Facts for Prelims (FFP)
Source: DTE
Context: Leaders from eight Amazonian countries, including Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela, were unable to reach an agreement on the protection of the Amazon rainforest during the Amazon Summit organized by the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO).
- The goal proposed by Colombia to protect 80% of the Amazon from deforestation and degradation by 2025 did not garner unanimous support.
The leaders focused on initiating a dialogue about the sustainability of mining and fossil fuel-related activities but failed to commit to stopping oil drilling in the region.
This lack of consensus has implications for global biodiversity goals, including those set under the Convention on Biological Diversity’s Global Biodiversity Framework in 2022, where countries agreed to protect 30% of land and sea by 2030.
About Belem Declaration:
The Belem Declaration is a statement released during the Amazon Summit, involving leaders from Amazon countries.
- It emphasizes the importance of Indigenous knowledge for biodiversity conservation and calls for Indigenous Peoples’ participation in decision-making.
- The declaration promotes sustainable forest use and diverse economic solutions, addressing concerns about deforestation and degradation in the Amazon region.
- It also underlines the need to protect land rights to prevent deforestation and preserve biodiversity within Indigenous territories.
