Fire forces evacuation from climate summit as talks reach critical stage

BELÉM, Brazil — Delegates were evacuated from the COP30 climate summit Thursday after a fire broke out in the venue where negotiators are at a critical stage in trying to work out a deal for addressing the causes and impacts of the Earth’s warming.

Thousands of people spilled out onto the streets near the Hangar Convention and Fair Centre of the Amazon in Belém, the port city where Brazil is hosting the talks. The blaze appeared to break out in an area that contains meeting spaces and displays promoting countries and groups attending the talks.

Smoke could be seen rising from the giant white tent where the discussions are occurring.

It was not immediately clear what impact the interruption will have on the negotiations, which have included discussions about accelerating the world’s turn away from fossil fuels and tripling the amount of climate assistance that rich countries would provide to poorer nations. The U.S., which is not attending the talks, is expected to abstain from both efforts.

The talks have drawn more than 50,000 people from nearly 200 countries.