The nations of the Amazon are seeking a common voice on climate change

The heads of state of South America that participate in Amazon They have issued a challenge to developed countries to do more to stop the massive destruction of the world’s largest tropical forest, a challenge they contend cannot be left to just a few when the crisis was the responsibility of many.

in a Brazilian city Belémand members Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (OTCA) They also tried to chart a common path on how to fight Climate changehoping that a united front would give them a greater voice in global negotiations.

The calls from heads of state like Brazil, Colombia and Bolivia come at a time when their governments are seeking a much-needed boost. Economic growth in their regions while preventing the current deterioration of the Amazon from reaching a point of no return, according to a joint statement issued at the end of the course. Some scientists claim that once 20-25% of the rainforest is destroyed, precipitation will drop dramatically, turning more than half of the rainforest into a tropical savanna, with massive loss of biodiversity.

The President of Brazil said, “The tropical forest unites us. It is time to see the heart of our continent and unite our Amazonian identity once and for all.” Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. “In an international system that we did not build, we have historically been relegated to a dependent place as suppliers of raw materials. A simple environmental transformation will allow us to change this.”

The two-day summit, which concludes on Wednesday, reinforces Lula’s strategy to capitalize on global interest in preserving the Amazon rainforest. Encouraged by the 42% decrease in deforestation during the first seven months of his term, Lula attempted to obtain international financial support to protect forest areas.

The Amazon covers an area twice the size of India. Two-thirds of it is found in Brazil, while seven other countries and one territory share the remaining third. Historically, governments have viewed it as an area of ​​colonization and exploitation, with little regard for the sustainability or rights of its indigenous peoples.

All countries present at the summit have ratified the Paris Climate Agreement, which requires signatories to set targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. But cross-border cooperation has historically been low, undercut by mistrust, ideological differences, and an absence of government presence.

Barring general consensus on the need for shared global responsibility, members of the ACTO — which is meeting for only the fourth time in the organization’s history — showed on Tuesday that they’re not quite on the same page on other core aspects. The 45-year-old organization had not met in 14 years, until this week.

Past commitments to forest protection have been uneven, and appear to have remained so throughout the summit. And the “Declaration of Belém,” the meeting’s official declaration made on Tuesday, did not include joint commitments to completely end deforestation by 2030, unlike what had already been endorsed by Brazil and Colombia. Lula said he hopes the document will be a joint call for action at the COP 28 climate conference next November.

Oil was one of the main issues dividing members on Tuesday. In particular, the left-wing Colombian president Gustavo PetroHe called for an end to oil exploration in the Amazon region, referring to the contradictory position of Brazil and other oil-producing countries in the region. He further said that governments must forge a path to a decarbonized prosperity.