In the framework of the Day of Indigenous Peoples, it is necessary to think about the connection between environmental protection, the emergence of the bioeconomy and the intrinsic rights of indigenous peoples and rural Amazonian communities.

Spanning 6,000,000 km² and encompassing nine nations, this vast green lung is considered one of the most biologically diverse areas on the planet, with an estimated 10% of all plant species found in this region, including more than 2,000 species of fish. , 14,000 species of plants and about 1.5 million species of fungi.

However, Amazon is facing unprecedented threats. Projections suggest an alarming rate of deforestation by 2030, with economic and environmental impacts that could translate into losses of more than $230 billion, according to the IDB.

This problem is global. Antonio Guterres, the Secretary General of the United Nations, pointed out that the age of global boiling has arrived. This alarming statement was issued after scientists indicated that the month of July 2023 is on track to become the hottest month ever recorded on earth. And that is that, according to any scientific calculation, the possibility of stopping the increase in global temperature to 1.5 ºC (above pre-industrial levels) requires a healthy Amazon rainforest.

In the middle of this complex panorama, a light of hope appears. The indigenous peoples and rural communities of the Amazon are rooted in deep ancestral knowledge and a symbiotic relationship with the jungle; they hold the key to sustained and sustainable transformation.

The indigenous peoples and rural communities of the Amazon live in regions of immense biodiversity and preserve basic ancestral knowledge for the protection and revitalization of the Amazon biome. In addition, they have essential production capacity that provides food and nutrition for the growing urban population. However, despite their invaluable contribution, they face significant challenges, such as poverty, violence, unemployment and hunger.

Approximately 45% of the virgin forests in the Amazon basin are in the hands of indigenous communities. In addition, between 2003 and 2016, vegetation in indigenous areas in the Amazon basin captured about 90% of the carbon emitted by deforestation and forest degradation in those same areas. This means that these territories have significantly contributed to the reduction of net carbon emissions while at the same time preserving the Amazon rainforest.

Respecting the rights of indigenous peoples, Afro-descendant communities, women, youth and family farmers is essential to the revival of a renewed Amazonian bioeconomy. Despite their differences, they all share a common goal: the preservation of the Amazon.

The consolidation of a just and collaborative Amazonian bioeconomy requires the implementation of policies that dissuade investments from forest-damaging activities, strengthening cooperation among Amazonian peoples, a detailed understanding of the interactions between rural and urban areas, as well as the creation of solid platforms that integrate ancestral knowledge with the latest scientific and technological advances .

The leading role of indigenous peoples and rural communities in this bio-economic metamorphosis is irreplaceable. They are the ones who not only conserve the forest, but also decipher and exploit its resources with a sustainable perspective, essential for global food security and agri-food systems that promote better nutrition, better environment, better production and better life, leaving no one behind. .

Protecting the Amazon and bringing about an inclusive bioeconomy transcends borders. It is a universal call. On this Day of Indigenous Peoples, let us reaffirm our commitment to the indigenous peoples and rural communities of the Amazon in their pursuit of a just and resilient future. (OR)