Great, we're going to go ahead and get started again. Thank you so much for being here It is my great pleasure to introduce you to our wonderful moderator, Alona Sabo Alona if you could kick us off Professor Sacks has notified us that he's running a few minutes late So if you could do your introduction and we'll start with Mercedes and we'll have Jeff Speak after her if that would be okay Apologies for the last minute change Sure, so thank you very much. Welcome everybody Distinguished panelists partners and participants to our side event at the high-level political forum Presentation of initial findings of the science panel for the Amazon. So before we start I would just like to let you know that we'll have some a tennis translation to Portuguese and Spanish speakers So please click at the interpretation icon in the bottom of your zoom By way of introduction, my name is Ilona Sabo I'm the president of the Garape Institute in Brazil a global think-and-do tank found in 2011 and Committed to delivering data-driven and evidence-based solutions on issues related to public digital and climate security So I'm your moderator for today's sessions So we are gathered here to discuss the future of the Amazon basing the world's largest tropical forest spending over seven million square kilometers and eight countries plus one territory as you all know The Amazon is vital to the stability of the world's climate and home to about 10 percent of the world's biodiversity It is home to around 40 million inhabitants Including more than 2 million indigenous peoples yet the Amazon is facing dangerous threats especially of the first station and the gradation which The vast majority is illegal. So global demand for cattle, soy, minerals, flora, fauna Trattens the ecosystems and biodiversity of the basin and the world So given these urgent challenges the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network, SDSN Has convened the science panel for the Amazon So the panel includes approximately 200 of the world's top scientists Who've assembled an unprecedented 33 chapters report It is the first of its kind and sets out a host of bold evidence-based recommendations to promote conservation and sustainable development We have an outstanding and renowned group of speakers joining us today to discuss some of these core findings of the panel's report So the report is a very serious piece of work hundreds of pages of detailed findings and maps Accompanied by short summaries as your moderator. Let me just set out the agenda for the day quite ambitious one So today's session will be opened by professor Jeffrey Sachs. We will just Post for the few minutes his remarks. He's just gonna join us in a few minutes But he's the convener of the science panel for the Amazon The president of the sustainable development solutions network and the university professor at columbia university So we'll then turn to the science panel for the amazon with inputs from some of our lead authors and members of the science steering committee Including Mercedes Bustamante, Marielos Peña-Claros, Simone Attaidi and Ricardo Abramovine After this we'll have a message from mr. Gregorio Mirabal coordinator of coica following His message we're gonna have president Santos, Guilherme Liao and Valerie Hickey They will comment the findings from the perspectives of governments business and international community We'll then have roughly 25 minutes for qna and we'll have a short closing remarks by Emma Torres So finally we'll be taking these questions from the participants So if you can send them through the chat and qna function, we'll just hope to get to as as many as possible So we'll start We'll wait for professor sachs to arrive. So we will start With the the introduction of Mercedes Bustamante co-chair of the science panel for the amazon science steering committee Professor at the university of brazilia and a member of the brazilian academy of science So the floor is yours Mercedes Thank you very much lona for the skin introduction. Good afternoon to everyone So on behalf of the sba authors and steering committee, we'd like to thank the sba strategic committee and the high level political forum for the opportunity to be here today Respect to show in the four very brief presentations that the future we want is intertwined with the amazon we want The next slide, please Before we present some of the key messages We would like to highlight the process of co-design and generation of knowledge that is a hallmark of the sba The integration of diverse visions of the future of the amazon is critical to develop in common principles and values Based on the respecting limit natural limits The panel mobilizes a network of scientists communities, practitioners and managers Across the regions and disciplines through the organization of workshops and webinars and the engagement of multiple voices The next one, please We live in the context of multiple and interrelated crisis such as climate change by diverse decline and the covid-19 pandemic Science tell us that we face potentially irreversible and catastrophic risks for humans However, science is also showing us that there is a narrow window of opportunity to change a trajectory Action is not only needed. It must be exponential and it is possible We have scalable solutions and they give they can give us better outcomes for society economy health equity and stability The next one, please So the fate of the amazon is central to the solution to the global crisis Amazon ecosystems represent a large component of the global carbon cycle They account for about 20 of the terrestrial productivity Undisturbed amazon and rainforest act as a net carbon sink But the sink may be declining over time The amazon basis is one of the most critical elements of the global climate system The amazon is a significant source of water and energy to the atmosphere And strongly influence atmospheric circulation patterns both within and outside the tropics It produced the rainfall that results in the largest river to start on earth Next one, please The modern amazon basin reflects complex geological and biological process operating over many millions of years We can identify more than 50 vegetation types from the high unders to the low parts of the amazon Even in poor soils high productivity rates are maintained thanks to the efficient mechanisms to recite nutrients mediated by biodiversity As an example, there are more species of flowering plants in 100 square meters of amazon rainforests than in the whole europe The resilience of amazonian ecosystems is dependent on these complex interactions of this extraordinary unique and irreplaceable biodiversity The amazon is still a global biophysical reactor But is showing changes in its functioning in responses to local regional and global pressures The forestation and forest degradation are two consequences of multiple drivers as land use changes and anthropogenic fires Currently 18 percent of the amazon is the forest and seven percent of it is degraded The forestation and degradation are also creating largest stent of forest edges And forest edges present modified microclimate and flammability Resulting in a spiral of degradation and significant carbon losses because of the high tree mortality Disturbed plants have put more than 8,000 endemic plants and 2,300 animals at high risk of extinction affecting forest functioning productivity and resilience Next one please That's for sorry. I think I miss Okay, sorry, of course. I thought it was awesome The forestation and degradation are not only detrimental to ecosystem health But also to human health Through increasing risk of existing infection diseases and the emergence of new ones Changes in fire regime are increasing air pollution with social and economic consequences The next one so amazon is one of the most important tipping elements in earth system Its disruption can lead to cascading effects on global systems the simultaneous impact of climate change Extreme events land use drug stress and tree mortality pose a crucial question How much forest clearing and in which locations could result in crossing tipping points Leading to persistent novel ecosystems with global biomass over large areas with potential global negative impacts Next one So finalizing the SPA consolidated a new understanding of the responses of the amazonian ecosystems to change happening at unprecedented rates And this pointed out the urgency to address solutions In the comment presentations, my colleagues will focus on the social diversity of the amazon And the crucial role of the amazonian peoples the opportunities and landscape level conservation and restoration initiatives And how a new economy can support the amazonia we want. Thank you very much for your attention. Thank you, elona Thank you very much. My fairies. So we'll continue with the the panel findings. So I'll just invite mariello spena claros Co-chair of the science panel for the amazon sciences to in committee and the professor at Wageningen university in the netherlands, please Correct me if I pronounce the the university name wrong mariello's, please the floor is yours Ilona, sorry, uh, now we have actually simoni Oh, sorry then so we're gonna have simoni at ideally the author of the science panel for the amazon and professor at florida international university with over 20 years of experience across the amazon So the floor is yours. Thank you very much Thank you very much. Elona. Can you hear me well? Yes Okay, great. Thanks everyone for being here I'm going to present a brief summary of the main initial findings of social cultural aspects from the sba next so the amazon is a place of rich biodiversity as mercedes has presented to us And this rich biodiversity that amazon holds is connected to also a huge social diversity or cultural diversity The amazon has been inhabited by diverse indigenous peoples for at least 12 000 years And these indigenous peoples along with other local communities Have significantly shaped amazon ecosystems by diversity and agro biodiversity the diversity of agricultural crops Through diverse management practices that are deeply rooted in their world views knowledge systems languages and cultural backgrounds Today the amazon is home to more than 40 million people They are living in both rural and urban areas