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Climate change
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Brazil’s Lula hopes to unite rainforest nations, tap funding at COP27

  • Alliance of countries such as Brazil, Indonesia and Democratic Republic of Congo can put pressure on richer countries to boost efforts to stop deforestation, analysts say
  • Rainforest coalition could also boost bargaining power with donors, educate world on forest conservation

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An area of forest on fire near a logging area in the Transamazonica highway region, in the municipality of Humaita, Amazonas state, Brazil, in September 2022. Brazil’s president-elect Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has promised to reverse a surge in deforestation in the Amazon rainforest. Photo: AP
Reuters
A new alliance of rainforest nations – sought by Brazil’s President-elect Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva – could be key to unlocking conservation funding and bolstering a flagging global forest pact at the COP27 climate summit, environmentalists say.
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Before narrowly winning Brazil’s run-off election vote on October 30, Lula began reaching out to Indonesia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) about forming a united front of tropical forest countries, according to a top aide of the leftist leader.

In the run-up to the COP27 UN climate summit, taking place in Egypt from November 6 to 18, green groups urged Brazil and other forest nations to team up to increase their bargaining power during talks with potential donors over rainforest protection.

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva greets supporters while leaving the polling station during the presidential run-off election in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on October 30, 2022. Photo: AFP via Getty Images
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva greets supporters while leaving the polling station during the presidential run-off election in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on October 30, 2022. Photo: AFP via Getty Images

“An alliance of countries such as Brazil, Indonesia and the DRC – who all face similar threats – can put pressure on richer countries to accelerate efforts to stop deforestation,” said Annisa Rahmawati, head of Indonesian conservation group Satya Bumi, noting Lula’s pledge to put forest protection at the heart of his economic plans and policies.

Cutting down forests has major implications for global goals to curb planetary warming, as trees absorb about a third of the climate-heating carbon emissions produced worldwide, but release the carbon they store when they rot or are burned.

Forests also provide food and livelihoods, clean the air and water, support human health, are an essential habitat for wildlife, regulate rainfall and offer flood protection.

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But as forest-rich countries grapple with energy and food price pressures linked to Russia’s war on Ukraine, on top of fiscal pain from the Covid-19 pandemic, tapping into natural resources is seen by many as a solution.
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