France, Nov. 8 -- From rising seas to raging floods, global leaders in Belem are confronting the human cost of climate change - and the chance to chart a fairer future.

Against the backdrop of the Amazon rainforest and a sense of urgency in the air, world leaders and delegates from across the globe have arrived in Belem for the 30th United Nations Climate Conference (Cop30).

The mood is a mix of searing warnings, cautious optimism and a touch of hope that this time, real progress might finally take root.

Before Monday's official opening, representatives from the world's most climate-vulnerable nations took centre stage, sharing vivid accounts of life on the front line of a warming planet. From deadly floods in Kenya to rising seas in t...