Environment minister warns of irreversible Amazon destruction

Brazil's Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Marina Silva, advocated for the Amazon Summit to center around the concept of the "point of no return." This critical threshold signifies the irreversible stage of climate change. Silva believes that adopting this reference will provide a broader scope for establishing a common policy on sustainable development during the meeting, which will convene the heads of state from the eight member countries of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO).

The proposal was introduced during the Seminar on Sustainable Development in the Amazon, held at the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday (May 16). This event, which will run until May 18, aims to foster discussions between government officials and civil society, with the goal of harmonizing perspectives for the Brazilian proposal to be presented at the Amazon Summit scheduled to take place on August 8 and 9 in Belém, Pará state.

Marina Silva expressed the importance of the ideas presented during the opening of the seminar, stating, "We truly need these valuable proposals." The minister believes that the upcoming meeting of the heads of state of ACTO will break away from the typical conventions of similar events.

"We typically organize events where presidents gather to present their ideas, suggestions, and proposals. However, it is rare that we effectively follow up on the required actions. We need to break away from this pattern and embrace a logic of implementation, granting a new significance to these occasions," she emphasized.

She highlights that the ACTO member countries are experiencing a "period of great richness" full of opportunities. "We have a president who is warmly welcomed and respected by his counterparts from other nations. His leadership is embraced, and Brazil can play a crucial role in initiating a paradigm shift to address development in one of the most significant and delicate regions of the planet," she added.

Point of no return

"To address the Amazon, we take as a fundamental reference the concept of the point of no return. It is crucial that we do not exceed a 20 percent threshold of destruction in the Amazon, as going beyond this point would lead us to irreversible consequences. While this term was initially coined with a broader scope, encompassing the entire planet, we aim to establish a joint action that borrows from the terms set forth in the Climate Convention," explained the minister, emphasizing the need for a specific approach for the Amazon region.

The minister aims to establish a collective responsibility among Amazon countries under the principle of common responsibilities. Each country shall contribute to preventing the Amazon from reaching an irreversible state. "We must not exceed a 1.5ºC temperature increase and 20 percent destruction of the Amazon, as this would lead to a point of no return. Just as more than 170 countries came together in 1992 during ECO 92 in Rio de Janeiro to prevent a point of no return regarding climate, the eight presidents can now unite to prevent the Amazon forest from reaching a point of no return," she stated.

Hence, the minister stressed that this approach would pave the way for additional targeted agreements. "When we engage in scientific, cultural, and political cooperation, conducting business becomes more feasible. The issue lies in our tendency to focus solely on business without establishing a foundation of relationships that encourages people from neighboring countries to join our universities, and for us to reciprocate by participating in their universities, fostering regional collaboration and shared thinking," she explained.

"Brazil possesses remarkable expertise in forest monitoring, and we have a dedicated fund, the Amazon Fund, capable of financing the extension of this monitoring system beyond our national borders," she further highlighted.

Leading forest country

Marina Silva states that Brazil's objective is to become a leading forest nation that preserves the planet's ecosystem services by successfully transitioning from a high-carbon economy to a low-carbon economy.

"We aim to shift from exporting carbon to exporting products with low-carbon intensity. It is not viable for China, or any other country, to lead the ecological transition of the planet while continuing to import high-carbon agriculture. Therefore, our agriculture must be low-carbon, and our energy production should be clean, focusing on technologies like green hydrogen. This notion serves as a crucial reference point for an Amazon summit in the 21st century," she emphasized.