across the eight amazonian nations plus the french cayana Of this total more than two millions are indigenous peoples consisting of more than 350 distinctive ethnic groups and nations including some 60 groups who still live in voluntary isolation Next one. Yes. So these indigenous lands traditional territories and protected areas conserve nearly 50 percent of the amazon And shows the great potential of the amazon to conserve social ecological connectivity indigenous lands the traditional territories and the protected areas They work as buffer areas to prevent illegal deforestation and the spread of forest fires as well as climate change mitigation and adaptation But these areas are under threat by several activities that include infrastructure agriculture and ranching expansion mining and oil extraction More than 80 percent of the area occupied by indigenous peoples is forested And 35 percent of all latin americans with many intact forests are occupied by indigenous peoples These numbers according to a recent FAO report These numbers are a clear indication of this closed link between culture and biological diversity in amazonian And also between human and environmental health which need to be connected They highlight indigenous peoples and local communities as crucial partners for ongoing biodiversity conservation As well as forest management fire prevention and restoration initiatives as mariel is going to present to us next next slide please So it's very important to link social justice with sustainable development and innovative governance arrangements in attainment of the sustainable development goals We need to strengthen regulatory frameworks and institutional Procedures that protect indigenous peoples and local communities land and water rights Which are critical to both social justice and the conservation of the amazon's linked social biodiversity These connections also should be strengthened between indigenous peoples and local communities lands and territories municipalities and the department had parties to promote networks and supply chains for the products of the social biodiversity next one Another aspect that we are highlighting in the sba is the importance to value and recognize indigenous languages Which are critically endangered in the amazon today. They are over 300 languages spoken in the amazon Can you believe that much less than at the time of european arrival? And in these indigenous languages are critically endangered By some of the same forces that threaten amazonian biodiversity Just as these languages cultures and worldviews are in danger of disappearing So are the important associated knowledge systems that are linked to and sustain amazonian biodiversity So we need to A key recommendation from the sba is that policies for revitalizing strengthening and conserving indigenous languages need to be better Integrated to policies to conserve amazonian biodiversity. It's a very important message here Also, we need to recognize the role of women Which have played a very important role in amazonian conservation development including the madness of amazonian agro biodiversity Food security and sovereignty very important today, especially considering the coven COVID-19 crisis And the contribution of indigenous women as well as youth organizations in knowledge systems territorial management and research stewardship Should be recognized and we need to guarantee special support To their participation in decision-making and management initiatives next one And finally amazonian amazonian peoples are already leading the design and implementation of sustainable solutions in the amazon In the sba we present a set of numerals examples across the amazon where these initiatives are already taking place Now we're sharing those stories To inspire the future of the amazon we went Despite the fact that besides an interest of local people have been overlooked They are generating alternative approaches to manage and restore landscapes Elaborating new marketing systems and forms of governance So we recognize that recommend that the participation of indigenous peoples and local communities in decision-making and in the design of sustainable solutions for the amazon Need to be ensured and strengthened That's my presentation. Thank you very much Thank you so much simon. Now we have mariello spena claros co-chair of the science panel for the amazon sciences team committee And the professor at the wageningen university in the netherlands with the floris or as mariello's Thank you. Ilona Can you hear me well? Yes perfect Thank you. Again. Good morning. Good afternoon. I will highlight some of the key messages related to the conservation and restoration opportunities that we have identified in the sba report Can I have the next slide? Yes As we have heard and we all know the amazon has high diversity in biological social and cultural terms The threats to biodiversity and the systems functioning are also very diverse. Think about agriculture expansion mining hunting illegal trade These threats originate from within the basin but also from outside the basin Therefore, there are no single or simple solutions to solve the amazon social environmental problem instead A broad set of initiatives need to be adopted replicated adjusted to local conditions and scaled up The participation of amazonian peoples like um, like you just heard in this process is key for guaranteeing the success of such initiatives It is also very important to realize that the success of any initiative promoting the conservation of the amazon Also depends on global actions that address climate change and that address improving our governance of the supply chains to avoid Exporting deforestation river fragmentation and other environmental harm harms We need to we need to focus both on landscape level conservation and on restoration initiatives We need to conserve forests and water bodies is probably more urgent than ever And we can do so through strict protection or through sustainable use of the resources Restoration at least is important to reverse the damage already done to terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems But restoration actions can be costly and complex to implement So it's actually better to avoid deforestation and degradation so that we don't need to take restorative actions So then the question is but how can we stop deforestation? How can we stop degradation to stop deforestation? We need Certainly new initiatives that include a broad and coordinated suite of measures implemented at various scales and jurisdiction if we take for example If we take as an example the The deforestation program that the brazilian government implemented in between 2005 and 2014 There were lots of actions been taken at the municipal level at state level at the national level and for that time It did it did work In terms of stopping degradation preventing forest fires Is a priority fire prevention requires changes in farming practices Monitoring of fire events forecasting drought intensity and fire risk and we certainly also need Well-trained and well-equipped fire brigades About 30 percent of the of the Amazon basin has been either deforested or degraded So we are talking about eight hundred thousands per kilometers This means that there are plenty of opportunities to implement restoration To move for to move toward to move towards a successful restoration We need to identify priority areas through participatory approaches involving local local peoples and governments In the chapter dealing with restore in the chapters dealing with restoration We provide an overview of the of the restoration options currently available for the amazon These options are relevant and technically feasible for the different contexts that we find in the amazon basin The approach to be used depends on the type of disturbance to which the area has been subjected to And it depends as well on the restoration means Restoration Can only be successful if it provides benefits to people through restoring and creation of sustainable and socially economic activities This is very important. So I would like to provide two examples of restoration actions that can be undertaken One of them is restoring agriculture productivity to reduce deforestation Restoring the productivity of abandon or degraded agricultural land is very important to cover The current and future demands for food fiber and other products Studies have estimated that if we will manage to restore this agricultural land already being used or misused maybe We will be there will not be need to convert additional forested areas into agricultural land So as as the previous speakers have mentioned several alternatives to restore productivity are currently being designed And try out and implemented by local peoples and organizations Think for example of forestry systems improve shifting cultivation better and better practices for cattle hunching another action that we could take Refers to restoring fisheries and curbing overfishing Fish provides millions of people in the amazon with primary sources for protein and other essential nutrients restoring fisheries defore involves the development Unenforcement of sustainable fishing practices and regulations restoring and protecting critical habitats and improved inventory Our studies have also shown that for management can be very effective especially when Responsibility is raised with local uses and governments So I think one of the key messages here is that local peoples and local governments are really very important To promote conservation and restoration in the amazon. Thank you Thank you very much marielos Now we have ricardo abramo vai lead author of the science panel for the amazon and a professor at the university of Sao paulo He's the author of the book amazonia for a nature-based knowledge economy. Please ricardo the floor is yours Thank you ilona Good afternoon. Good morning everyone The third part of the science panel is about solutions and when we think about solutions Bioeconomy comes immediately to mind But one of the main paradoxes of our time Is that the amazon is yet far from the social scientific technological Frontier of the contemporary bioeconomy The sustainable use and added value of its social biodiversity Is the main path for it to continue offering the