March 25, 2024
RIO DE JANEIRO (Mar. 25, 2024) – The Vice President of Conservation International-Brazil, Mauricio Bianco, issued the following statement today ahead of French President Emmanuel Macron's visit with his Brazilian counterpart, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (Lula) this week in Brazil.
"The visit of President Macron to Brazil, including Belém do Pará, the Amazonian city that will host the UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP 30) in 2025, is an important opportunity to accelerate global efforts to safeguard the Amazon. This meeting shows that President Lula and President Macron understand what’s at stake. They have shown support for the Amazon, along with the Indigenous peoples and local communities who sustain it. Their leadership can help secure the future of the planet.
"To do so, we need a mass mobilization of public and private funding for nature to prevent deforestation, strengthen management of conservation areas, and accelerate restoration efforts. Specifically, this meeting should discuss ways to incentivize activities that sustain the Amazon rather than deplete it; direct impending investment toward nature-based climate solutions; and offer clear plans to provide technical assistance for local stakeholders. We can no longer fall back on far-off 'commitments' or 'agreements' — only concrete plans with immediate directives will suffice.
"We’ve seen the results these kinds of collaborative partnerships can produce: The Amazonia Verde program, for example, launched by Conservation International and the French government in partnership with Indigenous communities from seven Amazon countries, is working to conserve up to 73 million hectares by 2025. And Brazil, led by President Lula, forged an alliance last year among the eight Amazonian nations to curb deforestation together. At a time when strong, decisive environmental leadership has never been more critical, President Lula and President Macron are showing the world, that with will and leadership, saving the Amazon is possible.
"With just 18 months until COP30 in Brazil, amid the planet’s decisive decade, bilateral meetings like these can help shape the trajectory of our region and planet. The science is clear — and urgent: We are nearing tipping points in the Amazon, but it is not too late. We are confident Presidents Lula and Macron feel the urgency to act boldly. We hope further collaboration will inspire a global groundswell of support, so that generations to come, all over the world, can continue to benefit from the Amazon’s bounties."
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About Conservation International: Conservation International protects nature for the benefit of humanity. Through fieldwork, science, policy and finance, we spotlight and secure the most important places in nature for the climate, for biodiversity and for people. With offices in 30 countries and projects in more than 100 countries, Conservation International partners with governments, companies, civil society, Indigenous peoples and local communities to help societies and nature thrive alongside each other. Follow Conservation International's work on Conservation News, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.