Human Rights and Climate Action: The Sumaúma Pledging Tree

On 12 November 2025, during COP30 in Belém, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the Brazilian Ministry of Human Rights and Citizenship will launch the Sumaúma Pledging Tree for Human Rights-Based Climate Action — a new global call for concrete commitments to protect human rights in the context of the climate crisis.

The event follows the high-level session “The Time Is Now: Human Rights and the State Obligations in Climate Action”and will be opened by the COP30 Special Envoy for Human Rights and Just Transition, together with the UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights and Brazil’s Minister of Human Rights, Macaé Evaristo. It marks the beginning of a one-year pledging process leading up to COP31, inviting States, UN entities, civil society, and youth to commit to real, measurable actions that protect people and the planet.

The Sumaúma Tree, revered by Indigenous Peoples of the Amazon as the tree of life, symbolizes the future we must protect — a living reminder that human rights and climate justice are inseparable.

Benjamin Van Bunderen Robberechts, founder of Climate Justice for Rosa, has been invited to speak at this landmark event. In his address, he will deliver a message from the world’s youth, calling for human rights to guide all climate action, for those responsible for the crisis to be held accountable, and for the courage to repair what has been broken.

Benjamin joins a cross-regional group of States and rights-holder representatives, speaking alongside ministers, UN leaders, and other global voices to support this call for pledges and ensure that the fight for climate justice remains rooted in human dignity.