On the eve of COP30 negotiations’ opening
On Sunday November 9th, 2025, Switzerland officially launched its participation at COP30 in Belem by organizing a singular public diplomacy event on forest and climate science. This was in fact a fully immersive experience, as the participants had to cross the Goeldi Museum's zoo-botanical park before reaching the venue.
On that occasion, the Embassy gathered a high-level panel composed of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change of Brazil, the President of Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES), the President of Brazilian Foundation for Indigenous People (FUNAI) and the Secretary General of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO), among other authorities.
The Swiss Ambassador to Brazil, Hanspeter Mock, announced an additional CHF 5’000’000 contribution to the Amazon Fund, the largest instrument in the world for the reduction of emissions deriving from deforestation and forest degradation. Since its creation, the Amazon Fund, which is managed by the BNDES, has been an essential mechanism to monitor deforestation and protect traditional communities’ territory and culture, while creating sustainable economic opportunities for local populations. Switzerland is supporting the Amazon Fund since October 2023, with a total CHF 10’000’000 contribution to date.
The event counted on the presence of a special guest. In front of the 150 distinguished representatives from the political, scientific and economic areas, Bertrand Piccard presented Solar Impulse Foundation’s latest initiative, “Climate Impulse”, the first hydrogen-powered non-stop flight around the world. The keynote served as an inspiring symbol of the energy transition’s ambitious and positive spirit. Bertrand Piccard was also able to present to Brazil’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change, in a bilateral conversation, a new publication highlighting how energy efficiency can turn climate action into a source of economic competitiveness.
The event was followed by a cocktail reception showcasing the delicious but still mostly unknown Amazonian culinary culture. The Planetary Embassy pavilion, built and conceived by Swissnex in Brazil, was the ideal place to network and share impressions ahead of COP30.
The Goeldi Museum, named after the Swiss naturalist Emílio Goeldi, is a partner of the Swiss Embassy. Founded in 1866, it has become the most renown research institute on Amazonian social and natural sciences. A true piece of the Amazon rainforest in the city center of Belem, the Goeldi Museum was officially declared indigenous territory in 2023. Since October 2023, the pioneering work of Emílio Goeldi has been disseminated across Brazil thanks to the touring “Swiss-Brazilian Legacy in the Amazon: Art, Science and Sustainability” exhibition, supported by the Swiss Embassy and Presence Switzerland.