world Ecosystem service is essential for the life on the planet at the same time This is where the opportunities to improve the living conditions of rural forest based and urban populations lie Bioeconomy is important not only in creating Opportunities for the rural and forest inhabitants But also as a source of solutions for urban challenges by the mean of nature-based solution Making the sustainable use of the forest and rivers social biodiversity the epicenter of amazonian economic development implies recognizing the importance of the knowledge Accumulated by its forest peoples as well as valuing current regenerative practices That are gaining increasing importance in the region. There is a rich spiritual and material culture That is under threat and that must be protected and value next please The social and economic base for sustainable use of forest and rivers is broad and diverse And diverse it involves traditional activities of indigenous peoples and local communities family farming systems market by land uses that protect and enhanced biodiversity but also commodity agriculture Focused on the production of grain and meat Which is increasingly facing the challenge of contributing to keeping the forest standing and the rivers flowing until now Cattle ranching and soy plantations are among the main drivers of deforestation in the amazon It's urgent that the sector also change its Productive methods to contribute to social biodiversity Next please the growing world attention to the advance of deforestation Has resulted in the broad mobilization of diversified social and political forces in the amazon that seek Alternatives to predatory forms of use of the region Not only international agreements such as the leticia pact stand out in this context But also the role of both sub-national governments and coalitions made up of civil society organizations Companies scientists and the indigenous peoples and local communities leadership And the governance of the transition to a nature based knowledge economy next please One of the most important premises for the emergence of a new bioeconomy is to change the conception and forms of implementation Of infrastructure playing for the amazon Meeting the basic needs of its populations high quality internet connections Agile transport service and high quality information to improve the commercialization of products Are basic objectives to reach in most cases the current Infrastructure does not attend next please The amazon has today several educational and research organizations working for the nature based knowledge economy with the appropriate level of institutional investments and international collaboration A new bioeconomy of standing forest and flowing rivers can flourish and the contribution of the scientific organizations of the amazon itself Is essential next please The biggest obstacle to the sustainable use of the amazon is in the prevailing view among the economic and political elites of our countries Which to this day see the region as a kind of empty space to be occupied by agricultural activities and conventional mining And the data show that these conventional activities were not way able to bring well-being To the populations of the amazon and have become drivers of forest destruction Bioeconomy is the main way for the amazon to deliver ecosystem service from which the life on earth depends And to improve the well-being of the 40 million people who live in the region many things Thank you so much each of you mercedes simoni marielles and ricardo for agreeing to share your reflections with us today So i'm sure we'll have a very fascinating discussion In the end of the session but before We're very lucky to have with us professor jeffrey sox the convener of the science panel for the amazon The president of the sustainable development solutions network and the university professor at columbia university So over to you professor sacks Ilana, thank you so much Thanks to all of you. I apologize for joining late. I've caught the Last two of the presentations, which are absolutely wonderful I'm in athens in a conference and was speaking in in the session that just ran late But let me tell you how remarkable Your output is This is without question the most comprehensive in-depth cutting-edge holistic vision of the amazon that exists And how vital and and how remarkable that you the 200 Or so scientists have put this together with the such commitment clarity passion And speed because of the urgency The science panel for the amazon was launched With a kind of urgency because we saw a political process that was running absolutely Rapidly in the wrong direction a very dangerous direction a direction of Lack of enforcement of laws on the books lack of the insight that we just heard from riccardo about what Sustainable amazon really means for the inhabitants of the region lack of awareness of the Near tipping point state of degradation of the amazon certainly lack of Any of the depth that you have brought to the fore in this amazing volume And I think that the payoff We will make sure that it is a huge With this vital resource that you have created now we'll have the public consultation But soon we'll be delivering this volume to I world leaders I will make sure absolutely it's sitting on the desks of The secretary general of the un The leaders of the g20 countries including of course Countries of the amazon basin The pope francis who of course in the synod on the amazon that I was Honored to be part of together with the carlo snow bray We'll welcome this report and the Vatican is so profoundly committed to sustainable development and the Sustainability of the peoples of the amazon also that i'm sure that this will be received with the enormous Commitment and gratitude We'll make sure that this is heard around the world And it's so timely because we are entering an intensive diplomatic period now I'm on my way to the Summit of the un food system summit. There'll be a pre-summit at fao July 26 to 28 and There will be a number of world leaders at this summit I will have hard copies of the draft report to share with the leaders there Then there will be in september the un food system summit In october the opening of the kun ming cop 15 of the convention on biological diversity In november of course is glasco cop 26 on climate and This report is central for all of those issues and for all of The global reorientation towards sustainable development then Keep in mind that And I think very important The g20 In the coming year this year. It's led by italy in the coming year. It will be led by indonesia Indonesia is another country that knows about the fragility of the Rainforest ecosystems another country that shares with the amazon basin some of the critical challenges of Reorientation of the need for financing solutions financing sustainability So I want to use This effort of all of us of the spa to help inform the g20 process during the Year of the indonesian presidency Emma and I have also been in discussion with the leaders of the kongo basin president shisiketi of the democratic republic of kongo and The 13 countries of the kongo basin Are well aware of this spa They know about the science panel for the amazon and there is strong interest in using The guidance and the wisdom that you have demonstrated in creating a science panel for the kongo basin In the same way. I hope we can call on some of you for guidance and leadership in that area But what you have done is already inspiring other regions in southeast asia and in The kongo basin in africa to do the same and what a template you have made. It's so beautiful I'm leafing through the chapters. Of course. I haven't read them in detail yet, but the framing The the deep history of the region the deep geology The biodiversity the history of the peoples the history of the economic exploitation and the solutions It's a thrill to have it all together So I will stop here because I would go on and on Saying the same thing that I am so excited for what you have accomplished And I see this as an extremely powerful tool I want your suggestions and guidance as clearly posed as possible for How we can use finance. This is where I can come in I can come in to help mobilize new financing New models of financing new models of community Financing new models of sustainability financing of the standing rainforest, but I need All of the wisdom here and believe me. I will be your champion for this cause We will be working on mobilizing new paid in capital for The inter-american development bank among others and other kinds of innovative financial approaches In the in the immediate next months So this will be I think a way to turn the wisdom into Real scaled Programmatic efforts. That's of course our our profound commitment. So friends. Thank you to all Andrea Thank you for co-leading with Carlos and to all of the Wonderful colleagues in this process. You've created an absolute marvel That is a tremendous breakthrough. Thank you so much Thank you very much professor sacks, and thank you for the good news You know, I we couldn't agree more on your kudos to the report this scientists done an amazing amazing work So we're very excited to go through the initial findings But also it's very important that you highlighted the urgency Of just how how urgent we need to find solutions But also how timely this report is and and the time of the launch will be able to inform This very high-level event that they're crucial and will determine the the future of the region But also super super happy to know on the next steps that you're bringing this model for other regions So let us know more when the time comes So now Yeah, we'll be very happy to just cheer and just support the other endeavors So before handing over to our next set of very impressive speakers We'll hear a message from Jose Gregorio Diaz Mirabal The general coordinator of the coordination of the indigenous organizations of the amazon basing and a member of the strategic committee Of the science panel for the amazon Should we try once again just to have it with sound? Was there sound that time? No, unfortunately not Yeah, can we maybe go to the next speaker and I will try to fix this. I am sincerely Sorry that it's not working Well, no problem. We tried to hear from Jose Gregorio Diaz Mirabal at the