustice.com.
Collective Voices for a Just Energy Transition: Unlocking New Narratives and Imaginaries
Outside UN Zone
📅 Date: Monday, November 17th
⏰ Time: 14:30 – 16:30 (Brazil time GMT-3)
📍 Location: Casa da COP do Povo (House of COP30 People)
Lead / Co-Organizers: Oxfam, ANGRY-Alliance, Palestinian Institute of Climate Strategy (PICS)
Speakers/moderators: Clemence Abbes Oxfam Novib; Serayna Solanki and Hajar Al Belaji of ANGRY-Alliance; Mohammed Usrof (PICS)
This workshop is organized by and for movements, youth activists, and COP participants who are interested in learning about new research, movement and policy strategies to center justice in the energy transition. We will provide frameworks and tools for participants to develop local advocacy and campaign strategies and empower communities to demand a just energy transition.
Storytelling: Vila da Barca at the Center of the Climate Debate – Networking OBR
Outside UN Zone
📅 Date: Monday, 17 November
⏰ Time: 18:00 (Brazil time GMT-3)
📍 Location: Casa das ONGS Belém – Abong
Lead / Co-Organizers: Oxfam Brazil (main organizer)
Speakers: Naira Wayand, Vinicius Braga, Adam Musgrave (tbc), Erica Monteiro (MRPP tbc), Hilde/Marinel (MRPP tbc), Suane Barreirinhas (Cop das Baixadas)
The activity consists of the screening of a documentary produced in Vila da Barca, in partnership with COP das Baixadas, bringing narratives about territory, memory, and climate justice from a community affected by environmental racism.
After the screening, there will be short talks with the filmmakers and community leaders, connecting the reality of urban Amazonia to global debates on climate, the right to the city, and reparations. With the participation of activists in the MRPP, and a space for dialogue and exchange from Oxfam Brazil and partners.
Storytelling: Vila da Barca at the Heart of the Climate Debate – Oxfam Networking Event
Outside UN Zone
📅 Date: Monday, 17 November
⏰ Time: 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM (Brazil time GMT-3)
📍 Location: NGO House (Abong) – Rua Cônego Jerônimo Pimentel, 315 – Umarizal, Belém – PA, 66055-080
Lead / Co-Organizers: Oxfam Brazil
Speakers: Oxfam Brazil, Oxfam International (TBC), Cop das Baixadas, activists
The activity includes the screening of a 5-minute mini documentary produced in the Vila da Barca community — a partnership between Oxfam and COP das Baixadas — which highlights narratives of territory, memory, and climate justice from the perspective of a community affected by environmental racism and climate inequalities.
Following the screening, there will be short remarks from the filmmakers and community leaders, linking the reality of urban Amazonia to global discussions on climate, the right to the city, and reparation. The event will also feature activists from the Make Rich Polluters Pay campaign and foster a space for dialogue and exchange promoted by Oxfam Brasil and partners.
In addition, there will be an exhibition of ten local artists from Belém, strengthening the connection between culture and climate, as well as simultaneous translation and a coffee break.
Let's Make Rich Polluters Pay!
This year’s COP30 in Brazil is a turning point. Governments have a chance to show real leadership on climate justice – not with promises, but with action. Together, we can build a fairer world where communities can thrive in the face of climate change.
From Factory to Fashion: Collective Financing and Shared Responsibility for a Just Energy Transition in the RMG Sector
Blue Zone
📅 Date: Wednesday, 19 November
⏰ Time: 12:30 – 13:30 (Brazil time GMT-3)
📍 Location: Regional Climate Foundation (RCF) Pavilion
Lead / Co-Organizers: Oxfam & partners from RMG sector
Speakers: Global brands, manufacturers, worker representatives, policymakers, civil society
The Ready-Made Garment (RMG) industry stands at the forefront of global climate and economic transformation. As one of the most vital manufacturing sectors in the Global South, it faces the urgent challenge of decarbonizing production while protecting workers and sustaining competitiveness.
This COP-30 session will bring together global brands, manufacturers, worker representatives, policymakers, and civil society to explore collaborative pathways and financing models that enable a just and equitable energy transition in the RMG sector. Drawing on insights and evidence from Bangladesh and other garment-producing countries, the discussion will focus on shared accountability, brand-led investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency, and collective financing mechanisms such as Just Transition Funds.
Speakers will also examine barriers that hinder collaboration, including anti-trust restrictions, limited coordination, and inequitable distribution of financial resources, and propose solutions to overcome them. The session will emphasize that industrial decarbonization must be inclusive, worker-centered, and gender-responsive, ensuring that climate action enhances livelihoods and resilience rather than deepening inequality. By fostering dialogue among key stakeholders, the event aims to build consensus and actionable commitments for fair financing frameworks that link climate justice, competitiveness, and sustainable growth, making the RMG sector a model for equitable industrial transformation worldwide.
The Cost of the Climate Crisis: A Portrait of National Climate Inequalities
Green Zone
📅 Date: TBD
⏰ Time: TBD
📍 Location: Brazil Pavilion Belém +10
Lead / Co-Organizers: Oxfam Brazil (main organizer, if confirmed)
Speakers: Naira Wayand, Lidia Lins, Junior Aleixo, Leilane Reis, Andreia Coutinho, Erica Monteiro
Organized by Oxfam Brazil, this roundtable will present and discuss findings on the impacts of climate change and socio-environmental inequalities in Brazil, based on the fifth edition of Oxfam Brazil’s national report. The session will also feature analyses on housing and climate adaptation strategies from research by CBJC and Greenpeace Brazil, linking technical evidence and community-based experiences.
Additionally, it will address the impacts of international agribusiness on traditional communities, such as the Babaçu Coconut Breakers, drawing from research by ActionAid. The event aims to expand access to civil society reports and strengthen collective understanding of inequalities and adaptation strategies within the framework of climate justice.