Countries are gathering once again for the annual United Nation’s annual climate conference, known as COP. This year’s COP30 host, Brazil, has pledged to focus on topics that range from boosting climate finance, adopting new adaptation goals, updating national climate targets, and launching a fund to protect forests that is the first of its kind. But all this is happening against a backdrop of the United States, one of the world’s largest historical emitters, pulling out of the Paris Agreement. Can the rest of the world maintain momentum on climate action through COP, and who are experts looking to for climate action today? Eco-Business spoke to two veteran COP attendees who have spent decades on the ground supporting the work of negotiators and communicating what’s happening to the public and press: ▸Meenakshi Raman, head of programmes at Third World Network ▸Ani Dasgupta, chief executive officer at the World Resources Institute Tune in as we discuss: ▸The key climate finance issues at COP30 ▸The US’ next steps after leaving the Paris Agreement ▸How civil society can be heard at COP ▸What needs to be achieved on adaptation