At COP 29, in Baku, Azerbaijan, Brazil wants to be exemplary in the fight against global warming and the protection of the Amazon. Objective: zero deforestation. In addition to the government, Native American representatives from the country came. They ask the World for protection of their lands.
Brasilia has turned the page on the climate skepticism of the era of far-right President Bolsonaro. At COP 29, representatives of the Brazilian left-wing government are seen as leaders in the fight against global warming. By 2035, the country plans to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 67% compared to 2005. All sectors of activity will be affected. Furthermore, the protection of the Amazon forest becomes an absolute objective. Marina Silva, Minister of the Environment of Brazil, was very firm on this point:
The Brazilian government's commitment is to achieve zero deforestation. And this process will be carried out on two fronts: zero tolerance for illegal deforestation and the fight so that Brazil's development model does not include the destruction of its forests.
Vast program facing, among others, the proponents of agro-business, who want to expand their crops, those of mining…
A resolution that primarily concerns indigenous populations. Their representatives even came from Brazil to Baku. Certainly, they appreciate the directions of the current leaders of their country, notably the creation of a ministry for indigenous peoples. This allows them to be better listened to and to obtain actions in their favor. But some deplore a conservative tendency within power which would paralyze government action. He “didn't move forward like he was supposed to » deplores Ninawa Inu Pereira Nunes. And precisely on issues like that of the Amazon, the president of the People's Federation Huni Kuin, (State of Acre, Brazil) does not hide his concerns : “with the new negotiations that are currently being carried out, this makes us worried about the acceptance of oil exploration in the Amazon, for example. »
Hence the importance of taking the whole Earth as witness and not relying only on your own country: « It is also a pleasure to be able to share here everything that is happening in our community, which is not discussed at the major negotiating tables and which is not seen by the different parts of the world. There are major impacts affecting our communities. »
Especially since according to Brazilian indigenous people, their struggle, particularly to preserve the forest, is useful to all humans.
A specific delegation of Native American women from Brazil also traveled to Baku to tell delegates from all parts of the world. They therefore call to work for climate justice and to help them protect the ancestral territories of their peoples.
Lucimara Patté, co-founder of the National Articulation of Indigenous Women Warriors of Ancestrality (ANMIGA) and technical advisor to the Special Secretariat for Indigenous Health (SESAI) did not hesitate to try to move the participants at the conference:
“We can't stop, we won't have a planet B, we don't have a planet B. We have to protect what's ours, protect it here and now.
Brazil is a beautiful, rich and diverse country. You are all welcome in Brazil. When you arrive, you will discover a wonderful country. And you will understand why we are fighting, why we are asking the world to protect indigenous peoples, to protect this wealth and this beauty. Why we fight and shout for the protection of our territories. Our territory is our life, it is our body.”
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© RAFIQ MAQBOOL / AP
Native Americans are clearly at the forefront in the fight for the environment, particularly in Brazil. And their speech sometimes carries. Recently, COP 16, on biodiversity, held in Cali, Colombia, recognized people of African descent and indigenous peoples as key leaders of conservation efforts in this area. It remains to be seen whether they will be as well heard at COP 29
