This long-awaited gathering of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO) commenced in Belém do Pará, in northeastern Brazil, this week, as leaders move from words to concrete actions. The meeting comes 13 years after the last comprehensive session and amid escalating concerns about air emergencies and climate pressures. The host nation’s president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and Colombian President Gustavo Petro have been at the center of debates over the group’s direction, with Lula emphasizing industrial potential while Petro presses for sharper conservation and social inclusion as pillars of regional development.
Beyond this tension, Lula had already helped organize the summit during COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, signaling a common aim: for Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela to collectively steer the region toward integrated development that privileges social inclusion and climate responsibility.
At the same time, Lula linked ACTO’s progress to a broader global context, noting that reaching aggressive deforestation targets aligns with European Union expectations and a growing emphasis on sustainability. He invited France’s President Emmanuel Macron, who ultimately did not attend Belém, as part of signaling international engagement. Brazil’s commitments are reinforced by recent German and Norwegian pledges aimed at protecting the country’s strategic biomes.
Before the formal sessions began, Lula used the X platform to highlight a bold objective: reduce deforestation by 42 percent within six months of his third term. He also hinted at demarcating two indigenous regions in the country, while Petro argued that Colombia managed to conserve roughly 40,000 hectares of forest in 2022, a notable improvement from the prior year.
zero deforestation
Drafts of the ACTO final document, circulated by environmental groups, stress the urgency of establishing shared 2030 goals to curb deforestation. The plans advocate eliminating illegal resource extraction and advancing land-use planning toward sustainable models. Bolivia, home to a substantial portion of the Amazon, reported a loss of around 400,000 hectares last year, with forest cover expanding by about 32 percent since 2021. In Peru, diesel declines were recorded in 2022 as well, totaling roughly 144,682 hectares. Since 2020, deforestation has presented severe challenges, with environmental leaders facing violence; several have been killed defending forest rights. Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro skipped the Belém gathering due to an ear problem, leaving critics pointing to ongoing illegal mining as a threat to environmental health.
Similarly, in Ecuador, President Guillermo Lasso’s tenure faces a critical juncture. Early elections are scheduled for August, and a public vote will decide on whether to proceed with oil extraction in the Amazon’s Yasuní reserve. The outcome could redefine regional energy policy and environmental safeguards.
oil, sticking point
Oil remains one of ACTO’s most challenging issues. The Brazilian and Colombian negotiations reportedly hit a snag when it came to oil exploration in the Amazon. Petro favors tighter limits, while Lula remains cautious, advocating that the agreement prioritize reducing deforestation first. Environment Minister Marina Silva and state-backed Petrobras appear aligned with the goal of ending unchecked forest loss even as energy and mining ministries weigh potential offshore drilling in the Foz do Amazonas basin. Ibama initially rejected a permit, but Lula suggested that the door to debate remains open. The government’s stance is framed as a balance between environmental protection and strategic energy considerations, with ministers stressing internal consistency rather than disagreement.
Influential voices, including prominent Brazilian columnists, describe Lula’s position as a fork between protecting the Amazon and advancing rural economic policies. Critics warn against policies that could expand pesticide use, broaden land-rights conflicts, or loosen environmental licenses, while supporters argue for pragmatic development and sustainable resource management. The ACTO is poised to finalize its document in the coming days and present it to global audiences at the United Nations Climate Change Conference, and later at the UN General Assembly in September, ahead of COP28 in the United Arab Emirates.