The Amazon Summit, to be held in Belém on Tuesday and Wednesday, represents President Lula’s greatest opportunity to project his long-awaited leadership over the Global South. More than that, it could pave the way for Brazil to become an advanced country.
Brazil owns 60% of the area of the Amazon Forest. The remainder is spread over seven other neighboring countries, plus French Guiana, an overseas department. In addition to the presidents of six Amazonian countries, the heads of state or government of France, Germany and Norway will also participate. These last two countries are donors to the Amazon Fund, created in 2009 and reactivated in the Lula government, after a freeze under Jair Bolsonaro.
Emmanuel Macron has been enthusiastically engaged in the defense of the Amazon, as president of the only European country that owns a part of the forest, through French Guiana. It was the Amazon that led to the rift between Macron and Bolsonaro. And it is certainly the main point of attraction in the France-Brazil rapprochement.
French companies are historically among those that invest the most in Brazil. France leads European agricultural protectionism, which has made it difficult for Brazilian products to enter the continent’s market. The justification for this protectionism has been the deforestation of the forest.
Amazon Summit brings together representatives from 15 countries
Lula’s environmental diplomacy, reinforced by the excellent results in combating deforestation, is Mercosur’s best ace up its sleeve to remove these protectionist barriers.
Lula’s complacency with the dictatorships of Venezuela and Nicaragua and Russia’s aggression against Ukraine has undermined not only relations with Europe and the United States, but also Brazil’s natural leadership role in South America.
The presidents of Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay and even Colombia expressed their annoyance with Lula’s positions (in the Colombian case, in relation specifically to Russia).
The Amazon occupies more than half of the Brazilian territory, with almost 30 million inhabitants. The region has the greatest biodiversity in the world. There are hidden solutions to countless human problems, in the form of active pharmacological principles, cosmetics, food, raw materials, inputs and environmental services.
Part of this wealth is known to indigenous peoples who have lived in the forest for thousands of years. The event that starts this weekend in Belém, with the participation of thousands of specialists, activists and representatives of traditional peoples, includes the discussion of the sustainable exploitation of these riches.
Summit in Belém will discuss the future of the Amazon
President Lula has made statements that indicate that he is aware of the transforming power, from an economic, scientific and social point of view, of this exploitation.
The Brazilian Academy of Sciences presented in 2008 a proposal that provides for the creation of research centers in the Amazon to discover and patent these resources. The estimated cost, of R$ 60 billion over 10 years, in current values, is negligible: 0.04% of GDP.
The advantages are clear, both from a geopolitical and economic point of view. Brazilian society, including its scientific community, is ready to embrace this task. Brazil accumulates many successful experiences of sustainable development, and first-line scientific institutions, despite their scrapping in recent decades.
The government’s challenge is not to allow itself to be distracted by temptations that divert the focus from its foreign policy and sustainable development.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
