‘COP30? It was sweaty, chaotic, exciting’

As the only diaspora Jewish NGO at COP, my job was to bring the global Jewish voice and Torah perspective on the climate crisis to governmental, faith and secular organisations participating in the COP process.

We were received with warmth and genuine interest. Ed Miliband, UK secretary of state for energy and climate change, who was racing around in his trainers, hell-bent on a meaningful COP, took the time to meet EcoJudaism and send a message of support to everyone in our community who is working to reduce emissions and support nature.

Eco Judaism's Naomi Verber (right) at COP 30, with other participants (Photo: Naomi Verber)[Missing Credit]

I also met Ruth Davis, UK special envoy for nature, and Mary Creagh, the UK’s nature minister, to share how interfaith climate work was building community cohesion, restoring nature and building essential awareness of the impact of climate change within diverse communities.

I had an official role within the UN interfaith liaison committee to present the Jewish imperative for environmental responsibility and work on strategies to build a stronger, more influential interfaith climate movement. I was so proud to share the first Global Jewish Declaration to COP30 – a collective call by Jewish organisations from across the globe for all governments to take urgent and ambitious action to address the escalating climate and nature crises as a matter of pikuach nefesh – the supreme Jewish moral imperative to preserve human life.

EcoJudaism’s Westminster climate vigils, the record number of communities across the UK participating in EcoShabbat, our Jewish environmental education projects and nature restoration work, as well as the work of Jewish climate NGOs across Israel, North America and Australia, left an impression of a small but mighty people punching way above its weight in tangible environmental action.

Naomi Verber (left) with the Israeli delegation at COP30 (Photo: Naomi Verber)[Missing Credit]

But it wasn’t all rosy. It was painful and scary to witness the aggression and disrespect shown towards the small Israeli delegation, whose spokesperson was drowned out by relentless screams of “Free Palestine!” and “Genocide!” as he tried to answer questions about how Israeli technology was working on key climate issues, such as drought and renewable energy.

It was also extremely frustrating to see the huge pro-Palestine presence at COP hijack the urgent plight of the indigenous Amazonian tribes, who couldn’t speak or demonstrate without being overwhelmed by protesters repositioning the limelight on Gaza.

EcoJudaism’s chair of trustees, Abi Levitt, met the vibrant Belém Jewish community of 1,300 “Amazonian Jews”. Descendents of Moroccan Jewish settlers in the late 19th century, their ancestors were prominent in growing the port and rubber trade. As Jews who make their livelihoods from the rainforest’s resources, they are also directly suffering the impact of deforestation and climate change, particularly with flooding and extreme heat.

Overall, COP30 ended as a disappointing flop. Despite Miliband’s heroic effort to bring together a coalition of 90 countries to agree a timetabled plan to phase out fossil fuels, the petrol states won the day and the phasing out of fossil fuels wasn’t even mentioned in the final text.

The UN interfaith Liaison Committee, which EcoJudaism is part of (Photo: Naomi Verber)[Missing Credit]

The huge fire that swept through COP on the penultimate day was sharply symbolic of the UN’s multi-lateral diplomatic process going up in flames. If we are to safeguard our children and grandchildren’s future, a new way must be forged that removes the petrol states from the process.

Hope may be found at the first International Conference on the Just Transition Away from Fossil Fuels, which will be hosted by Colombia and the Netherlands in April 2026. Boldly abandoning the UN, this gathering might be the moment where a critical mass of countries band together to stick up two fingers to the deadly philosophy of “Drill, baby, drill’ and determine the just and thriving future we know is possible with renewable energy.

The win for our community is that the Jewish voice for the climate has officially landed at the international level. EcoJudaism and the growing global Jewish climate movement will continue to bring practical support and moral clarity to the journey towards a sustainable future.