COP30 Criticized for Fossil Omission as Colombia, Netherlands Act

This week in sustainability news: The presence of over 1,900 lobbyists at COP30—mainly from the fossil fuel and agribusiness sectors—drew criticism from environmental advocates. Meanwhile, the failure of the COP30 final declaration to reference fossil fuels led Colombia and the Netherlands to launch a conference on the transition away from oil and gas, held outside the formal UN COP process. While the Tropical Forests Forever Facility, a climate-finance initiative, was formally presented during the summit, it was not incorporated into the final text.

More news below:

COP30 Faces Backlash Over 1,900 Fossil and Agribusiness Lobbyists

More than 1,600 fossil fuel lobbyists and over 300 representatives from industrial agriculture gained access to the COP30 climate negotiations in Belem, Brazil, raising concerns from civil society and climate advocates that the summit is increasingly being shaped by industries whose operations directly contribute to global emissions and deforestation. These concerns come after COP30’s final declaration omitted any mention of fossil fuels, while also refusing to integrate Brazil’s Tropical Forests Forever Facility (TFFF), a forest conservation financing initiative. 

Colombia, Netherlands Launch 2026 Global Fossil Fuel Roadmap

As COP30 concluded in Belem without explicit references to a fossil fuel phaseout in the latest draft text, Colombia and the Netherlands announced they will co-host the First International Conference on the Just Transition Away from Fossil Fuels in April 2026. The meeting, to be held in the coal-exporting port city of Santa Marta, will focus on designing a global roadmap for phasing out fossil fuels and coordinating the economic, legal and social measures needed to support the shift. The conference will take the issue outside the formal UN COP negotiations. 

COP30 Debuts Forest Fund, Absent from Final Declaration

In one of the few concrete outcomes from the COP30 summit in Belem, Brazil, the Tropical Forests Forever Facility (TFFF) emerged as one of the largest forest-conservation funding commitments ever announced at a UN climate conference. Launched at the leaders’ summit ahead of COP30, the TFFF secured US$6.7 billion in public and private investments. Despite this progress, the initiative was left out of the final COP30 declaration, which ultimately omitted both a deforestation roadmap and the financial architecture proposed by Brazil, even though the proposal had broad support.

ILO Issues First Global Guidelines to Improve Work in Recycling

The International Labour Organization (ILO) has issued its first global guidelines to improve labor conditions across recycling chains, formalizing a framework that governments, employers, and workers can use as countries confront growing waste volumes and demands for stronger circular economy systems. The document outlines actions to expand decent work, strengthen labor rights, and formalize informal recycling activities that remain widespread in many regions.

Bimbo Expands Green Fleet, Nears Full Renewable Power

Grupo Bimbo held its 2025 Annual Supplier and Sustainability Meeting, bringing together global business partners to reinforce the company’s focus on quality, innovation, and process efficiency across its value chain. At the meeting, Bimbo expanded on progress published in its 2024 Sustainability Report, including a fleet of more than 7,757 renewable-energy vehicles, including over 4,200 fully electric units—giving it the largest electric delivery fleet in both Mexico and Latin America. Globally, the company sources 97% of its electricity from renewable sources, reaching 100% in 28 of its 35 operational markets.