Between July and October 2025, EcoCitizen delivered ‘Ruta a Belém: Preparing for COP30’, a capacity-building programme in climate diplomacy developed in Guatemala together with the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MARN) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MINEX). Across 30 specialised sessions and almost 72 hours of technical training, both in person and online, the programme supported around 120 key actors from the National Climate Change Council, MARN, the National Forest Institute (INAB), the diplomatic corps, civil society and the private sector.
The programme combined theoretical sessions with a strong practical component: negotiation simulations (role-play) and case studies tailored to national priorities. Content spanned the history and context of the UNFCCC, negotiation techniques, climate transparency and Biennial Transparency Reports (BTRs), mitigation and adaptation, the biodiversity–climate nexus, the gender perspective, climate finance and the opportunities offered by the bioeconomy.
The support did not end with the preparatory phase. EcoCitizen deployed an expert to Belém to provide technical support to Guatemala’s delegation during COP30, ensuring substantive backing throughout the conference. Carrying that support from the preparatory training all the way to the negotiating table reflects how EcoCitizen works: contributing meaningfully to capacity-building to the point where it translates into effective participation.
Results that bear out the approach
Feedback from participants confirms the programme’s reach. Around 80% of those surveyed said the training changed their perspective and understanding of the UNFCCC, the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement. Nine in ten reported reaching a good or excellent level of preparation to take part in negotiations such as COP30, and around 60% felt that what they had learned would make a significant contribution to their projects, policies and negotiations. The programme also helped close gaps around climate finance, an issue participants identified as decisive in putting their projects into practice.
Overall ratings were high: almost all of those surveyed would recommend the programme, and three in four would do so without reservation.
A regional lens: Mesoamerica
Beyond individual learning, our ‘Ruta a Belém’ programme sought to contribute to a dialogue on a more coordinated and better-informed regional presence in multilateral arenas. 84% of those surveyed felt the programme had prepared them well or very well to foster this kind of regional collaboration.
A practical, context-driven approach
According to the final survey, participants particularly valued the quality and experience of those leading the sessions, as well as the fact that the content was designed with the region’s realities in mind. The negotiation simulations and case studies were identified as the programme’s distinguishing feature. Looking ahead to future editions, participants expressed interest in more practical exercises, greater interactivity, in-person sessions and groups streamed by level of prior experience.
Next steps
Building on these results and the feedback received, future editions of the programme could expand the practical simulations, strengthen peer-to-peer learning and deepen collaboration among Mesoamerican actors preparing to take part in international climate negotiations. For EcoCitizen, ‘Ruta a Belém’ confirms a model of support that connects applied knowledge with environmental diplomacy and regional action.
EcoCitizen with the wider Guatemala’s delegation during COP30 in Belém, Brazil; EcoCitizen in Guatemala delivering conferences and training sessions at universities and ministries.
EcoCitizen is a social-ecological impact enterprise, fully not-for-profit research institute, accredited by the Government of Luxembourg, that works with governments, multilateral institutions, civil-society organisations and the private sector on scientific advice, multilateral processes and applied research on climate and nature. Its team brings extensive experience in the UNFCCC and Paris Agreement processes and in multilateral climate and environment negotiation, allowing it to build bridges between Mesoamerica and Europe: connecting actors across the region with knowledge networks, institutional partners and financing instruments, so that technical preparation translates into viable environmental projects.
To find out how our team can support your next process, write to us at moien@ecocitizen.lu
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