<figure class="image image_resized image-style-side" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/Revista_Sicence_Capa_Reproducao_a652ffba49.jpg" alt="Revista Sicence_Capa _ Reprodução.jpg" srcset="https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnail_Revista_Sicence_Capa_Reproducao_a652ffba49.jpg 122w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/small_Revista_Sicence_Capa_Reproducao_a652ffba49.jpg 393w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/medium_Revista_Sicence_Capa_Reproducao_a652ffba49.jpg 589w,https://amazon-vx.s3.amazonaws.com/large_Revista_Sicence_Capa_Reproducao_a652ffba49.jpg 786w," sizes="100vw"><figcaption>Photo: cover reproduction</figcaption></figure>The scenery, a turning point. The bright green forest sat in one quadrant at the top. The three others are bare, deforested land. This image of great visual impact was the cover of the prestigious <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abp8622">Science magazine</a> last week, which featured two articles on the Amazon region. The focus of one of them was precisely on that one lonely piece of green area.Once deforested, the forest is no longer a forest. When degraded, on the contrary, that forest in the image, remains alive but its condition is afected. Impacts may ensue from changes in the carbon stocking, in species, in local humidity, or even in the relationship between people and the forest among others. However, the main factors are fire, logging, fragmentation of frontier forests and even the extreme droughts that have intensified due to climate change.Not recently, have we been calling attention to the degradation of the Amazon forests and so have scientists who got here before us. But this has always been a cryptic, subtle and more complex problem to monitor when compared to deforestation. The conditions for investigating degradation have improved with the advances achieved in remote sensing tools and with the creation of land use monitoring platforms.The article at Science Magazine, for instance, was a product of an extensive process of analysis of remote sensing, synthesis of data collected from the ground and discussions among the group of scientists who have worked in the region for decades. These discussions evolved from an event in Manaus to which we were invited and where current knowledge was summarized on the various factors promoting forest degradation, its impacts, expectations for the coming decades and the necessary interventions to solve the problem.The forest area which has undergone some disturbances whether it is fire, fragmentation or logging (364,748km²) corresponds to more than the deforested area (112%). If we add extreme droughts to that scenery, about 38% of the Amazon has already been affected by some form of degradation. The problem is not restricted to the directly affected area, instead, the impacts, all together, reach a large circumscription. Carbon and biodiversity losses resulting from degradation are comparable to losses from deforestation. The alteration in the dynamics of the degraded forests promotes a reduction of up to one third in the evapotranspiration of the forests, which represents a significant impact on the production of rain.The degradation of forests impacts whoever is close and also far away. Not only does it bring material losses, affecting subsistence as in the case of sources of food and other forest resources, but it also affects the loss of life quality for local and traditional communities. Violence, malnutrition, health and education impacts increase with the degradation of ecosystems. People's well-being may also be compromised by the perception of risk and loss of connection with the place where they live. This is what we are witnessing in light of recent revelations about the situation of the Yanomami peoples.Degradation is not simply a way leading to deforestation. About 86% of degraded Amazonian forests continued to exist in recent decades, according to another study. Therefore, it can and should be treated with specific combat policies. We are at the turning point described by Science and we need to find solutions before it is too late. &nbsp;

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PhD in Ecology, researcher at Embrapa Amazônia Oriental, co-founder of Sustainable Amazon Network, graduate professor at the Federal University of Pará and member of Scientific Panel for the Amazon