end So we are very lucky to have with us still after this amazing set of speakers very very I would say Impressive speakers to come. So I would also invite The first one of them present one manuel santos Farmer present of colombia nobel peace prize laureate and the member of the science panel for the amazon strategic committee So they together with guillermo leo and valeriki will also provide some initial initial reactions On the findings that we just heard from so please president santos over to you thank you very much and I would like to start by Echoing the words of professor sacks I Read very superficially the 33 conclusions and recommendations and the different analysis that was made in this Report and I was very very impressed. I I never imagined that in such a short amount of time such Rich information could be gathered analyzed and digested And it's a great great importance. I want to also thank professor sacks for His passion and involvement in this initiative I've been a witness of His passion for the sustainment development in general but for this particular report in particular in in In particular I I would like to stress something that Comes out from my own experience and I tried many times when I was present for eight years to bring together the eight countries and for the eight countries to work Together and be effective in the implementation of the decisions And it was very difficult. It was very difficult for political reasons lack of coordination, so I remember that We had the initiative of the we called it the triple a on this Amazon and atlantic and A corridor that we wanted to create to protect the All the indigenous communities that lived in that corridor and Of course the amazon basin We all had it All set for a summit There was a change in the government of ecuador and suddenly it simply Didn't follow through Because the new president of ecuador at that time wanted something different I bring this as an example of Of the need of a political will and political coordination unfortunately Right now in latin america and especially in these eight countries that That there are part of the amazon You you don't see that political leadership You don't see any of those presidents taking the baton And driving the force for example of the cost of the amazon My president And I talked for colombia The leticia pact was made in my country in leticia well my president Suddenly Said it was very important But when he has to deliver for example by ratification of the escasso treaty He does not deliver for political reasons, so I think that this information is extremely important to to give more importance to evidence and science over Politics and ideology and it should be in a way presented With that purpose There's so so much information and things are so When you digest it and you simplify it Such powerful messages that we have to Start repeating that in order for that to have a constructive political Effect In a way depoliticize Or taking ideology out of the discussion And politicizing the discussion in the sense of making everybody aware of how important saving the amazon is I think this is and and what this report does is gives us the the tools the ammunition to To fulfill to perform That very important task Professor sacks was was Mentioning many summits that we have for example this year the food summit the biodiversity summit the summit in glasgow as a matter of fact, I think that we have We have at a certain moment in time and the sooner the better to merge all these efforts Because they are very very much interconnected Saving biodiversity and climate change are one of the same Challenge and we have to start merging them And I think it would be very important if in all of these summits the effect of the amazon of What it would take What would what it would cost if we don't act on the on on saving the amazon for example in climate change or The effect on the biodiversity That would In a way Multiply the effect of this report I I think that the the idea of Professor sacks of putting the report in the desk of every head of state is is what is needed But not only at the head of of each head of state every congress every parliament and every governor and every mayor should have This report and act upon it because also as as in the and as has been said so many times You need a coordination of international bodies national bodies And at the state level and the municipal level and of course the deniers communities and all the civil society and social communities that live in the amazon If we don't have an effort that is coordinated In that way then We will not be effective we have Big enemies of what we're doing most of them illegal activities And therefore and in my own experience When I had to confront this problem bringing in with the with real Political will the justice This systems and the police systems in the countries also to combat The illegality that is causing So much damage in my country we had the the report last Last week of deforestation again deforestation increased increased By a good percentage and so we need to act much faster and much more effectively and Therefore this report if you we simplify the messages and give the the the tools and the information to the right People I think the effect would be extremely extremely beneficial And I would end up end up By saying something About the indides communities and how important it is to preserve them to protect them And to in a way use them use them constructively my experience with them the first time I I Entered into contact with them with when I became minister of defense back in the year 2006 and They started to teach me their culture there's their concept of justice their concept of of Maintaining the environment and I fell in love with them and I started studying and in and And understanding What they what their culture was And this is what we need in the world today many of the concepts are very simple very powerful So if we also make their Their knowledge and their culture better known to the world The effect of protecting them would be much Enhanced I I truly believe because it was my own experience. I I I even went When I became president to a to to ask for their permission to go to congress to become president Because I was so impressed by the way They taught me the most simple things In the most powerful way that I think that that effect worldwide would be Very beneficial also for the world to know how important it is to protect the amazon And protect the people who live in the amazon But again, congratulations to all to the 200 scientists. I think you did a great job Thank you, professor sacks and thank you all of you who are doing this great work of saving the most important region in the world, which is the amazon. Thank you Thank you so much president santos I think you touched upon so many important issues But thank you for highlighting the central role of indigenous communities Because I think You know without them there is no forest and we know that where they are the forest is more preserved And I think they have a very very central role in anything that we think or or just dream for this region But also I think the importance of the science Science-based public policies So we will count on you to bring this message to the leaders of all powers of the states of the region And the world because I think as you said, you know, it's a it's a global common good the amazon And also, thank you for highlighting the whole of society approach that is needed to go forward and implementing solutions So thank you very much. Let me let me add just two small points There is an initiative called the 30 30 We to have 30 percent of the Of the world protected as as protected territory by the year 2030 It would be a great initiative to Include in that initiative a much higher percentage for the amazon And I think this initiative is going well. I I've seen in many governments that they are Supported the initiative but making a special case for the amazon would be I think extremely Important I stopped there. Thank you Thank you very much. You got a you know our support. So just if you can move with this recommendation We will we'll just go after you in the support So now we're very lucky also to have a guillermo leal the co-founder and co-chairman of natura and coal And also a member of the science panel for the amazon strategic committee. Please guillermo Hi lona. Thank you. Thank you so much. It's a pleasure to be here at this panel and Honor to to follow president santos I would start congratulating In applaud Once again the science panel for the amazon initiative and the fundamental role that this very diverse rich group Has played in facing a challenge the size of the amazon and producing a so rich report This event and this type of connection and reflections promoted by the s by the the sba between scientists businessmen civil society indigenous peoples local communities and state representatives Are the only and most efficient ways of transforming the amazon a vital region for brazilians like me for our latin american neighbors And assuredly for the whole world as said, but it's always needed to reinforce I speak out here The complex ecosystem gear which absence impedes Any possible future for the earth The magnitude of the draft Report prepared by more than 200 preeminent scientists from the amazon region With its 33 chapters Gives an exact measure of the challenge We face however the answers are just as complex One of the biggest challenges facing amazon is to be so heterogeneous To be always plural the first step is to recognize its diversity and of Interdependent realities for re-agreing The course of a development that meets social needs And the purpose of preserving the wealth the value of the the amazon bioma It is to welcome their multiple voices in a movement that needs to be continuous And built up through dialogue and sharing of views Given the inherent complexity of preparing a development proposal It is essential to understand what is happening in amazon And amazon with at least four different stand structures and occupation patterns as described by adalberto verissimo our dear fellow The conserved amazon covered by a rich and biodiverse rainforest The ark of deforestation the portion market by the loneliness And under attack