Science Academies United for Climate Action: A Scientific Call for COP30

Manaus, Brazil – Science academies across the Americas and beyond have united to issue a powerful call to world leaders ahead of the 30th UN Climate Change Conference (COP30), urging decisive action based on scientific evidence to address the converging crises of climate change, biodiversity loss and social inequality.

Adopted at a regional meeting jointly organized by the Brazilian Academy of Sciences and the Inter-American Network of Academies of Sciences (IANAS) in Manaus, the declaration — ‘Science Academies United for Climate Action’ — calls for COP30 to be a turning point in global climate policy. The statement underscores that

science is ready, knowledge is available and solutions exist — what is lacking is political will.

The meeting brought together representatives from academies across Latin America and the Caribbean — including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama and others — alongside participants from outside the region such as Australia, China, France, Japan, Portugal and Senegal. Government officials, university leaders and representatives of Indigenous Peoples also joined discussions at the National Institute of Amazonian Research (INPA), located in the heart of the Amazon rainforest.

A Call for Science-Informed Transformation

The Scientific Call emphasises that tropical forests, particularly the Amazon, are at the centre of a planetary emergency. Crossing ecological tipping points could destabilise food, water and health systems globally. To meet this challenge, the academies call for:

• Long-term, collaborative research and environmental monitoring across borders;
• Training and support for the next generation of scientists, including Indigenous researchers;
• Investment in education and scientific infrastructure;
• Partnerships with the private sector to accelerate innovation;
• Evidence-based policymaking and transparent governance;
• Expanded global observation systems for land use, biodiversity and oceans; and
• Better translation of knowledge into action, through fair finance, equitable benefit-sharing and removal of regulatory barriers.

The academies stress that

without science, there is no future.

The Power of Collaboration

Participants agreed that COP30 — to be held in Belém, Brazil, from 10-21 November 2025 — must mark a new phase of multilateralism, integrating biodiversity and climate policies and ensuring that scientific knowledge informs just and sustainable solutions. The event highlighted the convening power of academies to connect disciplines, countries and generations. Notably, many academy delegations were led by young women scientists, reflecting a growing commitment to inclusivity and intergenerational equity in science and policy.

The leadership of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences in developing this collective statement highlights the strong commitment of national academies to advancing evidence-informed policy and global collaboration. Working in close partnership with IANAS, this initiative exemplifies how regional networks within the InterAcademy Partnership (IAP) can amplify scientific voices and reinforces the growing recognition of science within the official COP30 programme.

The Scientific Call for COP30 has already received endorsements from academies in Europe, including Austria, Denmark, Germany and the European Academies’ Science Advisory Council (EASAC), with further signatories expected from across the global IAP network. The Call will be distributed to COP30 organisers, national delegations and ambassadors.

As the academies conclude:

Science must guide the transition to a fair, resilient and sustainable future. COP30 offers the opportunity to act decisively — for the planet, for people and for generations to come.