Environmental Ministry: Israel won't send delegation to COP30 climate confab

The Environmental Protection Ministry announces that unlike last year, there will be neither an Israeli pavilion nor a delegation to this month's UN climate conference, COP30, set to be held in Belem, Brazil, Report informs via The Times of Israel.

It says the decision is due to "the diversion of resources resulting from the ongoing war and diplomatic campaign."

Last year, even though Israel had already been at war against Hamas for a year, a delegation of over a hundred people was sent, with a pavilion that showcased 20 climate tech projects.

Just two ministry officials will attend this year's event, which runs from November 10-21 in Belem, a gateway to the lower Amazon region in Brazil's northeast.

The head of the Climate Resilience Division will cover the first week, to be replaced by the head of the International Relations Division during the second.

The two will represent Israel in negotiations and other formal discussions, and promote Israeli climate solutions as well as integration into international initiatives, according to the ministry.

Officials in Israel will provide the two with information and support, and join some sessions online.

One initiative that Israel will join deals with preventing forest fires.

World leaders, scientists, and civil society activists from over 190 countries will converge at COP30, where there has been controversy over a lack of accommodation and sky-high prices for the rooms that do exist, with poor countries saying they cannot afford to send delegations.

While wishing to draw world attention to the importance of the Amazon rainforest, Brazil is increasing the drilling of oil - one of the fossil fuels that helps drive climate change. It is set to become a top oil producer by 2030.

The US will not be sending any high-level officials this year, in view of US President Donald Trump's stated opinion that climate change is a "hoax."