Building on Belém: Social protection at COP30 and beyond
This webinar will look at the key discussions on social protection at COP30 and help chart the way to maintain momentum into 2026
22/01/2026
BACKGROUND
The 2025 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belém, Brazil, marked a sea-change in the visibility of social protection within the climate agenda.
Social protection was the focus of multiple high-level events bringing together key actors from governments, UN organisations, climate finance stakeholders and non-state actors, signalling a growing role and recognition of social protection, which was also reflected in a number of key decisions, outcomes and processes.
At the Leaders’ Summit ahead of the Conference, 43 countries and the European Union endorsed the Belém Declaration on Hunger, Poverty and Human-Centred Climate Action, which has social protection at its core.
Other important outcomes for social protection included those related to the Global Goal on Adaptation indicators, the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage, the decision to establish a just transition mechanism and the COP30 Action Agenda.
DESCRIPTION
This webinar, co-organised by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre (the Climate Centre), the World Bank, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the Universal Social Protection 2030 Working Group on Social Protection and Climate Change, will take stock of the key outcomes for social protection at COP30.
Bringing together partners from the USP2030 Working Group and government actors who participated in or supported discussions in Belém, it will provide an important opportunity to reflect on priorities for the social protection sector emerging from COP30 and to explore ways to sustain this momentum as we move into 2026.
agenda
Speakers
- Jana Bischler, Technical Officer, Social Protection and Climate Change at ILO and Co-Chair of USP2030 Working Group on Social Protection and Climate Change
- Alexander Jaeger, Senior Specialist for Social Protection and Climate, World Bank
- Luiza Silva Lisboa, Policy Officer, Ministry of Social Development and Assistance, Family and Fight against Hunger of Brazil and Global Alliance Transition Support Team
- Sayanti Sengupta, Technical Advisor, Social Protection and Climate at the Climate Centre and Co-Chair of USP2030 Working Group on Social Protection and Climate Change
Moderator
- Matthew Walsham, Social Protection Specialist (Climate) at FAO and Co-Chair of USP2030 Working Group on Social Protection and Climate Change
WEBINAR DETAILS
📅 Date: Thursday, 22 January 2026
🕙 Time: 14:00 -15:30 (CET)
📍 Platform: Zoom. The webinar will be hosted by sociaprotection.org