Global Day of Action for The Amazon: Environmental Policies to Defend the Lungs of Our Planet
The Amazon is the most biologically diverse place on Earth, Yet in the past hundred years, deforestation and human-induced climate change have damaged this vital life support system at an unprecedented rate. Leoni discusses more about policies that defend the amazon, and how the general public can help…
The lungs of our planet. Illustration by Caitlin Noble.
Over millions of years, the Amazon rainforest has evolved to home our planet’s richest ecosystems. As the most biologically diverse place on Earth, 10% of all known species on Earth reside in the Amazon, with both Indigenous populations and the land thriving for millennia. Yet in the past hundred years, deforestation and human-induced climate change have damaged this vital life support system at an unprecedented rate, with reports that some areas of the Amazon now emit more carbon than they store. But as we lose the Earth’s tropical forests, we are also beginning to appreciate their true value. September 5th marks the Global Day of Action for the Amazon, mobilising international solidarity to defend the lungs of our planet.
Deforestation is inextricably linked with global demand. The Amazon produces immense amounts of oxygen and water vapour, serving as the Earth’s cooling system, yet industrial destruction of the Amazon has produced the worst fires in a decade. Carbon is being released back into the atmosphere to clear trees for growing crops like palm oil and soybeans, provide space for cattle to graze, and build roads for mining. From August 2019 to July 2020, a total of 11,088 sq km of rainforest was destroyed – an area larger than Jamaica. Growing protests have been directed at the Brazilian government and global corporations profiteering from environmental destruction; as demand continues to skyrocket, global resources and food production need to be more regulated more sustainably. The question is, how do we produce more with less resources?
That’s where policy comes in. Under the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), a group of scientists and researchers recently developed a ten-point scientific assessment titled The Amazon We Want. The report emphasises global responsibility for sustainable production, urgent forest restoration, protection of Indigenous rights and the long-term wellbeing of Amazonian ecosystems. As scientists have highlighted, policies need to address the drivers of deforestation in an inclusive way, tailored to local and regional contexts. Action needs to happen collectively, both from countries which home the rainforests, and nations where consumer lifestyles drive deforestation.
Recent years have seen mounting responses to help protect the Amazon. In a fight led by Indigenous peoples, when nations work together, change can happen at both a local and international level.
Below are some crucial policies across the globe that help defend the rainforest.
Indigenous Rights
With Indigenous communities and conservation so closely linked, Indigenous rights are fundamental to achieving any semblance of climate justice. But despite their ancestral settlement in the rainforest, their legal and constitutional rights only provide them with 20 percent of the Brazilian Amazon land, with the majority residing in designated preserves. Research overwhelmingly shows that Indigenous peoples are the most effective guardians of the Amazon rainforest - but only when property rights over their territories are fully recognised and protected by civil authorities.
Survival International is an example of a public-funded organisation working with Indigenous tribes to directly influence policy. From exposing injustice to lobbying governments for stronger legislation, the organisation highlights how collective Indigenous property rights reduce deforestation. Activists recently rejoiced when a new uncontacted reserve was created for the Peru Kakataibo tribe – a major victory for Peru’s Indigenous peoples. This is a vital milestone after years of campaigning, offering hope that continued activism will expand Indigenous reserves in the future.
Conservation
The biodiversity of the Amazon is essential for the health of our Earth and our survival as a species. Conservation strategies are crucial to mitigate the worst effects of climate change – by combining the traditional knowledge of Indigenous peoples with the latest advancements of science and technology, regulation needs to address sustainable resource management and land-use policy for the long term.
In response to surging Amazon fires, seven South American countries signed a protection pact in 2019 for the world’s largest rainforest. Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru and Suriname committed to setting up a disaster response network, reforestation and satellite monitoring. Investment in rainforest monitoring and research are essential to galvanise action. There are some exciting initiatives growing, like the Tropical Rainforest Index to detect vulnerable rainforests, and the regenerative agricultural practices of Oko Forests – it is particularly hopeful that new technological research is on the rise.
Industry Cooperation
By redirecting demand into sustainable products, policy can help create green supply chains. Recently, the updated UK Environmental Bill will enforce fines on corporations that fail to cut links to illegally deforested land. UK-based companies are to examine supply chains in depth, and ensure they are not connected to illegal deforestation overseas. While there has been some protest from brands, others have embraced the bill.
Companies can make a significant impact by introducing “zero deforestation” policies, and most importantly, by following through with these. With continued pressure from activists, governments are enforcing stronger regulations, encouraging innovation to make production more efficient, reduce the need for land-use change, and increase transparency in supply chains to end socially and ecologically exploitative practices.
Responsible Finance
Diplomacy also plays a crucial role in protecting the Amazon. The Biden administration has promised to mobilise $20 billion to protect the rainforest, but a huge challenge lies ahead – strengthening the US-Brazil relationship while allowing for a sustainable and inclusive partnership, despite Brazilian President Bolsonaro’s opposition of Amazon protections. This year, we also lead up to the COP26 climate meeting in Glasgow, the most important meeting on climate change since the Paris agreement was drawn up in 2015 to develop new strategies for international climate action. In the most critical time in the climate crisis yet, bold plans for action and investment will be critical at the COP26 to cut emissions and mitigate the impact of biodiversity loss on ecosystems, species, and people.
Action to secure the future of the Amazon has never been more urgent. The world needs long-term strategies to preserve the rainforest as a livelihood for Indigenous peoples, as a significant carbon storer, and as the world’s richest conservation area. Policies cannot happen exclusively - an integrated approach combining local and national action is crucial to halt ecological devastation.
And there’s ways you can get involved, too. Supporting sustainable supply chains, reducing your meat consumption, donating to causes which work with Indigenous peoples and allies, and putting pressure on those who profit from deforestation are all effective ways to take action for the Amazon. Here are five causes you can support to help protect the Amazon:
Survival International – A global movement for Indigenous peoples, working in partnership with tribes to amplify Indigenous voices and protect their human rights.
Amazon Conservation Association – Advancing conservation and restoration in the Amazon by empowering people and innovating with science and technology.
Rainforest Action Network – Working on the frontlines to preserve forests and uphold human rights by challenging the companies and industries driving deforestation and climate change.
Rainforest Alliance – You may recognise the green frog seal on certain products, meaning that the company has been certified by the Rainforest Alliance as meeting environmental and social sustainability standards.
Amazon Watch – An organisation putting pressure on global leaders to support and extend the rights of Indigenous communities in the Amazon.
As we strive for a deforestation-free future, this Global Day of Action for the Amazon marks the importance of turning ambition into action. Defending the Amazon is not just political, it’s the best of humanity - a collective fight that recognises the importance of ecological connectedness. Across the globe, nature-positive policies are central to building a more regenerative, equitable world for all.
Thank you to Caitlin Noble for her beautiful illustration. You can find more of her work on her Instagram @caitlinniamhillustrations.
Leoni Fretwell
Drawn to storytelling and creative change-making, Leoni is a writer and filmmaker. As a recent English graduate from the University of Exeter, she wrote her dissertation on climate change and regenerative culture in cinema, and is looking to continue representing the connections between ecology and culture. During university, she was a regular writer for Razz Magazine, with pieces ranging from intersectional environmentalism to sustainable fashion. Leoni has a love for the Slow Food movement, the outdoors and filmmaking.
Find out more about Leoni at leonifretwell.com