South America Seeks Roadmap To Save Amazon At 'landmark' Summit

Bel�m, Brazil, Aug 8 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 8th Aug, 2023 ) :Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva opened what he called a "landmark" summit Tuesday where South American leaders will seek a roadmap to save the Amazon rainforest.

He vowed to seek ambitious pledges to stop the destruction of the world's biggest rainforest at the two-day meeting of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO) in the northern city of Belem.

"This is a landmark meeting. It will mark a turning point in the history of protecting the Amazon and the green transition," the veteran leftist said before opening the gathering at the mouth of the Amazon river.

It is the first summit in 14 years for the eight-nation group, set up in 1995 by the South American countries that share the Amazon basin: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela.

Home to an estimated 10 percent of Earth's biodiversity, 50 million people and hundreds of billions of trees, the vast Amazon is a vital carbon sink, curbing global warming.

But scientists warn the destruction of the rainforest is pushing it dangerously close to a "tipping point," beyond which trees would die off and release carbon rather than absorb it, with catastrophic consequences for the climate.

The region's countries are determined "not to let the Amazon reach a point of no return," Brazilian Environment Minister Marina Silva told a ministerial meeting ahead of the summit.

Lula wants the summit to strengthen the ACTO and produce a joint declaration with a bold action plan to stop deforestation.

The summit is also something of a dress rehearsal for the 2025 UN climate talks, which Belem will host.