Monitoring deforestation is not enough

At this beginning of 2023, we are witnessing important changes towards greater protection of Brazilian ecosystems, particularly, of the Amazon. These moves include resuming the Plan to Combat Deforestation (PPCDAm) and the guideline committee of the Amazon Fund, by the Brazilian government, among many others. Similar actions are in harmony with the first speech delivered by the incumbent president, who is committed to adopting zero deforestation and zero greenhouse gas emission policy in the Amazon.The path is long and harsh, but a global agenda is echoing, aiming to increase sustainability of agricultural and forestry production and ensure our continuity on this planet. Converging in this direction, a law approved last December, and currently being finalized is a promise to become a milestone for mitigating climate change and protecting global biodiversity. The European Union (EU) has committed to ban the import of products related to deforestation and degradation of forest ecosystems, in any part of the globe. This means that its members will not accept products from deforested (or degraded) areas after December 31, 2020, even if the suppression is considered legal in the context of the country of origin.The law will directly impact on the Amazon, since several products manufactured in the region will be tracked, such as soy, wood and beef. In practice, exporting companies must trace the products from their origin and, thus, prove that there was no deforestation associated with their production, nor degradation of forests, which normally occurs by fires or logging. Brazil, classified as a country at high risk of deforestation, will be among those more rigorously monitored nations.Actions such as the EU law have great potential to bring significant changes towards more sustainable agricultural and forestry production, in line with national policies. A study published in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.science.org/doi/abs/10.1126/science.abj1572">journal Science</a> last year provided a consistent picture of the impact of global emissions, as a result of international commodity trade. About 30% of Brazilian agricultural land is destined for the export of products. Brazil was the largest global exporter of gas emissions related to land use changes, estimated at 917 million tons of CO2-eq for the year 2017.According to the same essay, 22% of the world's agricultural land and 27% of land-use emissions are related to products consumed in a region other than their place of production. Therefore, this data raises a crucial issue: a large part of the emissions is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-018-0301-1">carried out by developing countries that are rich in biodiversity, as it is the case of Brazil</a>, to export products to economically richer and more industrialized countries, such as Europe. If, on the one hand, international regulations are important allies of national measures to consolidate more sustainable agricultural and forestry production, on the other hand, they raise important ethical questions. The transition of these economic sectors needs to be carried out with broad support from the international community, in particular, from countries that contribute to emissions in developing regions, such as the Brazilian Amazon.

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New European Union law and the zero deforestation in the Amazon

The Climate Conference (COP 27) ended a few weeks ago, on November 18, and the Biodiversity Conference (COP 15) began in the first week of December. The extemporaneous World Cup, in Qatar, has been taking place simultaneously with these world events.The UN conferences, the COPs, which have taken place since the mega event Eco-92, in Brazil, seek solutions to minimize critical problems that threaten the continuity of our existence on Earth. Basically, these problems cut across all areas of our lives – climate change and depletion of biodiversity. Despite its grandiose purpose, emphasizing in other words – to save humanity –, people’s general and broad interest in the COPs does not even come close to that dedicated to the World Cup.It is somewhat understandable that no one would rather talk about disgrace, instead of cheering and celebrating a thrilling goal by Richarlison with friends, in green and yellow. But, there’s no choice. We do need to think about climate change. Likewise, it is inescapable to think about the variety of life forms we are losing, considering both have a decisive impact on our health and well-being.Nowhere else in the world should people be more conscious about these issues than in the Amazon. First reason is justified by the fact that forests in this immense tropical area correspond to the largest reservoir of carbon, a compound which is properly stored in the trees and soil, instead of released into the atmosphere by deforestation and fires, thus, preventing and mitigating climate change. Second, the ecosystems here are the most biodiverse on the planet, encompassing a variety of species of trees, palm trees, insects and other animals, microorganisms and fungi belonging to a wide universe. Biodiversity is important for the resilience of the forest itself and holds characteristics and compounds that, if well-known and properly used, are capable of transforming the region's development and raising life quality of its human populations.We lost the World Soccer Cup. A dramatic defeat for the Croatia national soccer team. Certainly, an impactful outcome, as soccer is part of our collective identity. But we also lose every year with the depletion of forests that are in the color of our flag. Between 2021 and 2022, more than 11,500 km2 of forests were cut down in the Amazon, not to mention fires, illegal logging and mining. Lives of people who defend the forests are also lost for violence and greed.What explains such apathy in face of these tragedies? They constitute a true defeat for all of us who inhabit the region and everywhere on the planet. We should be following the unfolding of each COP with greater anxiety than a World Cup final and we are not, as a nation, and actually no other nation seems to be. The concrete results of the negotiations between &nbsp;countries have been meager so far. At COP 27, the most celebrated result was the creation of a loss and gain fund, by which the most vulnerable countries will be supported to deal with climate extremes. At COP 15, it is expected, for example, to define forms of financing to protect global biodiversity and a plan developed to expand protected areas on the planet. Previous plans have been little effective in curbing the loss of ecosystems and species. The advances are inexpressive and far from the root of the problems. Countries continue to fail in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, mainly from fossil fuels and, in the case of Brazil, even more so from deforestation and environmental degradation. We're in the game extra-time, It’s better to avoid the agony of penalties. &nbsp;

