The recent two-day summit in Belém, Brazil, involving the eight countries that share the Amazon basin, has fallen short of its goal to combat deforestation, according to climate activists. While a joint declaration was issued to address deforestation, the agreement lacked concrete measures, prompting criticism from climate advocates who assert that the urgency of the climate crisis demands stronger action.
Climate activists raised concerns over the absence of decisive steps to address deforestation, particularly as the planet experiences record-breaking temperature increases. Márcio Astrini of the Climate Observatory group expressed disappointment that the declaration did not explicitly emphasize the need for zero deforestation and zero tolerance for such practices. Approximately 60% of the Amazon rainforest is located in Brazil, with the remaining portion spanning Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela. Preservation of the Amazon is critical for global climate efforts, and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva had initially called for a collective commitment to end deforestation by 2030. While Brazil has already adopted this policy, hopes for a united approach by all eight nations were not realized during the summit. The declaration's perceived lack of forcefulness prompted criticisms from climate advocates who believe that stronger measures are essential to address the climate crisis.
Despite these shortcomings, the summit did achieve some progress in combatting illegal activities in the Amazon. The participating nations agreed to collaborate on air space surveillance and information exchange to counter illegal mining and logging. Haug Larsen of the Rainforest Foundation Norway commended this step as a positive move in the right direction if properly implemented. Brazil's President Lula stressed the urgency of taking action, acknowledging that the challenges of the era demand unified efforts. Deforestation in Brazil has decreased significantly under Lula's presidency compared to the policies of his predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro, but the issue persists. The joint statement, known as the Belém declaration, aims to prevent the Amazon from reaching a point of no return. It also commits to enhanced cooperation on various issues, including water management, health, sustainable development, and unified positions in global climate negotiations. The summit has highlighted differences in approach among the participating nations, such as Colombia's pledge to ban new oil exploration versus Brazil's consideration of exploring new areas near the Amazon river mouth. Despite such disparities, the summit's significance lies in providing a platform for the region's voice in the fight against climate change and as a prelude to the 2025 UN Climate Change conference in Belém. The summit coincided with the European Union's climate change panel confirming that July was the hottest month on record globally. The Amazon's role in carbon absorption underscores its importance in mitigating climate change, making effective measures to counter deforestation imperative to limit temperature rise and emissions.
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