by economic activities most often predatory The anthropized Region which has been already converted and dominated by the production of Commodities such as agriculture and mining finally the amazon of the cities Which includes large urban areas and small village scatters catered In various municipalities Those four different patterns of stand structure and occupation Are firmly based on deforestation economy on destruction To avoid this fate. We urgently need to unite ourselves for an economy of life The draft report of this panel Clearly demonstrate that amazon does not allow simplifications The amazon is complex with diverse voices and perspectives uncountable conflicts interests and possibilities We are native peoples Kilambolas riverside dwellers minors farmers urban populations migrants activists religious military politicians and businessmen We are 35 million amazonians who have A determinant part of our future as nations in the rainforest We are here precisely to expand our collective capacity to speak up and listen about the amazon And thus Reestablishing the course of development for the region In the light of science as ilona mentioned Reinforce the the view of president santos and people's life In the same sense, we started a movement in brazil called a concert a song pela amazonia Which many of you are part of Which dialogues with Previous studies and reflections such as the reference works of distinguished researchers Such as bertha becker beto verissimo and daniela excelentano Uma concert a song pela amazonia is essentially characterized by plurality It is a network of more than 250 leaders who come together from the needs Need the need to institutionalize a plural and democratic debate on the development path of the region Dialogue that is not common those days We connect police makers policy makers academics entrepreneurs politicians and local communities for synergy and positive impact solutions We believe that knowledge Attemptively listening and the creation of the new political spaces such as this one Can ultimately lead us to overcome a predatory and colonizing logic The first response as a stakeholder i propose to reflect on the whole of business In this spiral of transformation that we have thought Companies tend to reflect the society's expectation of changes and are major Generators of innovation and wealth and in this 21st century global society Realized the scale of the climate crisis the massive loss of biodiversity and the unacceptable social inequality The relationships between consumer Consumers suppliers and investors are and will remain being increasingly dictated by environmental and social governance mechanisms And the markets are already pricing this The need for governance is the second response as a stakeholder i propose for a reflection In this scenario, it is important to reinforce as Another time as president santo said the effective action of government in terms of planning inspection and formulation of public policies And this is the first condition for opportunities for sustainable development to be established Finally as a third response as a stakeholder, it's necessary to provide as Our friend ricardo abramo vai said Quality infrastructure to the region that could help to fight climate crisis reduce the loss of biodiversity And give the decent access to primary education health and security services to The governance and cooperation scientific knowledge and quality infrastructure With meaningful purpose Indicate the complex way for the development in the amazon Another time. Thank you. You all that involve it in the the the report of the sba a fantastic to To enhance the quality of life of this Population and the richness of the amazon as i hold. Thank you so much Thank you so much. Guillemin. Thank you for being such a champion for the private sector awareness And i think understanding that an economy of life A green economy in the region is abundant. It's possible and is the future So thank you for bringing the future to present and for engaging the whole of society in this debate So i wish that all your endeavors in this sense will be just uh bigger and bigger each day So now, uh, we're gonna hear from valery heaking practice manager From the environment and natural resources global practice of the world bank. Please valery the floor is yours Thank you so much. Alona and good afternoon everybody. I apologize that i'm coming to you from my car But unfortunately in these interesting days of working from home when your electricity goes out and your wi-fi goes away And the local cell towers aren't working. You have to get in your car and drive somewhere very quickly to get service But of course that kind of a problem is nothing compared to the covet that is ravaging the countries and the communities across the amazon basin and across latin america And my heart and the heart of everybody at the world bank goes out to everybody. And of course, it's not just covet It's also climate change and these twin emergencies prove more than ever how important it is that science Has a very very strong voice and decision making and that's why i send huge congratulations to the sustainable development solutions network for convening 200 scientists to sit together even in a virtual world And to come up with a new thinking on what has to happen in the amazon This report the 33 chapters really get to the heart of a terrible terrible paradox in the amazon that we don't spend enough time Thinking about and that's the fact that you have some of the poorest people in the world Living side by side with the greatest natural capital riches that the world has I always think of the state of amazonas in brazil It's the third poorest state in the country of brazil And yet it contains one quarter of the entire amazon basin And it has managed to protect 96 of its basin How can that be and that speaks to the fact that we need a new approach and that's what this report is beginning to tease us To beginning to help us think through it's a new approach where we don't just think about the amazon as a global public war zone Where you have people who want conservation fighting side by side against people who want development And instead we begin to think about the amazon as a place Where there is a community first approach where it's the local and indigenous communities those Communities and families on whose shoulders we ask to protect this global asset We get to put their future first and we get to put the future in their hands And that's a future that integrates conservation and development And this is something that we have seen the world bank has been engaged in working across the amazon For the past 30 years and more and we have seen proof of concept that integrating conservation and development can work You can grow the forest While you create a pathway out of poverty for those communities in the forest and we think this is incredibly incredibly important And it's the same idea that drives the gf financed amazon sustainable landscapes program That we're currently managing across the amazon basin It's the idea of investing directly In micro and small businesses that sustainably use the natural capital riches to create a path to the middle class for those communities While also making sure that we're investing in protected area management making sure that that amazon is better And the asl the amazon sustainable landscapes program much like what these 33 chapters conclude Is that there are two things that matter one is that we need to accelerate the contagion of good practice and good ideas And that good practice and good ideas come from the people in the amazon We don't have to wait for outsiders To come with answers the answers are homegrown and they're there And those answers have to drive and have to accelerate progress through collaboration And it's not just about creating a coalition of the willing people who would like to do something Good intentions aren't enough. This is about the collaboration of the working People in the public sector whether it's at federal or national levels, whether it's at state government local governments small municipalities Whether it's the private sector working together with the public sector and we say private sector We mean everybody from the smallest farmer to the largest business How can we get the public and private sector working together? And how can we make sure they collaborate? With the local indigenous communities who are basically the stewards of this incredible asset who have to be at the table Another reason I commend the science panel for the amazon because you have the communities at the table at this report And one of the places we have to collaborate better really is around investment And this is something of course that professor sacks raised We need to invest more in the amazon We need to invest to create that pathway out of poverty while growing the forest not diminishing it And we know to be able to do that. We have to tap into private finance including private climate finance Thinking about getting more international public finance isn't enough There's never going to be enough money in the gf. There's never going to be enough money in the gcf So we have to think about tapping private finance And to do that we need to make sure that two things happen the first and and Guillermo pointed to this is the And of course so did president santos the need for effective government management We need stronger government institutions that are credible stewards of a strong regulatory framework the private sector wants Clear rules of the game So that they know what the rules of the game are and they have a partner in government with whom they can work That becomes incredibly important, but we also need to better use international public finance from institutions like my own the world bank So that for example, we can invest in the kind of quality infrastructure that Guillermo talked about The kind of infrastructure that will get goods from the amazon to market will get services and people outside the amazon into the amazon to see The incredible things that are there But do it in a way that's responsible That's sustainable and allows the amazon to really embrace a green future and this is incredibly important And this is what we see as we read the 33 chapters is