Belem, Brazil - Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva inaugurated a momentous summit on Tuesday (August 8), urging leaders from eight Amazon rainforest countries to achieve a comprehensive consensus on diverse matters aimed at safeguarding the Amazon.
The Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO) commenced its two-day gathering in Belem, Brazil's northern city situated at the Amazon River's mouth. Comprising Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela, this alliance of eight South American nations that share the Amazon basin reconvened after 14 years.
Their objectives encompass crafting a regional accord to cease deforestation by 2030, eliminating illicit gold mining, and fostering cooperation in transnational enforcement of environmental laws.
Leaders from Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Guyana, and Peru, alongside representatives from Ecuador, Suriname, and Venezuela, present at the summit, are poised to unveil the Belem Declaration later on Tuesday, culminating the discussions.
This summit serves as a rehearsal for the forthcoming 2025 United Nations climate discussions, which will also take place in Belem.
Renowned as the "world's lungs," the Amazon rainforest hosts 10% of Earth's biodiversity, sustains 50 million people, billions of trees, and functions as a vital carbon sink to counteract global warming.
Lula's call for the summit aligns with his commitment on the campaign trail to restore Brazil's environmental leadership, following escalated deforestation during his predecessor Jair Bolsanaro's term.
President Lula described the summit as a pivotal event, asserting, "This is a landmark meeting. It will mark a turning point in the history of protecting the Amazon." He underlined the "severe worsening of the climate crisis" and emphasized the urgent need for unified action.
"The challenges of our era, and the opportunities arising from them, demand we act in unison," Lula asserted, highlighting the pressing nature of the situation.
Additionally, Lula emphasized that the countries will deliberate on and promote a novel vision of sustainable and inclusive development within the region.
Marina Silva, Brazil's Environment Minister, previously reported a decrease of at least 60% in deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon for July compared to the same month the previous year. This followed a separate report indicating a 34% decline in deforestation during the first half of the year.
The forthcoming Belem Declaration is anticipated to include mechanisms for sustainable development financing, provisions to incorporate indigenous leaders in policymaking, and collective strategies for combating deforestation, according to an anonymous Brazilian government source cited by Reuters. Silva indicated that the summit's aims encompass establishing a scientific body akin to the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, sharing Amazon research, and producing independent policies. This body will also monitor climate change's impact on the rainforest and ecosystem.
Leaked information from a draft of the declaration, suggests that the agreement might protest against trade barriers allegedly erected in the name of environmental protection.
Meanwhile, a reliable report highlights that, while the initial draft is filled with well-intentioned goals, concrete timelines have yet to be presented by the leaders for implementing their plans.
Scientists have cautioned that the Amazon rainforest's destruction is perilously approaching a "tipping point," beyond which it would degrade and release carbon, rather than absorbing it, leading to catastrophic environmental consequences.