The Amazon rainforest, a treasure trove of biodiversity and a vital component of our planet's climate, is hurtling towards a critical juncture. The upcoming COP30 in Brazil offers a crucial opportunity to address this crisis.
Hosted in Belém, Brazil, the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30) on climate change from November 10 to 21 is a symbolic choice. It highlights the Amazon's pivotal role in safeguarding global biodiversity and the planet's climate. The Amazon, spanning across nine countries, including Brazil, Peru, and Colombia, covers an immense 6.9 million square kilometers and is home to over 34 million people. These people depend on its natural resources and the world’s most powerful river for their livelihoods.
But here's where it gets controversial: the Amazon is nearing a "point of no return." Beyond this point, the effects of deforestation and global warming will become irreversible. As Pope Francis expressed in his apostolic exhortation, he dreams of "an Amazon region that jealously preserves the irresistible natural beauty that adorns it, the teeming life that fills its rivers and forests.”
Jhan-Carlo Espinoza, a researcher from France’s Institute of Research for Development (IRD) and a member of the Science Panel for the Amazon, explains that the southern Amazon Basin is already feeling the impact. Severe and prolonged droughts are becoming more frequent, and the landscape is starting to resemble the Brazilian Cerrado savanna. Record droughts were recorded in 2023 and 2024, with extreme floods affecting the northern parts of the basin.
While pinpointing the exact date of this "point of no return" is difficult, scientists have identified critical thresholds. For deforestation, the tipping point is estimated at 40%. But, alarmingly, between 17% and 20% of the Amazon forest has already been cleared, equivalent to the combined area of France and Germany. Another 17% has been degraded by human activity. Furthermore, the past two decades have been the hottest on record since the previous century.
And this is the part most people miss: Massive deforestation drastically reduces the Amazon's carbon-absorption capacity, often called the "green lung of the Earth." It also causes devastating impacts on the region’s water cycle. The Amazon rainforest maintains humidity within its own ecosystem and affects regions far beyond, including the tropical Andes and areas even farther away. Ongoing deforestation in Brazil directly impacts water availability in neighboring countries like Bolivia and Peru, threatening their food security.
Espinoza, a member of the Science Panel for the Amazon, which comprises nearly 300 researchers, suggests that the first key action is adopting national policies aimed at achieving zero deforestation. However, it's important to remember that Amazonian deforestation is driven by global market forces, particularly the soy and gold industries. Therefore, the responsibility doesn't solely lie with Amazon countries.
Scientists are also calling for an end to dam construction and other infrastructure projects that disrupt the connectivity between Amazonian forests, rivers, and the Andes. Espinoza emphasizes the need to protect Indigenous territories and their inhabitants, whose stewardship is crucial for “maintaining the climatic balance between the forest and the atmosphere.”
This echoes the demands of Indigenous organizations from across the Amazon Basin, who are demanding direct access to climate financing – a central issue for the upcoming COP30.
What are your thoughts on the future of the Amazon? Do you believe that international cooperation can effectively address the challenges it faces? Share your opinions in the comments below!