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Amazon, two COPs and a CUP

The world’s eyes watched closely for the Brazilian presidential election. On Saturday, editorials from important international magazines such as Nature, Science and The New York Times (NYT) positioned themselves in favor of the candidate Lula.For Nature magazine, there would be “just one choice for Brazil’s election – for the country and for the world”, since the chance of a Bolsonaro’s second term would represent a threat to science, democracy and the environment. For Science magazine, a second run would corrode scientific research even more and accelerate deforestation in the Amazon. NYT stated that the winner would ‘inherit’ the control over more than half of Amazonian rain forest and, consequently, would determine the condition for future life on Earth.The catastrophic way Jair Bolsonaro has handled the Brazilian environment preservation is widely known by everyone who tracks the issue. During his term, deforestation rates in the Amazon increased by more than 70%, while fires intensified even when weather conditions did not favor them. Such outcomes resulted from a worldview that denies climate change and the importance of a balanced environment. Neglect with Conservation Units, Indigenous Lands and their peoples, lack of punishment for environmental crimes and tolerance of illegal activities such as mining and logging were constant.On the other hand, Lula’s government promoted an unprecedented achievement on the protection of Amazon. From 2003 to 2010, there was total reduction of about 80% in the region. In the beginning of his term, deforestation reached about 27 thousand km² and managed to be reduced to the level of 7 thousand km², at the end of Lula’s second term. The concentrated effort to protect the Amazon, through a structured inter-ministerial policy and international cooperation, allowed for such success when it seemed an unthinkable reality at that time. So, can we assure deforestation levels at that time reached acceptable levels? Certainly not, it needed to be reduced even further. Can we say that Lula government's environmental policy was perfect? Certainly not, there were many points to be improved concerning socio-environmental issues. But there was an intention to do the ‘right thing’, a lot of dialogue and collaboration, allowing institutions, such as Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE) [National Institute for Space Research], to carry out the necessary work. Throughout Bolsonaro’s government, the role of these institutions and their leaders were constantly diminished and attacked.On Sunday (30), during his first speech as president elect, Lula reaffirmed his commitment with the environmental agenda of the country. He said that Brazil is ready to resume its leading role in the fight against the climate crisis and in the protection of its biomes, above all, the Amazon Forest. He declared that his government would fight for zero deforestation in the Amazon. He is committed to resuming monitoring and surveillance in the region and fighting any and all illegal activity. He also said that he would be open to international cooperation for its preservation.On October 31, just one day after Lula's victory, the Norwegian Minister of Environment announced that he would resume financial support to the Brazilian government to combat deforestation. Norway’s contribution to the Amazon Fund had been suspended during Bolsonaro’s government, which never valued international cooperation. Many world leaders promptly congratulated the newly elected President Lula, mainly highlighting the country's environmental leadership and the role of the Amazon in the fight against climate change. Regaining the chance to preserve the Amazon – the largest rain forest in the world – is &nbsp;a victory not only for Brazil, but for the entire humanity. &nbsp;

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Ecologist, co-founder of the Sustainable Amazon Network, graduate professor at Federal University of Pará, researcher at Embrapa Amazônia Oriental and member of the Scientific Panel for Amazonia.

