Climate Summit: Lula promises to expand protection of marine areas
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said this Thursday (Nov. 6) that the Brazilian government will expand the coverage of protected marine areas in the country, with a focus on the so-called Blue Amazon. The statement was made during the opening of the first thematic session of the Climate Summit in Belém, titled “Forests and Oceans.” The event brings together heads of state and government representatives in a program that precedes the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30), which begins on Monday (10).
“Brazil will protect the Blue Amazon through marine planning and the conservation of mangroves and corals. We will expand the coverage of our protected marine areas from 26 percent to 30 percent, fulfilling the goal of the Global Biodiversity Framework. Before exploring mineral resources, we will conduct studies to assess environmental impacts and establish conservation units,” said the president.
The region known as the Blue Amazon includes the sea surface, the waters above the seabed, as well as the seabed and subsoil within the Atlantic extension that stretches from the coast to the outer limit of the Brazilian Continental Shelf.
Lula also stated that the climate crisis has reached points of no return, citing the widespread mortality of warm-water coral reefs as an example. He emphasized that ocean warming can alter the Amazon’s rainfall patterns and warned of the risk of savannization, which could have serious impacts on the global climate and agriculture.
He emphasized that only multilateralism can address the current scenario, stating that “no country can face the climate crisis alone” and that “it is time to join forces again and unleash synergy” among environmental agreements.
The president recalled historical achievements, such as the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the Montreal Protocol, and stated that Brazil will ratify the High Seas Treaty by the end of the year, which is set to come into effect in 2026.
Lula stated that in 2024, “tropical forests disappeared faster than ever before” and that the world lost an area equivalent to Panama. He argued that only global cooperation can contain fires, deforestation, and ocean pollution. The president reaffirmed the goal of achieving zero deforestation by 2030.
“This is one of our government’s main commitments,” Lula said.
According to him, the country has already reduced Amazon deforestation by more than 50 percent and recorded the lowest rate in the recent series. Brazil’s goal is to restore 40 million hectares of degraded pastureland over the next ten years. Lula stated that no tropical forest can generate climate solutions if it does not also generate solutions for the people who live in it.
“This is the COP of truth, for a pact to protect the life of forests, oceans, and humanity. It is time to turn ambition into action and to rediscover the balance between growth and sustainability,” the president added.
