Marina Silva: The Environmental Advocate in Government
Marina Silva, Brazil’s 67-year-old Minister of the Environment, is globally recognized for her dedication to environmental preservation and Amazonian conservation.
Raised in a rubber tapping family in the Amazon, Silva often credits her grandmother and uncle, a shaman, as her earliest influences in her love for the rainforest.
In 2008, she resigned from Lula da Silva’s second administration due to obstacles in her environmental agenda, though she never stopped defending the left-wing leader and returned to his side in 2023.
Today, she faces a challenging scenario with an empowered agribusiness sector and a mega oil exploration plan near the Amazon, recently approved by Brazil’s environmental control authority with Lula’s enthusiastic support.
“We all live contradictions, and these contradictions are being managed,” Silva mentioned last month.
Her concerns over environmentally impactful initiatives have drawn criticism from both allies and opponents. A government-aligned senator even accused her of “hindering the country’s development.”
Carlos Nobre: The Climate Expert in Science
After decades of researching the Amazon and global warming, Brazilian meteorologist Carlos Nobre has become an international authority on climate.
He joined the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a team of scientists who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007 for highlighting environmental threats.
“Climate change deniers and populists, like former U.S. President Donald Trump and our ex-president Jair Bolsonaro (2019-2022), hold positions that store the immense risk of climate change,” Nobre, 74, told AFP.
Nobre predicted 30 years ago that the Amazon could turn into a savannah. Now, amidst historic droughts, this scientist believes that with proper environmental policies, Brazil could not only halt degradation but also be one of the first major emitters of greenhouse gases to meet Paris Agreement targets.
“Brazil has all the conditions to lead the energy transition,” he asserts.
Txai Suruí: The Indigenous Activist Championing Tradition and Technology
At 24, during COP26 in Scotland in 2021, indigenous activist Txai Suruí stood before the world, denouncing “empty promises and irresponsible emissions.”
Four years later, she has been appointed to a group of young advisors led by the UN Secretary-General.
Approximately 1.7 million indigenous people live in Brazil, some in protected areas covering about a seventh of the country. Preserving these territories reduces deforestation.
Daughter of two prominent Paiter Suruí land defenders, Txai Suruí founded the Indigenous Youth Movement of Rondonia, her native state in the north.
As a young face of indigenous activism in Brazil, Suruí champions ancestral traditions while embracing technology to combat land invaders and “save the forest,” she told AFP in 2023.
Fafá de Belém: The Amazonian Advocate through Music and Activism
When one mentions COP30, Brazilians immediately think of Belém and its renowned artist, Fafá de Belém.
At 69, with thirty albums and millions of records sold, she continues to pack concerts and inspire her fans. In 2024, one of Sao Paulo’s leading samba schools dedicated its Carnival parade to her figure.
Fafá de Belém, whose real name is Maria de Fátima Palha de Figueiredo, will perform during COP30 while keeping an eye on both the stage and negotiations, hoping that Amazonian communities are “at the heart of decisions.”
Three years ago, at a climate action meeting in New York, she expressed frustration over the absence of Amazonian representatives. In response, she founded Varanda da Amazonia, a discussion forum that gathered over a thousand Amazonian thinkers in its latest edition.
“When we talk about climate change, we discuss data, graphs, and scientific reports, which are crucial. However, art bridges the gap to people’s hearts,” Fafá told AFP.
Key Questions and Answers
- Who is Marina Silva, and why is she relevant at COP30? Marina Silva is Brazil’s 67-year-old Minister of the Environment, globally recognized for her dedication to environmental preservation and Amazonian conservation. She faces challenges with an empowered agribusiness sector and a mega oil exploration plan near the Amazon, but her concerns over environmentally impactful initiatives have drawn attention to her role at COP30.
- What is Carlos Nobre’s contribution to the climate discussion at COP30? As a renowned Brazilian climate expert, Carlos Nobre has been instrumental in highlighting the risks of climate change. His belief that Brazil can lead the energy transition and meet Paris Agreement targets with proper environmental policies makes him a significant figure at COP30.
- Why is Txai Suruí an important voice at COP30? An indigenous activist, Txai Suruí champions tradition and technology to protect Amazonian territories from deforestation. Her appointment as a young advisor to the UN Secretary-General and her advocacy for indigenous communities make her a crucial voice at COP30.
- What role does Fafá de Belém play in the climate conversation at COP30? As a popular singer and Amazonian advocate, Fafá de Belém uses her platform to ensure that Amazonian communities are central to climate decisions. Her initiatives, like founding Varanda da Amazonia, demonstrate her commitment to bridging the gap between scientific reports and people’s hearts at COP30.
