Despite Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s efforts to position Brazil as a climate leader, COP30 ended without the level of ambition many had hoped for. Not only did the summit neglect fossil fuels, but it largely overlooked food systems despite the agriculture industry generating a third of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
At COP30, there were several missed opportunities for action to curb food system emissions. Since the Global Methane Pledge was agreed – committing countries to cut methane by 30% by 2030 – we’ve seen growing attention on reducing this super-pollutant. Yet the latest UN Methane Status Report shows that even if every current commitment was fully implemented, methane emissions would fall by just 8% below 2020 levels by 2030.
Agriculture remains a critical blind spot, and current plans capture only half of the sector’s cost-effective mitigation potential.
Deforestation was another missed opportunity as, although mentioned in the final text, no roadmap was agreed. In addition, the renewed push for biofuels was a major setback, intensifying pressures on land use and competition with food security.
Greenwashing in agribusiness
Brazil is the world’s fifth-largest emitter of both greenhouse gases and methane. With the second-largest cattle herd in the world, Brazil’s agriculture sector accounts for 75.6% of its methane emissions, and 74% of total emissions.
Nearly a quarter of the 302 agribusiness lobbyists at COP30 represented meat giants such as JBS, Marfrig (now MBRF), and Minerva. Beyond the official count of lobbyists, many more were active inside the AgriZone, an unprecedented official COP space hosted by the Brazilian agricultural agency Embrapa, whose sponsors included Nestlé and Bayer.
Upon entering, visitors were met by the JBS-branded media centre and displays promoting ‘climate-smart’ agriculture: glossy videos, tech fixes, claims of ‘low-carbon beef’ and assurances that innovation can solve everything.
Outside of the AgriZone, there were multiple screenings of the Alltech-produced documentary World Without Cows, with JBS using the summit to openly dismiss the importance of Scope 3 reporting – even though indirect emissions represent 98% of the meat sector’s total footprint.
Big Agriculture at the centre of power
The corporate influence seen at COP30 reflects a broader pattern of agribusiness greenwashing. Ahead of the summit, we launched a report, The Meat Agenda: Agricultural Exceptionalism & Greenwash in Brazil, which unpacks how Big Agribusiness seeks to control the country’s climate agenda – tactics that are mirrored globally.
In Brazil, industry dominates congress and shapes policy outcomes. The report identifies the sector’s greenwashing tactics, from corporate conferences and backdoor lobbying to sponsored media coverage, influencer investment and efforts to shape academic outputs.
It also highlights that, despite Brazil’s updated nationally determined contribution (NDC) committing to a 59%-67% reduction in GHG emissions by 2035 (compared to 2005 levels), the plan makes no reference to measures for reducing agricultural methane.
This neglect risks both climate goals and the industry’s future as agriculture is severely impacted by erratically changing climatic conditions. Currently, 28% of Brazil’s farmland is outside optimal climate conditions – a figure that could reach 74% by 2060 as heat and drought worsen.
Globally, while most NDCs now mention food systems, only 16% include sustainable, healthy diets, and just 4% set quantified, time-bound agricultural methane targets. This is a massive, missed opportunity.
The path forward is clear
In a welcome move, Marfrig became the world’s first meat company to disclose its Scope 3 methane emissions and set a 33% reduction target for 2035, showing it is possible for meat companies to set transparent reporting and methane reduction goals. However, the company seeks to rely on technical fixes – a technical shortcut that addresses the symptoms rather than the root causes of livestock-related emissions – rather than science-backed strategies, such as livestock reduction.
Throughout COP30, flagrant industry exceptionalism contrasted with an active grassroots movement, as Indigenous leaders and small farmers showcased food systems that support healthy ecosystems and resilient communities. This spirit was reflected in our events, co-hosted with partners which exposed greenwash and outlined pathways to meet the Global Methane Pledge.
To scale these efforts, nations must tackle corporate interests and prioritise accountability. We must confront the systemic changes required in food systems and reduce the overconsumption of animal products
While COP30 is behind us, its teachings are not. Although many world leaders have failed to deliver, civil society and forward-looking governments forging new pathways demonstrate that progress is possible. The challenge now is for policymakers and industry to close the gap between rhetoric and delivery. That means regulating agricultural methane, addressing livestock-driven land use, and ensuring climate strategy is driven by science, not vested interests.
Maddy Haughton-Boakes is senior campaigner at the Changing Markets Foundation
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