Tens of Thousands March for Climate Justice in Belém

Tens of thousands of climate protesters took to the streets of Belém, Brazil on Saturday in a vibrant demonstration that marked the first major climate march in four years. The peaceful but noisy protest coincided with the midpoint of COP30, the United Nations climate summit being hosted in the Amazonian city.

Protesters marched in sweltering conditions, with temperatures reaching 30 degrees Celsius and humidity making it feel closer to 35 degrees. Despite the oppressive heat, demonstrators remained energetic, singing traditional Brazilian songs, playing instruments, and waving banners demanding action from world leaders.

The march, known as the "Great People's March," brought together Indigenous groups, youth activists, and civil society organizations. Many Indigenous participants wore traditional face paint and feathered headdresses, adding cultural significance to the environmental message.

Brazil's environment minister, Marina Silva, addressed the crowds, emphasizing the need for a transition away from deforestation and fossil fuels. Indigenous protester Cristiane Puyanawa expressed a common sentiment among participants: "Our land and our forest are not commodities. Respect nature and the peoples who live in the forest."

The protest featured several creative displays. Eighty demonstrators carried a massive 30-metre cobra sculpture through the streets. The cobra holds double meaning—it's a sacred animal for Amazon Indigenous peoples, and in Portuguese, the word also means "pay up!" The sculpture was built by 16 artists from Santarém and transported by boat, requiring 83 people to hold it aloft.

Another striking element was a "funeral for fossil fuels," complete with mourners dressed in black, ghoul puppets, and three enormous coffins labelled "coal," "oil," and "gas." The theatrical display drew attention to demands for ending dependence on fossil fuels.

This demonstration was particularly significant because the previous three COP summits—held in Egypt, Dubai, and Azerbaijan—took place in countries with little tolerance for public protest. Saturday's march represented the first opportunity in years for climate activists to gather and voice their concerns freely.

Inside the summit venue, negotiators reached the halfway point of the two-week conference. They face challenging discussions on climate finance, phasing out fossil fuels, and addressing the gap in countries' emissions reduction plans. The outcome remains uncertain, with controversial issues being discussed in informal consultations outside the formal process.

The protesters' message was clear: they want concrete action, not empty promises from the world's leaders.