Former president Lula’s victory is a win for the Amazon and humanity  

After the main interviews and presidential debates on TV, criticism from environmentalist colleagues and environmental activists “poured”, on social media. I share the same thoughts: the Amazon has been neglected in most candidates’ discussions and the environmental issue has not been the protagonist it should be. This is&nbsp; deeply regrettable, concerning the relevance of this region in the national and international agenda.The conservation of the Amazon is a fundamental matter as it implies the guarantee of prosperity and welfare state of Brazilians and all humankind. First, the region encompasses more than 50% of the national territory. This aspect, alone, demands privileged space in the discussion agendas. However, an even more relevant issue is its crucial role for the global socioenvironmental matter.It is not by chance that the Amazon is the protagonist in any international discussion involving exports of agricultural products from Brazil. The region encircles the largest area of tropical forest in the world, representing almost 70% of its total, thus, being a “key” to accomplish Brazil’s climate goals and, ultimately, to achieve the ambition to limit global warming by 1,5&nbsp;oC Deforestation in the Amazon is the main cause of Brazilian greenhouse gas emissions. Land use changes correspond for almost 50% of Brazilian gas emissions currently. Therefore, there is no solution to mitigate climate change in Brazil without solving the chronic problems of conserving the region's forests.Unfortunately, deforestation is not the only problem to be tackled during the next presidential governors’ and legislators’ terms, even though it is the mainly focused concern by public managers. Forest degradation, especially by fires, is responsible for increasing by almost 90% of the greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation events. The biodiversity loss in the region may be duplicated if we consider the degradation caused by deforestation. Among the most impacting sectors are the small sustainable agribusiness activities, especially livestock, miningThe challenges for the next administration are huge, but they are fully possible to overcome with good political will. Among the urgent actions are the expansion of investments in science and technology on a scale compatible with the size and importance of the region. At the moment, investments are insignificant compared to other Brazilian regions. The actions should include, among others, increasing and strengthening postgraduate courses, attracting professionals and fostering research and innovation. The conservation of primary forests, fighting deforestation and forest degradation, must be priorities in public policies. Restoration of forest landscapes is a fundamental action to be planned together with the reduction of deforestation and degradation.The essential mechanisms to achieve forest conservation goals are clearly known. They involve environmental governance with the strengthening of public institutions, such as Ibama, ICMBio, Incra and Funai, in addition to the conservation and demarcation of Indigenous Lands, with the protection of their peoples. The implementation of policies to prevent deforestation and degradation, such as the PPCDAM¹, forest restoration, such as PLANAVEG² and the implementation of&nbsp;Cadastro Ambiental Rural (CAR) [Rural Environmental Registry], and financial incentives for conservation, such as the Amazon Fund, compensation for environmental services and valorization of sociobiodiversity forest products.Implementing these policies depends on laws and projects in the national congress and in the legislative houses, and their execution depends on a management engaged with environmental guidelines. A few days before the elections, we are about to choose candidates committed to protecting indigenous territories and the climate, biodiversity and water crises. This choice will be able to determine whether the Amazon and its sociobiodiversity will be maintained or destroyed.1- Abbreviation for&nbsp; Plano de Ação para Prevenção e Controle do Desmatamento na Amazônia Legal [Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Deforestation in the Legal Amazon], created by the federal government in 2004, aiming at reducing deforestation, creating the necessary conditions to have a sustainable development model in the region.2- Abbreviation for&nbsp;Plano Nacional de Recuperação da Vegetação Nativa (Planaveg) [National Plan for the Recovery of Native Vegetation], published in 2017 by the federal government, aiming at the recovery of native vegetation of at least 12 million hectares by 2030.

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Preserving the Amazon should be a central theme in 2022 ballot

On an afternoon in September last year, while granting an interview to an international journalist, in an environmental park in Belém, I was surprised when he asked if I had hope for the future of the Amazon. I quickly replied that I had no other choice but to believe in a more prosperous future for this region. Today, I caught myself thinking over hope again because of a work carried out by a research group to which I belong. The results of this work are summarized in the article entitled “Searching for innovative sustainability initiatives in the Amazon” (original title in English) published in the scientific journal <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/16/10299">Sustainability</a>.In this work, data collection consisted in dialoguing with key actors who work in different Amazonian states in order to spot successful experiences of sustainability. They were invited to share their perceptions of what is being done aiming at a more sustainable Amazon. We understand that the word ‘sustainability’ is often void of meaning, but in addition to welcoming the concept of the interviewee, we were basically referring to what is going on having in mind a more environmentally friendly future, more equitable and socially just.The study revealed more than 150 initiatives underway in the Amazon, out of which, 50 were described in more detail. Of course, there are many other ongoing initiatives, as anticipated by previous researches. The most relevant aspect was to find out that there is a wide range of inventive actions focusing on sustainability, which we have grouped into seven main categories ranging from green business opportunities, land protection to multi-institutional coalitions that seek to deal with the complexity of problems and enhancement for the region. These involve, for example, business incubators linked to the bioeconomy, promoting connections among different actors, engaging young people and women, platforms and applications to track the export of commodities such as soy and beef, private investment funds, indigenous associations for protection of their own territory and activist campaigns through social networks. These initiatives are being promoted by NGOs, governments, rural communities, social movements and even individuals.One can always choose to see a half-full or a half-empty glass. On the one hand, we could see the diversity of initiatives perceived as innovative actions, which have proliferated in a critical period of increasing environmental degradation, inequality and violence. On the other hand, we were able to learn that there are crucial limitations to be overcome in order to reach the necessary levels which might lead to a true transformation in the region. Most of these actions promote only incremental changes, which, although important, are not able to challenge the status quo and eliminate power and social asymmetries, aspects that are absolutely necessary to be tackled today.A more optimistic view of the scenario allows us to consider such experiences as “Seeds”, according to the theoretical framework proposed by some scholars. Basically, Seeds are initiatives – for example, social, technological or economic – that are not yet dominant or prominent in society, but which have the power to inspire, be proliferated and generate social transformation.A more sustainable future for the Amazon turns out possible if ‘seeds of innovation’, such as those we have mapped, are widely dispersed, especially through public policies. Under this conception of &nbsp;future, there is no room for environmental degradation, social inequity, nor tragic events such as the brutal death of Dom Phillips, the British journalist barbarically murdered in the state of &nbsp;Amazonas, along with Bruno Pereira, to whom I spoke about hope last year. &nbsp;