not just that the chapters themselves and the substance of the report Speak to this need for thinking about an integrated conservation and development future That is built on the dreams of the people who live there not on the demands of outsiders But that it's not just substance that matters how we come to this conclusion matters and I again commend the science panel for pulling together homegrown scientists and your own experts And communities for looking inside for the answers and no longer looking outside For those good ideas We at the bank whether it's through our amazon sustainable landscape program Whether it's through all our colleagues working across the amazon we stand ready to Disseminate these lessons and the the results of this these wonderful 33 chapters But also to answer the call for action So that the future you as amazon people want is a future we can help you achieve. Thank you alona Thank you so much valerie all very important points And thank you for highlighting the importance of climate finance because you know we have the solutions We need the right arrangements creative arrangements should just be able to implement then So I will just quickly try to show us again the video from Gregorio Diaz Mirabal and so let's let's see if we're lucky to hear from him Curripaco de la triple flontera entre venezuela Colombia y brasil Actualmente soy el coordinador general de la coica Una organización indígena internacional Que representa A los 511 pueblos indígenas De la cuenca amazónica Ubicado entre nueve países de sur america A la cual nosotros No la vemos con fronteras sino como un ser vivo la amazonia para nosotros en nuestra casa Es un bioma es un ser vivo que Necesita en este momento del apoyo de la humanidad dicho esto Quiero reconocer ante ustedes Los que nos oyen el informe Preliminar que se va a presentar en el día de hoy y saludar A todos los miembros del panel científico por la amazonia en búsqueda de soluciones nosotros Consideramos Que la ciencia en este momento representada en el panel científico Los pueblos y nacionalidades indígenas de la amazonia La tecnología Y nuestra ciencia nuestro conocimiento indígena Nuestra cosmovivencia territorial Se unen En este informe Para dar Un mensaje De preocupación pero también de propuesta al mundo A las empresas a los bancos a los gobiernos Queremos la voluntad de nuestros gobiernos De salir adelante Y salvar la amazonia y a nuestros pueblos Y es por eso Que hacemos un llamado urgente Articular a mejorar El sistema económico que respete la naturaleza que respete la selva amazónica Avalorar Los conocimientos que han permitido Que los territorios indígenas sigan siendo los territorios mejor conservados del planeta Y que nos permitan Participar plenamente en un plan de acción Con la ciencia con la voluntad de los gobiernos Y con una economía distinta En un plan de soluciones Para la selva amazónica Finalmente sólo pedirles Su voluntad Su apoyo Para que esta iniciativa de la ciencia de los pueblos indígenas Se ha valorado, se ha respetado Y que se ha desarrollado en un plan Que nos permita Mantener la vida en este planeta Y es por eso Que hoy Le decimos a todos ustedes Por favor Salvemos la humanidad Superemos esta Crisis Economica, climática Sanitaria Alimentaria Y esta extinción De la biodiversidad Respetando este informe Apoyando este informe Donde está la ciencia de nuestros pueblos La ciencia De Nuestros hermanos Especialistas En estudio científico Y sólo falta El apoyo La voluntad de los gobiernos De los bancos De las empresas Y de todos los seres humanos Muchísimas gracias So a very important message from Gregorio So the Amazon is a live being And there is so much to discuss Here in a session now We got a lot of questions And I'm sure there will be many Of other events of this kind Just discussing the findings Of this report It says as we said 33 chapters So I apologize in advance For not getting to all your questions There will be more opportunities So I would like just to start with Mercedes If you could answer a question That came, if you agree With the recent research that says The regions of the Amazon rainforest Are now emitting more CO2 Than they absorb So will the Amazon stop being a carbon sink Soon? When? Thank you Ilona for this question This is a quite important one Precisely today A paper was published in Nature And some of the authors of this paper Are also authors in the SPA So what they are showing Is in the east part Because of the simultaneous impacts Of climate change Deforestation and forest degradation The forest is emitting More carbon than absorbing But this is So far restricted to this part of the Amazon It's important to stress that the Amazon Is a large region in the SPA Considering the Amazon from the high Andes until the low parts of the forest And we have a gradient A rainfall gradient And a seasonality gradient from the west To the east part of the Amazon So in this precisely In this part of the Amazon Where we concentrate the major impacts Of the forestation, degradation And anthropogenic fires So we have there are very dangerous Mixers of pressures And drops of changes in the region So about the limit We still have some uncertainties But I would say that we have Already 8% Of the forest Converted And 70% is degraded So this is almost 40% Of the forest under pressure So this is an experiment I would say that we should not Try to perform So we really need And I was very concerned When President Santos said that also The forestation rates in Colombia Are also rising as in Brazil So we really need Based on these And the information consolidated For the science panel We need really to stop the forestation Right now and try to stop Also the degradation process This is important as mentioned The Amazon rainforest is an important Tip and element in the global Earth systems and thus can Really jeopardize all The global initiatives To stop climate change Thank you Thank you so much, Mercedes Thank you so much for being here for Simone So when we talk about scientists In the indigenous populations The indigenous people are not in the scientific Knowledge Can you give us some specific policy opportunities For integrating conservation Of indigenous languages and cultures With conservation of biodiversity Yes Hello everyone, thank you so much For the question That's a challenging one but very important one Thank you for that I think I want to add This is very good because it adds to What Gregorio just presented In the video and also President Santos spoke before That indigenous knowledge And indigenous languages are Together and encoded All the knowledge that is encoded In indigenous languages Need to be Valued and need to be Shared and understood For a broader understanding For a more holistic understanding Of the Amazon, for a context-based Understanding of the Amazon And it should be really recognizing Equal terms with Scientific knowledge Because of its long-term place-based Character Also avoiding Detaching Or decontextualizing Indigenous knowledge and languages From the places where they develop Because the knowledge And the languages are Developed are co- Have been co-evolving with the land Co-evolving with nature Co-evolving with biodiversity So it's really important to Have in mind that decontextualizing And bringing them to just A scientific interpretation It's not appropriate To really Value and understand How this knowledge is formed And transmitted. It's very Genious also among The same community Different people may hold different knowledge About nature, about biodiversity For example, women might have Different knowledge in comparison to men And sometimes this knowledge Is just taking at something like a thing And it's not, it's really evolving So I'm just going to give one example Of Policies that could be developed To integrate Biodiversity and language And linguistic diversity in the Amazon One example is Policies for intercultural education But intercultural education Not only for indigenous peoples But by indigenous peoples Also very important to highlight That these policies should be developed In collaboration with indigenous peoples And led by indigenous peoples And local communities as well And not for indigenous people So we really need That collaboration And that participation, that participatory Approach in the development of this policy So intercultural education also for No indigenous peoples So that people can understand The Amazon from a different perspective As President Santos was saying So for non-indigenous peoples Territorial management policies Sociological monitoring policies Even using technological devices Should value the indigenous language Should value the local concepts And the local designations For places, for events For processes that happen in the Amazon Consultation protocols Should be developing indigenous languages Understanding the system From their own perspective And also biodiversity inventories And research that should be done By and with indigenous peoples Thank you Thank you so much, Simón We're almost running out of time But I would like to take a few more questions There's one here For Ricardo Which is the public notice Of frequency bands to be used For 5G technology Was recently launched in Brazil One of the commitments to be assumed By the winners of the auction Is the coverage of federal highways With 4G technology However, in the Amazon region Transport occurs mainly by waterways Which were excluded from these commitments So how is the SDSN Translating the crucial link To justice and climate change into action? So I think they're mixing Two questions here. So I think one is On the technology And one is like the commitments Into action. So maybe Ricardo If you could answer these questions to us Ilona, I think this question Reflects The lack Of institutional coordination To our development In the Amazon And what is lacking Is the vision About what we want From the Amazon Until now, the answer To this question is The Amazon is the place By which Our Trucks passes to export Soybean And to deliver energy To our continent And this is Inadmissible This is not correct This is not a vision Sustainable of the Amazon We have to have An international Coordination Institutional And international coordination In order to have Internet connection Of Very high quality In the forest Us, we