Leaders from the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (OTCA) member countries convened in Bogota, Colombia, on August 22, 2025, to adopt the significant Bogota Declaration. This pivotal document updates commitments for the Amazon biome's protection and galvanizes regional engagement in the lead-up to the COP30 climate summit in Belem, Brazil, scheduled for November 10-21, 2025.
The declaration builds upon the foundational Belém Declaration of 2023, reaffirming its framework for regional cooperation and charting a course for immediate action across critical areas including climate, forests, biodiversity, restoration, bioeconomy, Indigenous peoples' rights, environmental security, and institutional strengthening. The summit highlighted advancements in regional coordination for police, judicial, and intelligence matters, alongside efforts to combat illegal mining and wildlife trafficking.
A key proposal within the declaration is to amend protocols to elevate presidential meetings to the organization's highest instance and to bolster the Permanent Secretariat. Furthermore, the declaration underscores a commitment to the differentiated protection of Indigenous Peoples in Isolation and Initial Contact (PIACI) and the safeguarding of ancestral knowledge and intangible cultural heritage.
The Bogota Declaration also signals support for the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF), a global fund proposed by Brazil to channel finance for rainforest conservation, with initial backing from donor nations and private funds. The TFFF aims to raise $125 billion, blending sovereign and philanthropic sources with bond issuance to institutional investors.
However, the summit also illuminated ongoing challenges and differing perspectives. While the Bogota Declaration aims for a "just, orderly, and equitable energy transition," it notably omits explicit references to fossil fuels, a point of contention for civil society and Indigenous groups who advocate for an immediate halt to oil and gas exploration in the Amazon. Despite efforts by some nations, like Colombia, to push for a transition away from extractive economies, opposition from countries such as Peru, Ecuador, and Venezuela, and Brazil's cautious stance, prevented a stronger consensus on this critical issue. This divergence underscores the complex balance between economic interests and environmental imperatives facing the region.
Experts and civil society representatives have voiced both praise and concern. The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change of Brazil acknowledged the summit's positive outcome, consolidating the cycle initiated in Belem and establishing clear action directions. Conversely, João Pedro Galvão Ramalho of the Pororoka collective and the Pan-Amazon Social Forum (FOSPA) expressed apprehension over the lack of concrete targets for deforestation and energy transition, suggesting the Amazon may have already reached its tipping point. Research indicates that continued deforestation could lead to regional warming and potentially push the Amazon towards a tipping point, with studies showing that deforestation can cause warming up to 100 km away, increasing local temperatures by as much as 0.7°C for every 10% loss of forest cover within a 60-mile radius.
Indigenous communities, recognized as crucial stewards of the rainforest, play a vital role in conservation. Their territories are instrumental in preserving intact forests and sequestering carbon, with research indicating that at least 25% of carbon stored in tropical forests is under their stewardship. Their traditional knowledge offers invaluable insights into adaptation and mitigation strategies for climate risks. The inclusion of mechanisms like the Amazonian Indigenous Peoples Mechanism (MAPI) within OTCA is a step towards greater participation, yet the broader call for ending fossil fuel expansion and ensuring equitable energy transitions continues to resonate.
The upcoming COP30 in Belem is anticipated to be a critical juncture for translating these regional commitments into global climate action, with a focus on securing increased financing for forest protection and establishing robust climate commitments.