On November 21, the National Confederation of Insurers (CNseg), together with the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) Principles for Sustainable Insurance (PSI), hosted at Casa do Seguro the roundtable “From Belém to COP31: A High-Level Dialogue on the Role of Insurance in the Climate Transition.” The panel brought together a select group of leaders from the insurance, finance, sustainability, and climate policy sectors, as well as researchers from Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV), to reflect on COP30 results and begin charting the course toward Turkey, the next COP host.
According to CNseg President Dyogo Oliveira, the purpose of the roundtable was to hear different perspectives on the achievements of COP30 and the challenges to be addressed throughout 2026 in preparation for the next COP. The main focus of the discussions was the insurance sector’s contributions to climate mitigation and adaptation actions.
"This was also a COP for the private sector. The private sector showed up strongly, bringing results and new projects. We know that negotiations on NDCs (Nationally Determined Contributions) are at a difficult stage, depending on geopolitical conditions beyond the COP. But looking at concrete progress, we saw major commitments from companies, organizations, and even governments, which presented relevant programs and projects. I leave this COP satisfied from the standpoint of objectivity," he stated.
Oliveira also highlighted the balance between mitigation and adaptation agendas and advocated for creating a global task force to consolidate insurance’s role in the climate agenda:
"We need to develop major global leaders in the insurance industry and connect them with stakeholders who influence decisions and policies on climate change. This is an essential step to enable solutions along this path."
FGV Brings Science and Innovation to the Debate
FGV researchers contributed strategic insights on bioeconomy, agriculture, and the integration of science and public policy. Marcelo Behar, researcher at FGV São Paulo Law School (FGV Direito SP) and special envoy for Bioeconomy, highlighted three pathways presented by Brazil’s COP presidency:
"The first pathway is financing, and the insurance sector is the greatest ally in structuring public and private resources for the transition. The second route is central: globally, 70% of emissions come from energy; in Brazil, 70% come from land use. We need to integrate crops, livestock, and forests, create agro solutions that store carbon and sustain life, and this will heavily depend on insurance. The third route is the transition away from fossil fuels, a historic challenge. It won’t be immediate, but subsidies will shift toward agriculture and biological solutions, and the insurance industry will support this new economy."
From the agribusiness perspective, Guilherme Bastos, coordinator of the Agribusiness Study Center (FGV Agro), emphasized the importance of nature-based solutions and payment for environmental services:
"Brazil has had a low-carbon agriculture plan for a long time, supported by research from Embrapa. This COP was a milestone in reinforcing the link between academia, the private sector, and government. Another crucial point is including payment for environmental services in the equation to support small, medium, and large producers."
Science as the Foundation for Public Policy
For Goret Paulo, FGV’s Director of Research and Innovation, COP30 consolidated academia’s role as a key player in building solutions:
"I was pleased to see academia participating in several panels, including at Casa do Seguro. Science is walking hand in hand with public and private sectors on global challenges—whether maintaining the 1.5°C target, green financing, reducing deforestation, or advancing the energy transition. This COP showed that evidence-based public policies are not an abstract concept but a practical reality in Brazil, bringing progress that benefits society as a whole."
Goret also issued a challenge for the next conference:
"For COP31, we need to deepen cooperation between academia and public and private sectors to ensure data collection, processing, and analysis to support public policy."
Also participating in the debate were André Andrade, Program Director at the Executive Secretariat of the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change; Butch Bacani, Head of Insurance at the United Nations Environment Programme; Clare Shakya, Climate Director at The Nature Conservancy (TNC); Eduardo Brito Bastos, Director at the Brazilian Agribusiness Association (ABAG); Ivo Kanashiro, Sustainability Superintendent at MAPFRE; Luiz Pires, Sustainability and Innovation Manager at the Brazilian Financial and Capital Markets Association (ANBIMA); and Raoni Vale, Just Transition Officer at the International Labour Organization (ILO).
You can watch the full debate through this link.
FGV Climate Agenda
Comprehensive coverage of Fundação Getulio Vargas researchers’ participation in COP30—including schedules, exclusive content, and contributions to global climate action—is available on the FGV Climate Agenda Platform. The opinions expressed in this publication are solely those of the contributing researchers and do not necessarily reflect FGV’s official position.