have to have Decentralized energy In the forest And in the cities We have to Elaborate Nature-based solutions To float Etc It's important to stress That in this moment We are fighting Against deforestation Eliminate deforestation Eliminate deforestation It's not an arrival Point It's a starting point It's a starting point For the question that All Latin America People have to ask What we want From the Amazon My answer is the Amazon Is the main opportunity To our continent To move toward The scientific And technological frontier Of Contemporary development We will not be In this frontier In microchips In automobile production But we have The vocation The possibility The opportunity to be In this frontier We will use of social Biodiversity And this is the Way of creating Opportunities of jobs And Income for Fighting against poverty And misery in the Amazon Thank you Thank you so much, Ricardo, now one for Marielos. There is a question That says that the successful elements Of the Amazon deforestation And the plan created by The Brazilian government in 2004 The plan to combat deforestation Was the fight Against environmental crimes And also human rights violations in the region However, these institutional apparatus Of the federal government has been destroyed Currently So how was the issue Of combating illegal practices Doubt within the context of the report And if The report looked only into The degradation In the agriculture point of view Or also analyzed illegal mining for instance So Marielos If you could just give us your perception Thank you for the questions I will start with the most easy one In the sense of In the report we have Dedicated quite some We actually are providing Different options of restoration Different drivers of degradation Like mining But also for hunting Or overfishing For illegal trafficking So all these different drivers Of deforestation Or degradation and how We can restore those areas Subjected to them Are included In the report So if you will have access to the report I think to the Summary chapters I think you need to look into chapters 28 to 30 more To get more detailed information Of all these different cases I only highlighted a couple of them Indeed I think the way that So one of the key aspects That are actually being Is actually being dealt In the report Is illegal activities How could be illegal activities Due for example For land speculation Or illegal activities Related to the extraction of resources In that timber Or hunting for commercial use Or Any other illegal activities So in the report We are highlighting What are the consequences Of those activities But also providing some Recommendations Of how we could deal with that And what I think In big lines I think what we need Is really co-management Getting involved In local communities For example In patrolling or monitoring For example I know There is this initiative in Bolivia In which indigenous communities Have been trained And have been giving Tools like Cell phones with GPS In which they can monitor the forest During the Fire season To indicate where fire is occurring And then inform to see To try to combat All these Fire cases So I think there are a lot of potential In terms of looking together For options The most important is to see How we can coordinate Activities among the different Amazonian countries Among the different states That are part of the Amazon Basin I think that Illegality Crosses borders We need to act accordingly to that Thank you Thank you so much Marielos, two more questions President Santos I'll start with you There is a person that says That you're quite right when you say That politics come above science When it should be the other way around However it seems to be that politics It is And it will be above everything else Is there a way to change this reality Or even maybe to use the logic Of politics in favor of the Amazon And science Well For the world today It gives science The place it deserves Politicians Many times Do not value Science And take decisions Without the proper Information, the proper evidence Because of political reasons Politics of course Is what we need but good politics Is making the good decisions Based On science And what I have learned In my political Career And what the pandemic has also Fortunately taught us Is that we have to hear science Much more So I think we are in the Correct trend We need to accelerate it And that's why I think this report Is so important This report in a way Digested in simple Messages Is an extremely Powerful message for politicians To give science Much more importance in their decisions For example with respect To the Amazon Thank you very much President Santos And final question to Guilherme Before hearing from Emma Torres With their closing remarks It's a question on the brain drain So how How to, I mean the Amazon Suffers from brain drain So to adapt to his context Like what's, how The region and can Just get science and translating The question as I'm speaking so sorry for that So how the region and scientists And business leaders Can be kept in Just looking for solutions For the Amazon because we today face Brain drain to Europe and the US And to other places around the world So do you have any recommendations On scaling up The investment in green technologies Green business and to generate Attractive jobs That could keep people In the local market Also if you think that If the ESG momentum Can be catalyzed To just protect The Amazon if business finance Can take, I think taking To account the ESG importance To the companies And the finance development To be also a force For the Amazon. Thanks Ilona. I think we have A fantastic opportunity As My friend Ricardo said To Enjoy the Opportunities of The idea that you described It's like the Green Silicon Valley The new Biotechnology Center For the whole world Many years ago In an Event Were In Colombia I shared the dream Of Performing The Law The place With the organized crime Deforestation The Backyards of most of our Countries In a center of production Of knowledge Of biotechnologies In the center to Irradiate to the whole world If With a political agreement As President Sun said It starts with politics If we agreed on the north Where we want to go We will And we create the Governance, the right Governance to the region We will attract the best Investments that Are there We really need the money Arises How many trillions are invested Now it was needed Yes, it is But we can create We could attract A lot of investments And keep brains and attract Brains If we create the right conditions To learn with nature To learn with the Rain forest Not so And if we connect As Ricardo said Without connection No solutions So there are a lot of opportunities We need to do our work Thank you so much That's for sure We need to do a lot of work So before I hand over to Emma Torres Vice President of the Americas And head of the New York office And I would like to thank The The World Bank The authors of the report The members of the strategic committee And all of you For your enthusiastic engagement This is such an important topic I hope we all get out of this event Just really, really committed To the next steps that are needed So more than ever Our decisions about how To ensure the conservation And sustainable development of the Amazon Must be informed by high quality Science And the science panel for the Amazon Is a mechanism to achieve this But it needs sustained support So Yes? No, I just wanted to end with Optimistic And good news I work with the Wildlife Conservation Society I'm a member of the board And About conservation and the reversal Of bad trends Simply to share with you The information that we received recently The population of Jaguars In Bolivia Has been able to Not only stop the downward trend But is now up Substantially And jaguars have An enormous Importance in all of the Indities communities from Argentina To Mexico And so I wanted simply to share with you This good piece of news To end on an optimistic trend We need This piece of news, but this is excellent news And I hope more to come Given, you know, the Amount of, I think, species That are being threatened now So thank you President Santos And we're just saying that the science panel Needs this sustained support From the very beginning And we need this multistakeholder And networked coalitions To translate this knowledge into action And to be able to address The most intractable common resource Problems that we have So definitely the science panel For the Amazon can help inform Network multilateralism And we need to address the issues That were touched here today And I think that's the SPA can land The crisis that the basin faces So the initial findings As well as draft version for the full report For public consultation Are now online Please read, share, and provide your Inputs. And let's hear from Emma Torres, her closing remarks And thank you all for being here with us And keep us, keep up With us because this is just the beginning Of this discussion. Please, Emma Thank you, thank you very much Ilona, you're a fantastic moderator I want to express my profound gratitude to the panel It was fantastic Inspirational and it is the right time Of course I want to express On behalf of all of us And the Sustainable Development Solutions Network our profound gratitude To all the scientists That have generously contributed To make this first scientific assessment Of the basin I think it's an amazing contribution We are all very proud And it's also a source of inspiration As Professor Sac said already Another follower is one Like Congo and others and I think this is very Very inspirational and thank you Thank you all very much and particularly to our Co-Chairs Carlos Nobre And Andrea that have Steal the whole process I'd like to briefly Tell about the, what are we thinking Of the next steps and I think very much Thinking of all this effort has to become Action and impact And I think in that sense We need to concentrate the next year Or so in the Massive communication And stakeholder engagement And mobilize our scientists Of the 220 scientists To work at the different levels Global, regional, national, local With indigenous communities And local communities To go in depth With the messages And the findings of the report We also want obviously to