Brazil is going through extremely concerning crises that need more of the world’s attention.

In 2020, the country registered the highest level of deforestation of the Amazon in 12 years. The spike in deforestation is related to the Brazilian government and allies’ efforts to legalize the private occupation of public land and, consequently, the illegal deforestation of the Amazon. Also, it is the result of the dismantling of environmental policies, of traditional people’s rights and of the drastic reduction or freezing of funds for the protection of the forests and local communities in the last years, worsened by the persecution of environmental activists and Indigenous leaders more recently.
The country is now also a global threat due to Covid-19, which represents the worst healthcare breakdown in Brazil’s history. Covid-19 has been responsible for over 400,000 deaths, the world’s second-highest death toll from the pandemic – sadly including celebrated Amazon-based photographer Lilo Clareto, to whom we will pay homage at the event.
In order to discuss how Brazilians have been deeply affected by this catastrophic moment and responding to it, we are organising a webinar with prominent Brazilian civil society representatives: an indigenous leader, an environmentalist, a journalist and a scientist.

The event will also be an opportunity to connect Brazilian national voices with the reflections and work of environmental organisations and writers in the UK, ahead of COP26, which will take place later this year.
Live interpretation into English and Portuguese will be available.

This event is hosted by Global Canopy, Oxford Centre for Tropical Forests, School of Geography and the Environment, and Oxford Biodiversity Network.