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Seeds of Hope in the Amazon

We've been experiencing two major planetary crises - climate change and biodiversity depletion, both with decisive consequences for the continuity of human life on Earth. The Amazon plays a crucial role in solving both crises. At the root of climate change is the excess of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere resulting from human activities, particularly carbon. The Amazon Forest - the largest area of remaining tropical forest on the planet - concentrates&nbsp; the largest aboveground carbon repository and also one of the richest areas in biodiversity. On other hand, the loss and degradation of such&nbsp; forests has far-reaching implications, with disastrous consequences for humanity.Every Brazilian, in particular every Amazonian inhabitant, should know and take care of this unique heritage as a principle. In fact, some recent opinion researches suggest that the Amazon has special value to a great portion of Brazilian&nbsp; citizens. However, until now, there seems to be a gap between thinking and acting in order to preserve it. Unfortunately, annual forest loss rates are still very high. On top of deforestation are the impoverishment of ecosystems by fires, fragmentation of forests and water bodies, logging, mining, illegal hunting and fishing - activities often surrounded by violence.Science has been fundamental to foster deeper knowledge about the Amazon in the last few decades, despite low investments it receives, which are not compatible with what the region deserves. Thanks to the untiring efforts of many research institutions and partnerships among regions and countries, the relevance of Amazonian ecosystems for human well-being has been increasingly revealed. Starting from its role regarding climate, from regional to global levels, to the interactions&nbsp; with the diversity of life forms, both with implications to health, to food security and to the human well-being in general. The consequences of ecosystems loss and degradation, including a possible tipping point of no return, are being disclosed. However, solutions to overcome these problems have also been presented, such as monitoring systems, more sustainable agricultural or forest management and production alternatives and innovation for the use of bioproducts compatible with the conservation of ecosystems.We are at a crucial crossroads. We can still decide between going with the current flow of development or completely changing the trajectory to a prosperous future. This new route presupposes, above all, to recognize the main role of the forests to our survival, implementing&nbsp; infrastructural and land use decisions conforming to this principle, respecting and supporting traditional peoples and local communities whose ways of life divert us from the path of global crises.&nbsp;&nbsp;*This article was written for the #scienceinelections campaign, which celebrates Science Month.

Columnist

Monitoring deforestation is not enough

PhD in Ecology, researcher at Embrapa Amazônia Oriental, co-founder of Sustainable Amazon Network, graduate professor at the Federal University of Pará and member of Scientific Panel for the Amazon

02/03/2023 19:26:01

New European Union law and the zero deforestation in the Amazon

PhD in Ecology, researcher at Embrapa Amazônia Oriental, co-founder of Sustainable Amazon Network, graduate professor at the Federal University of Pará and member of Scientific Panel for the Amazon

01/20/2023 18:53:38

Amazon, two COPs and a CUP

PhD in Ecology, researcher at Embrapa Amazônia Oriental, co-founder of Sustainable Amazon Network, graduate professor at the Federal University of Pará and member of Scientific Panel for the Amazon

12/16/2022 16:43:38

Former president Lula’s victory is a win for the Amazon and humanity

Ecologist, co-founder of the Sustainable Amazon Network, graduate professor at Federal University of Pará, researcher at Embrapa Amazônia Oriental and member of the Scientific Panel for Amazonia.

11/04/2022 21:19:50

Preserving the Amazon should be a central theme in 2022 ballot

10/01/2022 1:54:58

Seeds of Hope in the Amazon

Ecologist, co-founder of the Sustainable Amazon Network, graduate professor at Federal University of Pará, researcher at Embrapa Amazônia Oriental and member of the Scientific Panel for Amazonia.

08/26/2022 22:54:39

Amazon: the forest is the solution

Ecologist, co-founder of the Sustainable Amazon Network, graduate professor at Federal University of Pará, researcher at Embrapa Amazônia Oriental and member of the Scientific Panel for Amazonia.

07/29/2022 22:26:17