engage With the private sector, the financial sector As well as More importantly as well The academic community, the scientific community We need to make sure That in order to get this new economy This new bi-economy there is serious investment In science, technology And innovation The only way we can create this new economy Is if our countries Seriously invest in science, technology, innovation And unfortunately Our region doesn't have a very good record On investing in science And technology, innovation like other regions In the world. So there is the call Of this panel precisely to do To go further to inspire new scientists And to really mobilize And knowledge and innovation I think there's Also very clear messages, I think we need To make sure that at the level of policy Making we embark on a commitment For zero deforestation There should be a commitment towards Glasgow Zero deforestation by 2030 Zero degradation And as well as large scale Projects for restoration I think there's a tremendous opportunities there And finally to really Make a huge call of action For investment in science, technology, innovation In order that we can have A better future for the population In the Amazon, but also for the Countries in the region Thank you all very much And please as Ilona has invited you You can download The report has gone for public consultations But we also have the 33 chapters In brief So you can see them in brief So it's four pages With maps so you can be able to Enjoy, you know, the different Pieces as much as the Report which will require A more thorough reading Thank you all very much And looking forward to continue this engagement Because this year is going to be very active And for all of us Thank you


Welcome to WTIS 16, from Habaron in Botswana, and I'm very pleased to be joined in the studio right now by Dr Cosmos Zava Zava, who is the Chief of Department of Projects and Knowledge Management for ITU. Cosmos, thank you very much for being with us in the studio today. Thank you for inviting me. Now, I'd like to start off by talking a little bit about the main challenges and barriers faced by those who are not yet participating in the Information Society. Perhaps you could talk a little bit about that. Absolutely. There are many factors that are inhibiting uptake of I-Cities. One of them happens to be lack of capacity on the part of individual households to get the new gadgets and to embrace their cities. Second could be regulator as well, that does a stifle competition. And then thirdly, maybe I would say affordability. People want to use I-Cities and modern technologies, but they don't have the buying power and that inhibits. A literate level is also another factor because the lower the literate level, the less the individuals are able to use high value services. For example, financial inclusion or telemedicine or e-education or m-education. So those are some of the factors that are slowing down the process of creating a truly global information society. And what policies and regulatory steps do you think that governments can take to drive investment to foster public-private partnerships so as to expand I-Cities access to all their citizens, including those at the bottom of the pyramid? One of the factors is an issue of sovereign risk. When you do sovereign risk analysis, you are trying to see whether the government will backtrack on these policies and the predictability of the environment. So a pure pro I-City framework in terms of regulation has got to be predictable, it has to be fair, it has to be nondiscriminatory. And that's what the investor is looking for. Then at the same time, the investors go where the money is. They want to return on investment and behind them share holders who are crying to get their return and to get dividends in the end. So I think basically it is important for the government to create an enabling environment starting with appropriate policies and then coming down to an appropriate legal framework and also to a good pro I-City regulated framework. And then capacity building becomes also a good issue. So the general investment environment must be good and also I think there must be opportunities to expand the business. Now here we're pretty much looking at statistics. We're the launch of the MIS report here. I wanted to ask from you how can data statistics help to understand and address the changes brought about by I-CTs? I think statistics are the thing because if you can't measure it, it doesn't exist. So the most important thing is to be able to say I am putting my finger to check the pulse and you can do that by making sure that you have the figures to pick it up. So we take the national statistical offices and we take the regulatory authority who rely on the operators to submit data and they have to validate it but at the same time there is a kind of data which is household based which comes from the national statistical office. When they work together we have better results and it is important to do that because the government has to make sure that everybody is served. And that's why you find the regulator, most of them have got a universal service fund to make sure that people can go to the rural communities where they return on investment for the private sector is not granted so they give a subsidy. But at the same time when they are doing that it is also important to make sure that the regulators play their role, the investors play their role, the users play their role. So I think that is the key issue and the statistics helps because it shows you a roadmap, it shows you where the investment opportunities are, it is a self-correcting mechanism, it is a feedback. So if I go and I assess and I look at the figures and I see that there is a gap, I have to make sure that my policy is refined, my regulator framework is refined, the other measures like capacity building and so forth are refined so that everything is in tune. Find me, a question which would be interesting to hear your response on, should people be apprehensive about the impact of ICTs on their lives? Well I think some people use a very good example, a table knife can be a metal weapon, right?  So what I think is there are great opportunities in ICTs but naturally there is also the dark side of ICTs. This is why in ITU we make sure that we bring together all the elements of the Jigsaw puzzle, for example cyber security, so that we police the information highway. And by so doing we make people less apprehensive and what we then say is that make good use of the information society but making sure that you safeguard yourselves from the ills of it.  I think governments are taking measures when we go across the world in the least developed countries even you see that they have got a national ICT policy and they take into account in the legal framework, the legal pieces of legislation that they have also addressing all those issues including the issues of privacy. Because privacy invasion is a big thing and then money laundering comes in and many other ills. So I think people need not to be apprehensive but the legal framework is good to be very strong if I give you an example of big data or when you go on the web and you are asked to read the agreement and it's 45 pages and then if you don't click there is a refusal of service and that should not happen. So I think there is no need to be apprehensive but what is important is to be prepared and to embrace and to know how to manage the environment. Some great advice there, thank you very much indeed and thanks for being in the studio today and we look forward to catching up with you again soon. Always a pleasure, thank you. Thank you. Cheers, thank you. Thanks very much again for viewing and please check out our other videos on the IT YouTube channel. Thank you.


Hey guys, Thundee here and today we are taking a look at something brand new. I'm talking about Call of Duty Mobile Battle Royale on the OnePlus 7 Pro. Yes, Call of Duty Mobile Beta is available right now in certain parts of the world, India. You can of course install it on your Android device getting the APK as well as an extra file. I could show you the steps but I'm going to share a link to the video that I actually use to follow the instructions to definitely go check it out. It's pretty simple and easy but just go check out that video if you want to look at that. Now Battle Royale on Call of Duty here for the mobile version is really interesting. I will tell you this while you watch my video, I do have some weird glitch with my run motion. It tends to stutter so it looks like I'm running taking five steps forward but that's just what happened. There's no way I can fix it. Again, it's a beta so it's not an indication of the game whatsoever. Now when we ran this game, we ran it at max settings so we had max settings, we also had the graphics to do the highest. Everything as high as possible to get full advantage of what the game brings to the table. Now of course we're playing this on the OnePlus 7 Pro. The version I have, it has 12GB of RAM, 256GB of storage. It's got that liquid cooling and then we've also got dual stereo speakers as well and the display has no notch so you've got a full screen to do all that gaming on there. I've got to say though Call of Duty Mobile is really interesting because it takes all the Battle Royale elements but you do have all those Call of Duty elements as well so you've got the vehicles you can jump into. You can call in different air strikes of course within the game and that's really cool so it's bringing a lot of those multiplayer elements into the game itself. But before we get to the part of gameplay I also want to talk about temperatures which is really really weird with this. The max temperature I got was about 107 degrees. It ran very hot. I don't know why. Again this game is in beta so maybe it's not optimized. I'm not going to say what it has to do with the hardware or not but just giving you an idea of what I actually dealt with while using the OnePlus 7 Pro on this. It ran well though. It looked really smooth. Audio is pretty nice but I'm just going to go ahead and leave that gameplay for you guys to check out. Enjoy. At the end of this video go ahead, smash the like button, subscribe to the channel but let's watch some Call of Duty gameplay by the way out.