By Laura Gamba

BOGOTA, Colombia (AA) - The 30th UN climate change conference, or COP30, officially opened Monday in Belem, Brazil on the edge of the Amazon rainforest against the backdrop of a recent climate tragedy and notably low international attendance.

The conference convened following another major climate disaster in southern Brazil. The state of Parana, which Belem is the capital of, was struck Friday by a tornado that destroyed the city of Rio Bonito do Iguacu, killing six people and injuring more than 700. The tragedy compounded the impact of devastating floods that overwhelmed the state of Rio Grande do Sul in May last year.

The timing emphasizes the urgent agenda of the delegates, who are expected to discuss the climate crisis and the rising frequency of extreme weather events.

Despite the critical nature of the talks, the summit has seen a low turnout compared to previous years. Only about 160 countries have confirmed their attendance, one of the lowest figures for a recent COP. For comparison, COP29 in Azerbaijan saw participation from 195 countries.

Prominent leaders from the world's biggest economies including the US, China and India are notably absent from the summit and only three Latin American leaders joined host President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva: Presidents Xiomara Castro (Honduras), Gustavo Petro (Colombia) and Gabriel Boric (Chile).

Still, around 50,000 people, including diplomats and experts, are expected to attend the 11-day meeting.

The conference will focus heavily on the efforts needed to keep the global temperature increase limited to the critical 1.5C target.

Key agenda items include the presentation of new national action plans for emissions reduction and reviewing the progress of finance pledges made at COP29 to support developing nations.

Hosting the event in the Amazon rainforest grants Brazil a symbolic platform, directing global attention to critical regional issues such as deforestation, biodiversity protection and climate justice.