Standing in the town of Leticia, Colombia, Brazil's president Inacio Lula da Silva sent an important message to the world and the criminal organisations that seek to exploit the remote nature of this Colombia-Brazil-Peru-border town located in the heart of the Amazon rainforest.
Meeting with his Colombian counterpart Gustavo Petro, Lula laid the foundation for a joint declaration at the COP-28 United Nation's climate conference this November. It focused on bolstering preservation, rallying support for next month's Amazon Summit his government is organising in Belem, the Brazilian gateway to the Amazon.
In Colombia, Leticia serves as a pivotal access point to the expansive Amazon rainforest as the capital of Amazonas Department. Like many border towns, it has faced challenges related to organised crime.
The town's strategic location near the borders has made it susceptible to criminal networks involved in drug trafficking, illegal mining, and other illicit operations. This has created an atmosphere of fear and tension among the local population as well as posing threats to the preservation of the Amazon rainforest itself.
The collaboration between Brazil and Colombia, countries which share a 1644 km border, is crucial in addressing the multiple challenges faced by the Amazon, said the leaders as they addressed the escalating threat of organised crime in the region and called for developed countries to follow through on cooperation promises. "We will have to demand together that rich countries fulfill their commitments," said Lula.
In a more poignant manner, Petro led an emotional charge. "We believed that progress was the destruction of trees," he said, putting their shared belief in perspective. "Today that is nothing other than the destruction of life."
It was a stirring display.
The call for collaboration, however, resonated as a powerful imperative, emphasising the necessity of unified efforts to address the multiple challenges in the Amazon and to secure a sustainable future for its people and resources.
The region grapples with formidable obstacles, notably the escalating stranglehold of organised crime, particularly in relatively isolated tri-border areas like Leticia. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has reported that the violence and crimes are intertwined with cocaine production and natural resource exploitation.
Further, the plight of indigenous communities in the Amazon region reveals a deeply-troubling reality— they bear an asymmetric burden of forced displacements, mercury poisoning, and various health-related consequences.
These pressing challenges serve as a stark reminder of the critical need for collaborative efforts among nations that share the Amazon biome, said the presidents.
By joining forces, Lula and Petro say the countries can address the myriad challenges facing the region and work towards sustainable solutions that protect the well-being of indigenous populations and thus safeguard the rich biodiversity of the Amazon rainforest. The presidents' recognition of the significance of joint action reflects an awareness of the interdependence of the Amazon's ecological integrity and the welfare of its inhabitants.
Both leaders emphasised the urgent need to tackle the climate crisis. Petro said trillions of dollars need to be mobilised for climate action. The two proposed transforming the global debt system to prioritise climate initiatives, demonstrating their commitment to finding innovative solutions.
The final document to be presented at the COP-28 conference in Dubai will focus on sustainable development, social inclusion, and the protection of Indigenous peoples' rights, according to a statement by Lula's office.
The Brazilian president has made environmental protection and respect for Indigenous rights central to his agenda starting with his inaugural speech January 1.
In fulfilling his promise, he has been successfully securing international donations for the Amazon Fund, combating illegal mining in Yanomami territory, action for which he mobilised the military to protect the tribe, and committing to end illegal deforestation by 2030.
According to an article by the Associated Press, deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon already fell by 33.6% during the first six months of his term, compared to the same period in 2022.
On indigenous rights, in contrast to the situation under his predecessor, the far-right Jair Bolsonaro, who presided over a surge in deforestation and weakened environmental regulations, Lula restarted the demarcation of Indigenous areas, though he has faced significant challenges from parliament which approved a new law many believe amounts to an existential threat for indigenous communities.
Petro has also been vocal about halting deforestation in the Amazon. The Colombian president proposed a multilateral 20-year financing fund to incentivise conservation and regenerative practices among farming communities. The goal is to compensate them for their contribution to forest preservation.
As a direct result of this meeting, the Amazon Summit in August —which will count with the participation of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela— will focus on measures for sustainable development, the protection of the Amazon biome as well as the promotion of social inclusion, science, technology, and innovation.
Under the leadership of Brazil and with Colombia's support, the Amazon Treaty Organization is setting its focus on addressing the complex challenges faced by the Amazon rainforest and securing a sustainable future for this vital ecosystem.
