Brazilian President Calls on Developed Countries to Fund Tropical Forest Protection
The Brazilian president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, has urged developed countries to back up their promises with financial support in protecting the world’s remaining tropical forests. Lula made the statement during a major environmental summit in the Amazon city of Belém, where rainforest nations demanded hundreds of billions of dollars in climate financing and a greater say in how those resources are utilized.
Lula emphasized that it is not just Brazil, Colombia, or Venezuela that need financial assistance, but rather nature itself. He argued that industrialized nations have contributed to the pollution of the world’s atmosphere for the past two centuries and now need to take responsibility for restoring what has been damaged.
During the summit, leaders from the Amazon’s eight nations, along with representatives from the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Indonesia, met to discuss the urgent need for forest conservation. Brazil, Indonesia, and the DRC are home to more than half of the world’s remaining primary tropical forests, which play a crucial role in mitigating climate change.
In a joint declaration titled “United For Our Forests,” the governments of these countries reaffirmed their commitment to reducing deforestation and finding ways to balance economic prosperity with environmental protection. They also expressed concern over the failure of developed nations to meet mitigation targets and fulfill their pledge to provide $100 billion per year in climate financing, calling for an increase to $200 billion by 2030.
Lula urged rich countries to invest in not only preserving the forest canopy but also in supporting the people who live beneath it. He emphasized that taking care of these communities is essential for the preservation of the forest itself.
The summit marked Brazil’s efforts to position itself as a political and environmental heavyweight on the global stage. The Amazon countries belonging to the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (Acto) also published a communique vowing to unite against criminal groups and prevent the rainforest region from reaching a catastrophic point of no return.
While activists welcomed this declaration as a significant step in fighting the climate crisis, they expressed frustration over the absence of specific commitments to phasing out fossil fuel exploration in the Amazon and halting deforestation by 2030. Bolivia was cited as the reason for Acto’s failure to agree on a deforestation target.
Deforestation rates in the Bolivian Amazon have been soaring, accounting for about 8.4% of South America’s largest biome. In contrast, Brazil has seen a positive trend, with deforestation falling by 42.5% in the first seven months of Lula’s government, following a period of increased destruction under former President Jair Bolsonaro.
Lula emphasized the severity of the climate crisis and the need to value the forest not only for its ecological significance but also for the dignity it provides to the nearly 50 million people living in the Amazon.
Prior to Lula’s presidency, Brazil signed a cooperation agreement with Indonesia and the Democratic Republic of Congo to collaborate on rainforest conservation at UN climate and biodiversity conferences. These countries, which collectively house half of the world’s tropical rainforests, agreed to work together on carbon markets and finance for conservation.
Many rainforest nations are seeking financial support from industrialized countries to protect their forests, which are crucial for achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement. However, consumer markets, such as the EU, have opted for bans on deforestation-linked commodities instead.
At the UN biodiversity conference Cop15 in December, the DRC objected to the final agreement, demanding more financial assistance from developed nations. Brazil and Indonesia intervened in the negotiations to resolve the issue.
In addition to calling for financial support, Lula pledged to combat criminal enterprises that have taken hold of the Amazon during the previous administration’s dismantling of environmental and Indigenous protections. Federal police announced the destruction of dozens of gold-mining dredges in the remote jungle region where a British journalist and an Indigenous expert were murdered last year.
Lula’s appeal for funding and his commitment to protecting the Amazon highlight the urgent need for global cooperation in preserving the world’s tropical forests and mitigating climate change. As the Amazon rainforest faces increasing threats, it is crucial for developed nations to fulfill their financial obligations and support the communities that depend on these vital ecosystems.
