Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva opened what he called a “landmark” summit, on Tuesday (August 8), calling for the leaders of seven other Amazon rainforest countries to reach a broad agreement on a range of issues aimed at saving the Amazon.
The two-day meeting of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO) kicked off in Brazil’s northern city of Belem, at the mouth of the Amazon River. The eight-nation grouping set up in 1995, comprises of South American countries that share the Amazon basin – Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela – gathered for the first in 14 years.
The countries have sought to formulate a regional pact on issues like stopping deforestation by 2030, ending illegal gold mining, and cooperating on cross-border policing of environmental crime.
Leaders from Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Guyana, and Peru and representatives of Ecuador, Suriname and Venezuela, in attendance, are expected to announce the final agreement, known as the Belem Declaration, later on Tuesday.
The summit is seen as a rehearsal for the upcoming 2025 United Nations climate talks, which will also be hosted in Belem.
Amazon rainforest, often regarded as the world’s lungs, is home to 10 per cent of Earth’s biodiversity, 50 million people and hundreds of billions of trees as well as a vital carbon sink to reduce global warming.
‘Never been so urgent’
The summit was also seen in line with Lula’s pledge, on the campaign trail last year to convene the summit in a bid to restore Brazil’s environmental leadership after deforestation in the Amazon soared under his predecessor Jair Bolsanaro.
“This is a landmark meeting. It will mark a turning point in the history of protecting the Amazon,” said the Brazilian president, during his opening remarks. He also went on to emphasise the “severe worsening of the climate crisis.”
“The challenges of our era, and the opportunities arising from them, demand we act in unison,” said Lula. He added, “It has never been so urgent.”
The Brazilian president also said that the countries will “discuss and promote a new vision of sustainable, inclusive development in the region”.
Brazil’s Environment Minister Marina Silva has previously reported that deforestation was down by at least 60 per cent in July, compared to the same month last year in the Brazilian Amazon. This followed another report released last month which stated that deforestation was down 34 per cent in the first six months of the year.
What do we know about the Belem Declaration?
A report by Reuters citing an anonymous Brazilian government source, said that the Belem Declaration will likely include financing mechanisms for sustainable development, provisions for including indigenous leaders in policy making, and shared strategies for tackling deforestation.
Silva told Reuters, last week, that one of the aims of the summit is to set up a scientific body like the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which will share research on the Amazon and help produce policies independent of the governments. It will also monitor the impact of climate change on the Amazon rainforest and ecosystem, she added.
CNN Brasil, citing a leaked draft of the declaration, said that the agreement may protest what the countries see as unfair trade barriers implemented in the name of environmental protection.
Meanwhile, a report by Al Jazeera said that while the first draft contains a “range of good intentions”, no concrete dates have been put forward by the leaders to put their plan into effect.
Scientists have warned the destruction of the Amazon rainforest is pushing it dangerously close to a “tipping point,” beyond which it would die off and release carbon rather than absorb it, which would have catastrophic consequences for the environment.
(With inputs from agencies)
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