Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has criticised the declining attention given to climate change at major international forums, warning that world leaders are increasingly preoccupied with military spending and trade disputes rather than the future of the planet.
Lula made the remarks during his address to the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 22, 2026, when he called for renewed global action against climate change and warned that the issue had disappeared from discussions at meetings of the Group of Seven (G7) and Group of Twenty (G20).
“At G7 and G20 meetings, forums that bring together the biggest global emitters of greenhouse gases, concern has turned to silence. We’ve turned to talking more about arms and tariffs than the survival of future generations,” Lula said.
His comments were reported by international media on September 24, as world leaders continued discussions at the UN General Assembly, where climate change, rising sea levels and the impact of extreme weather featured prominently in several national statements.
The remarks have returned to the spotlight as Lula attends the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference, known as COP31, in Antalya, Türkiye. The summit began earlier this week, with its high-level segment scheduled for November 11 and 12. Lula is among the leaders expected to address the gathering on Wednesday.
His participation comes shortly after his re-election in Brazil’s presidential election on October 25, when he defeated Senator Flávio Bolsonaro to secure a fourth, non-consecutive term. His victory was welcomed by climate campaigners, who have pointed to his administration’s efforts to curb deforestation and protect the Amazon rainforest.
Brazil hosted the previous UN climate conference, COP30, in Belém in November 2025. The country has remained central to international climate discussions because of the Amazon, one of the world’s largest tropical forests and a major factor in regulating the global climate.
At COP31, governments are under pressure to strengthen commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, move away from fossil fuels and provide financial support to countries facing the effects of climate change. The discussions are taking place amid concerns about increasingly severe climate-related disasters and the gap between international promises and actual action.
Lula’s September warning therefore forms part of a wider debate about the place of climate action in global diplomacy, as countries gather once again to negotiate measures aimed at limiting global warming.
