Governors inaugurate Amazon Hub at COP30 and strengthen regional cooperation

The Government of Pará, through the presidency of the Inter-State Consortium of the Legal Amazon (CAL), delivered this Monday (10) the Amazon Hub, the official space of the nine states of the region in the Blue Zone of the 30th United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP30), taking place in Belém. The location will serve as a strategic point for political and technical articulation during the 11 days of the event, promoting a common agenda among state leaders, international organizations, civil society, and academia.

At the opening ceremony, the governor of Pará and president of CAL, Helder Barbalho, highlighted the historical importance of holding the conference in the capital of Pará and the leading role of the Amazonian states in the global climate agenda.

“In November 2022, in Sharm el-Sheikh, I asked President Lula for permission to nominate the Amazon and Belém for COP30. Today, we are here, overcoming the skepticism of those who said it was impossible to hold an event of this magnitude outside the traditional axis,” said the governor.

Helder Barbalho also reinforced the role of the Amazon as a territory of diversity and challenges, which requires solutions built from those who live and know the local reality.

“Holding COP in the Amazon is so that we are not just the object of opinions from those who know us from books or internet searches. Here live 29 million Brazilians, in a plural Amazon, and our challenge is to reconcile the forest asset with the realities of those who produce, live in cities, in riverside communities, indigenous, quilombola, and extractivist communities,” he added.

Regional governance and strategic deliveries

Created in 2019, the Inter-State Consortium of the Legal Amazon is formed by the states of Acre, Amapá, Amazonas, Maranhão, Mato Grosso, Pará, Rondônia, Roraima, and Tocantins. Since its foundation, CAL has acted as a regional articulation instance to promote sustainable development based on environmental conservation, ecological transition, and social inclusion.

During COP30, the consortium will present a set of strategic deliveries that consolidate the legacy of shared governance among the states. Among the highlights are:

Amazônia 2050 Strategy – a long-term vision for sustainable development of the region;

CAL2050 Platform – integration of geospatial data and indicators from the nine states of the Legal Amazon;

Ecological Transformation Plan for the Amazon – focusing on bioeconomy, green infrastructure, and green job creation;

Regional Land Regularization Project – developed in partnership with the Amazon Environmental Research Institute (IPAM);

Diagnosis of Environmental Crimes in the Legal Amazon – an integrated proposal to combat environmental offenses and strengthen security in the region.

The programming of the Amazon Hub also includes debates on environmental education, culture, regional communication, and the appreciation of Amazonian populations.

Uniting efforts for the Amazon

In addition to Helder Barbalho and the vice-governor of Pará, Hana Ghassan, the opening was attended by governors Gladson Cameli (Acre), Wilson Lima (Amazonas), Clécio Luís (Amapá), Carlos Brandão (Maranhão), Mauro Mendes (Mato Grosso), Marcos Rocha (Rondônia), Antonio Denarium (Roraima), and Laurez Moreira (Tocantins), reinforcing the collective commitment to integrated solutions for the region.

Throughout the conference, the Amazon Hub will serve as a permanent space for exchange among the states, strengthening joint political action and dialogue with the international community.