WBA at COP30 in Brazil
The World Biogas Association (WBA) will travel to COP30 in Belém, Brazil, this November, bearing the torch for the global biogas community at the UN climate negotiations.
The WBA delegation – Charlotte Morton OBE, Chief Executive, and Giulia Ceccarelli, Head of External Affairs – will take part in events across Brazil, from Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo to Belém, advocating for the vital role of biogas in methane reduction, circular economy, the energy transition and climate action.
A Pivotal COP for Biogas
COP30 in Brazil promises to be a landmark moment for the biogas sector. The Brazilian COP Presidency, Japan, India and Italy have recently launched Belém 4x Pledge on Sustainable Fuels, a global pledge to increase the use of sustainable fuels – including renewable gases – fourfold (4X) by 2035 from a 2024 baseline. This commitment sets fertile ground for WBA’s message: that biogas is a proven, ready-to-scale solution for cutting methane and decarbonising economies.
If you are planning to attend COP30 or related events in Brazil, please get in touch to arrange a meeting with the WBA delegation contact Giulia Ceccarelli.
WBA COP30 Activities
Pre-COP30 events in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo
Attending: Charlotte Morton OBE, Chief Executive, WBA
Organised by: COP30 Local Leaders Forum, co-hosted by the COP30 Presidency, C40 Cities, and Bloomberg Philanthropies
Held every three years, the C40 World Mayors Summit gathers mayors, climate leaders, businesses, youth representatives, and academics to mark 20 years of decisive city leadership in tackling the climate crisis.
This year’s event, held just days before COP30, will focus on strengthening the role of cities, states, and regions in driving global climate progress. Charlotte Morton will represent the biogas sector, highlighting the potential of organic waste solutions and methane reduction in urban decarbonisation.
Attending: Charlotte Morton OBE, Chief Executive, WBA
Organised by: Centre of Excellence on Circular Economy and Climate Change for Latin America and the Caribbean (CECC_LAC), Instituto PNRS, and partners
Charlotte will deliver a keynote address on WBA’s #MakingBiogasHappen programme, sharing insights into how circular economy solutions can deliver urban decarbonisation and rapid methane mitigation.
The 3D Future Forum provides a high-level platform for local authorities, governments, private companies, NGOs, and financial institutions to identify opportunities for accelerating circular economy transitions in cities.
Venue: AYA Hub, Rosewood São Paulo Hotel, São Paulo
Time: 10:00–12:30
Organised by: Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM), COP30 Presidency, Sustainable Business COP30
This high-level roundtable will focus on the Future Fuels Action Plan under the CEM Sustainable Fuels and Chemicals Initiative, following the launch of the Belém 4x Pledge on Sustainable Fuels at the Climate Leaders’ Summit in Brasília.
The event aims to convene a multi-stakeholder coalition for implementing COP30 outcomes on sustainable fuels. The WBA delegation will contribute perspectives on the role of biogas and biomethane in delivering the Pledge and the clean energy transition.
Time: 14:00–16:00
Organised by: UNICA – Brazilian Sugarcane & Bioenergy Association, the Clean Energy Marine Hubs (CEM-Hubs), SB COP, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brazil, and the Ministry of Mines and Energy of Brazil
Attending: Charlotte Morton OBE and Giulia Ceccarelli (WBA)
This session will examine how sustainable biofuels – including sugarcane-derived ethanol and renewable gases – can decarbonise maritime transport.
Charlotte Morton and Giulia Ceccarelli will underline the role of bio-LNG in advancing low-carbon shipping.
The event will convene industry leaders, policymakers, and energy experts to explore policy and investment pathways for sustainable maritime fuels.
COP30 in Belém, 11–15 November 2025
Venue: Super Pollutant Solutions Pavilion, Blue Zone
Time: 11:00–12:00
Co-hosted by: World Biogas Association and Zero Waste Europe
Speakers: Moderator – Henrique Bezerra, Global Methane Hub; Janek Vahk, Zero Waste Europe; Charlotte Morton
OBE, World Biogas Association; Ian McKee, Carrot
This session will demonstrate how biogas and bio-waste management can deliver immediate methane reductions while advancing circular economy goals. It will feature insights from Europe, India, and Brazil, highlighting the role of cross-sector collaboration in achieving the Global Methane Pledge.
Venue: World Green Economy Organization (WGEO) Pavilion, Blue Zone
Time: 16:00–16:45
Organised by: World Biogas Association
Speakers: Moderator – Rana Adib, REN21; Charlotte Morton OBE, World Biogas Association; Hugo Salamanca, UNIDO
This event will explore how biogas and biomethane are driving the net zero transition through renewable energy integration, waste valorisation, and rural economic development.
Venue: Side Event Room 5, Blue Zone
Time: 13:15–14:45
Organised by: Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), WBA, ISWA, CEMDA, and CEWEP e.V.
Chaired by the CCAC, this official COP30 side event will focus on scalable waste-sector solutions to meet the Global Methane Pledge.
Charlotte Morton will present WBA’s #MakingBiogasHappen programme, showcasing examples from India and Brazil that demonstrate how biogas delivers measurable, science-based climate benefits.
Time: 15:30–16:30
Venue: GCA Room, Special Room Madeira, Blue Zone, COP30 Global Climate Action Agenda
Organised by: Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), Global Methane Hub, World Biogas Association (WBA), and Cooling Coalition
Attending: Charlotte Morton OBE and Giulia Ceccarelli
This high-level showcase will highlight how cutting super pollutants – methane, black carbon, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), and tropospheric ozone – offers the fastest and most cost-effective route to slowing global warming. Rapid action on these pollutants could reduce global temperature rise by up to 0.6 °C by 2050, delivering immediate benefits for air quality, public health, food security, and economic resilience.
The session will present real-world progress on integrating super-pollutant mitigation into national strategies, nationally determined contributions (NDCs), and sectoral investments. Charlotte Morton will outline how WBA’s #MakingBiogasHappen programme is advancing the Global Biogas Regulatory Framework (GBRF) and the Anaerobic Digestion Certification Scheme International (ADCS International), with implementation already under way in India and Brazil.
Speakers include:
- Marcelo Mena, Chief Executive Officer, Global Methane Hub
- Charlotte Morton OBE, Chief Executive, World Biogas Association
- Eamon Ryan, High-Level Advocate, Climate and Clean Air Coalition, and former Irish Environment Minister
This session forms part of COP30’s Showcase of Highlighted Results and Solutions series, designed to demonstrate how countries and coalitions are moving from ambition to delivery on super-pollutant reduction.
Venue: Green Zone and Blue Zone, Belém
WBA will contribute to discussions at the Global Biofuels Alliance (GBA) Pavilion in the Green Zone and Asia Climate Solutions Pavilion in the Blue Zone, reinforcing the message that biogas is a cornerstone of a circular, sustainable, and net-zero global economy.