If the 30th session of the COP ended with results lower than the world expected, it brought real gains for Brazil and the Amazon region, says the specialist in ecology and restoration of the Amazon, the biome in which she was born and raised, Pará scientist Emma Vieira, from the Barinci Museum Emilio Gueldi. Vieira is one of the organizers of the book “Climate Change in Brazil: State of the Art and Frontiers of Knowledge”, launched by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) and which will be distributed in universities, research institutes and libraries across the country as a reference work on the topic.
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What positive results did COP30 bring to Brazil?
Brazil has repositioned itself as a legitimate interlocutor in climate negotiations. We have regained diplomatic leadership and I believe it is stronger now than it was in Rio 92 or the Paris Agreement (COP21). Brazil has legitimacy in this because, despite all the difficulties, it has shown results in reducing deforestation, and bears no historical responsibility for carbon dioxide accumulation, unlike the United States and European countries. But there are challenges.
The first is to transform the results of diplomacy into public policies. Achieving climate justice internally. This has to do with adaptation and human rights. We also have the potential to lead in the energy transition.
With technology. Brazil has the potential, and has already done so with biofuels, but it has the potential to achieve much more. Technology is essential to achieving development, job opportunities and income. We cannot just be producers of energy commodities, we have to develop our own technologies.
What gains did COP30 bring to the Amazon region?
She brought heroism and an active role to the Amazon. We have spent decades receiving information and policies created elsewhere. It is necessary to keep in mind that the biggest clashes over energy and agribusiness in all of Brazil are currently taking place in the Amazon region. COP30 created a space for networking between public managers, scientists, indigenous and traditional peoples, businesses and NGOs. It gave a voice to those who suffer most from the impact of environmental problems in the Amazon region. It also provided a fundamental gain.
It has brought climate change into people’s daily lives. You hear on the streets of Belém, in other parts of the Amazon, people talking about this, saying they are worried and aware of what is happening. This is essential. The UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) has democratized the climate debate, taking it out of the halls of diplomacy and spreading it across cities and communities. That was huge. Climate change should be on people’s lips.
Did we have an extension to COP 30?
Yes. It’s very positive, especially in Belem with the collective and positive experience. For Belém and Parra, overall, the conference was very good, bringing investments, improved infrastructure and visibility. The conference also drew attention to the Amazon’s serious problems.
Organized crime expands throughout the Amazon region. This was widely discussed during COP30, and is the subject of studies, technical events and discussions. Organized crime is linked to deforestation, land grabbing, mining, and a series of other serious problems, and combating it poses a challenge not only for the Amazon states, but for the whole of Brazil.
Does linking environmental issues to positive events achieve real gains?
Yes, of course. There has been a strengthening of the relationship between culture and environment, for example. In the Amazon region, this was already very strong, and helped the COP to expand. It only removed the weight of the negative realities of the crisis, which are very real, but it showed that the environment can also be synonymous with joy, music, literature, cinema and fun. In fact, that was the relationship we should all have.
What are the gains of science in the Amazon?
Most scientific knowledge on this topic is produced in other countries. These things don’t change overnight. But the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) was useful in emphasizing the importance of science. It was the first COP to have an official science pavilion (the Planetary Science Pavilion led by climate scientist Carlos Nobre). We also had Casa da Ciência, based at Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, with high-level discussions. It is important to always remember that the Climate Change Convention and the COPs are the result of scientific discoveries. But the UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) has been very good for science in the Amazon, in particular.
In addition to giving us a greater voice, it has also brought about greater national and international cooperation. This is fundamental to the progress of science and not just in the Amazon. After COP 30, these research networks must be strengthened. We have to keep a schedule.
And the book you published?
It is a fascinating compendium, bringing together what is known about the impact of climate change in Brazil, but also pointing to solutions, whether in health, biomes, disasters, or agriculture. There are more than 80 authors, from all areas of knowledge related to the climate issue. This book will be distributed free of charge and anyone can read it. It is not a job for specialists. It’s designed so that anyone can understand the challenges we face and what we can do to address them. The book shows that by 2100, if the world does not significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Brazil’s average temperature could rise between 2.5°C and 4.5°C. This is a recipe for disaster.
Is the book a road map to avoid these losses?
Brazil does not need a road map. You know what you need to do and what direction you should take. The book presents this knowledge, so that everyone can access it and realize that we can improve.