Eight Amazon rainforest countries convene for their first summit in 14 years

 

The Environment and Climate Change Minister of Brazil stated that their objective is to discuss measures for preventing the Amazon from reaching a tipping point where it would begin releasing carbon dioxide uncontrollably.

In a rare occurrence spanning 14 years, the presidents of South American nations encompassing the Amazon rainforest have gathered to collectively outline a path for safeguarding this bioregion and tackling organized crime. Taking place over Tuesday and Wednesday in the Brazilian city of Belem, this summit marks a meeting of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization, a 45-year-old alliance that has convened merely three times before, albeit with limited authority.

The Amazon sprawls across an expanse twice the size of India, with approximately two-thirds of it situated within Brazil's borders. The remaining third is shared among seven other countries and one territory — Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, Bolivia, Guyana, Suriname, Ecuador, and French Guiana. Presidents from all participating nations, excluding Ecuador, Suriname, and Venezuela, are present at the event.

The extensive degradation of the Amazon forest is a substantial climate catastrophe, and each country represented at the summit has ratified the Paris climate accord, obliging them to establish targets for curtailing greenhouse gas emissions. However, their collective policy alignment largely concludes at this point.

Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has expressed his hope that the Belem summit will reinvigorate the long-dormant organization.

"I have high hopes that, for the first time, we will establish a unified policy for action in the Amazon," Lula stated during an interaction with foreign correspondents in the capital, Brasilia, on August 2.

This marks Lula's second endeavor to establish an Amazon bloc. He initially attempted this during the last Amazon summit in 2009, during his first presidency. However, only one other regional president, Bharrat Jagdeo of Guyana, joined him. Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy also attended. Back then, as it is now, the objective was to present a cohesive Amazon perspective during the annual climate discussions known as the COP meetings in Copenhagen. However, this attempt failed.

"The context is completely different now," emphasized Brazil's Environment and Climate Change Minister, Marina Silva, in a conversation with The Associated Press. She added, "President Lula is resolute that this summit won't be just another event with announcements that have no substantive impact."

Silva noted that the summit's scope goes beyond climate talks and encompasses addressing strategies to prevent the Amazon from reaching a tipping point, where the forest's degradation leads to uncontrolled carbon dioxide emissions. Some experts believe this threshold will be crossed when 20% to 25% of the forest is destroyed. This would trigger a reduction in rainfall, transforming more than half of the Amazon into tropical savannah, with a severe loss of biodiversity.

The commitments to forest protection have been inconsistent thus far. While Brazil and Colombia have pledged to halt deforestation entirely by 2030, other countries are showing reluctance to follow suit.

Noteworthy objectives include:

Brazil: Lula has announced plans to establish 14 new Indigenous territories, of which six have already been created. He also intends to restore Brazil's official climate commitment to achieve a 37% reduction in emissions by 2025 compared to 2005 levels. This target had been weakened during his predecessor's tenure. However, it remains a promise without formalization.

Colombia: Under President Gustavo Petro's administration, a 30-year strategy has been laid out to attain carbon neutrality by 2050, alongside a reduction of 51% in greenhouse gas emissions.

Ecuador: President Guillermo Lasso has announced his commitment to guiding his nation toward an ecological transition aiming for zero carbon emissions by 2050. By the year 2025, Ecuador is targeting a reduction in deforestation to prevent the release of 15 million metric tons (16.5 million tons) of emissions. Additionally, the country envisions the establishment of a bio-corridor that would facilitate the movement of animals over extended distances, a plan previously mentioned by Foreign Minister Gustavo Manrique earlier this year.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro has been positioning himself as a leader in global climate initiatives and the protection of the Amazon. During a recent meeting in the Colombian town of Leticia, the environment ministers representing the eight nations agreed to collaboratively develop a strategy to prevent the Amazon from reaching a "point of no return." Petro has also emphasized the necessity of transitioning away from hydrocarbons, a significant contributor to climate change, despite oil serving as a major export for his country.

Peru's ambitions extend beyond a mere declaration intended to slow the Amazon's deterioration; they seek agreements to combat illicit activities such as drug trafficking.

To tackle the mutual threat posed by organized crime, President Lula has announced Brazil's intent to establish an international police cooperation center in Manaus, the largest city in the Amazon. This move underscores the recognition that isolated raids and crackdowns have proven ineffective.

"There's a gradual realization... of the significance of addressing crime in the Amazon," explained Rob Muggah, co-founder of the security-oriented think tank Igarape Institute. However, he emphasized that the efforts have not yet achieved a substantial level of seriousness and are akin to applying band-aids to a larger issue.

Historically, cross-border collaboration in the Amazon has been limited due to factors like low mutual trust, ideological disparities, and the absence of government presence. Nonetheless, the growing awareness of environmental concerns and the Amazon's pivotal role in mitigating climate change have invigorated the push for a transformative shift.

Positive indicators are already present. In 2018, Latin American nations endorsed the Escazu Agreement, which upheld the public's right to access environmental information and participate in decision-making while safeguarding environmentalists. However, several countries, including Brazil, have yet to ratify it. The subsequent year saw the signing of the Leticia Pact, aimed at enhancing the coordination of environmental protection.

Lula's aspiration is for a "Belem Declaration," which has already been drafted, to evolve into a collective rallying call for these nations as they progress towards the global climate conference scheduled for November in Dubai.

This summit aligns with Lula's broader strategy of capitalizing on global concern for the Amazon's preservation. Buoyed by a 42% reduction in deforestation during his initial seven months in office, he has sought international financial backing for forest conservation. Leaders from Norway and Germany, major contributors to Brazil's Amazon Fund for sustainable development, were invited to the summit, alongside counterparts from other critical rainforest regions such as Indonesia, Republic of Congo, and Democratic Republic of Congo.

Beyond the official summit, approximately 20,000 Indigenous individuals and representatives from various Amazon countries have organized 400 parallel events. In extensive sessions, they've presented their demands to ministers primarily from Brazil, but also from countries like Colombia and Peru. A summary of these discussions will be presented to the gathered presidents, including a proposal to prohibit new oil production in the region.

"I had never witnessed a meeting of this magnitude to discuss preparations for a COP," remarked Manoel Cunha, a leader among rubber-tappers. He noted that even at major events, ministerial presence is usually sparse. He emphasized the uniqueness of this assembly, featuring Indigenous peoples, family farmers, riverine communities, fishermen, Afro-Brazilians, along with a substantial presence of national and international authorities.

Before the summit, Gisela Padovan, Brazil's foreign secretary for Latin America and the Caribbean, highlighted that the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization employs a mere 17 individuals. The presidents gathered in Belem have expressed intentions to bolster this organization. She affirmed a commitment to coordinate future actions through this group.

When asked about his optimism regarding concrete decisions and actions emanating from the summit, renowned Indigenous leader Raoni Metuktire conveyed his intention to engage with the presidents, emphasizing that they effectively have no alternative.

"They must halt this deforestation. I will convey that if the presidents fail to take action, severe environmental problems will ensue," he stated through an interpreter, speaking in his native Kayapo language at an Indigenous encampment. "Natural disasters will affect all of us as human beings."