Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has pledged to steer the Amazon away from decades of violence and environmental destruction towards a “new Amazon dream”, opening a major summit of South American leaders in Belém. The leftist leader promised to restore Brazil’s environmental reputation after what he called four “disastrous” years under his predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro, during which the rainforest and Indigenous communities suffered increased attacks.
Addressing the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (Acto) – which includes Bolivia, Colombia, Peru, Guyana, Venezuela, Ecuador, Suriname and Brazil – Lula outlined a vision combining environmental protection with social inclusion, economic growth and technological innovation. “The rainforest is neither a void that needs occupying nor a treasure trove to be looted. It is a flowerbed of possibilities that must be cultivated,” he said, reiterating a pledge to achieve zero deforestation by 2030.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro proposed the creation of an “Amazonian Nato” to allow regional militaries to jointly defend the jungle, along with a “Marshall Plan” for investment and a specialised court to punish environmental crimes. Peru’s President Dina Boluarte, attending her first foreign trip amid domestic protests, urged immediate action, describing the Amazon as “the heart of the world”.
After two days of talks, the summit issued the Belém Declaration, a 113-point communiqué calling for enhanced police and intelligence cooperation to combat illegal activities, environmental crime and human rights violations. It also committed to establishing a law enforcement centre in Manaus. However, the declaration stopped short of including a collective 2030 zero-deforestation target, disappointing many environmentalists. Marcio Astrini of the Climate Observatory group described the outcome as “a first step” but lacking concrete commitments.
