From November 10 to 21, 2025, Belém hosted the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30), bringing together countries, civil society organisations, and researchers to discuss the growing impact of industrial agriculture and destructive land use in the Amazon rainforest.
The conference took place amid rising concern over the expansion of large-scale soy and meat production, largely driven by deforestation to open new farmland. Global reports show that 70% of newly deforested areas in the Amazon are linked to industrial agriculture, releasing nearly 5 billion tonnes of CO₂ into the atmosphere each year.
Teresa Anderson, speaking during a virtual conference, said:
“The policy demand for a global just transition mechanism is not intending to exclude any particular mining or mineral resource, including sand. Once there is a global commitment, this could theoretically be a tool for affected communities to hold their government to account to assert their rights, including for sand.”
She explained that this policy goal could greatly benefit communities affected by various mining activities, as it would provide them with a mechanism to ensure their rights are respected and to raise their concerns effectively at both national and global levels.
Belém Action Mechanism (BAM): A Framework for Collective Climate Action
Participants called for the creation of the Belém Action Mechanism (BAM) — a new international framework aimed at:
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Strengthening cooperation among countries to limit global warming,
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Promoting the exchange of knowledge and experience, and
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Supporting projects that protect both communities and ecosystems.
The mechanism will focus on key sectors with a major influence on climate change: energy, agriculture, transport, and mining.
Justice in Transition: The Core of COP30 Commitments
Delegates emphasised that any long-term economic transition must be grounded in:
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Inclusive and participatory decision-making,
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Gender equality and women’s rights protection,
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Support for community-based livelihoods,
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Skills development and reskilling,
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Social protection systems, and
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The safeguarding of human rights and indigenous land.
Research highlights that women and children account for 80% of those displaced by climate disasters, while 45% of Amazon residents lack access to clean water during dry seasons due to deforestation.
ActionAid: Advocating for a Just and People-Centered Transition
The international organisation ActionAid showcased its work defending community rights, including:
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Supporting communities affected by oil pipelines in Nigeria and Tanzania
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Resisting agribusiness expansion in Brazil
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Promoting agroecology farming in Kenya
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Assisting residents near mining zones in Zambia and
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Helping coal workers transition to green jobs in South Africa.
In 2025, ActionAid released a new report titled “Climate Finance for Just Transition: How the Finance Flows”, urging that financial resources be redirected from polluting industries toward community-driven, climate-resilient solutions.
Voices from the Ground
During the discussions, grassroots representatives shared their grievances: industrial farming degrades land and drives men away from traditional herding, mining leaves behind environmental scars, and oil pipelines dispossess communities of their ancestral lands.
A community leader from Zambia stated:
“What we want is not just to survive — we want a decent life that doesn’t serve the few at the expense of the many.”
Analysis: Amazon at a Crossroads
Experts warn that unless the world transforms its approach to land use and industrial agriculture, global temperatures could rise by more than 2°C before 2035, threatening food systems and livelihoods across many nations.
This situation poses a moral and developmental dilemma for emerging economies — how to grow while protecting people and the planet.
Conclusion
As COP30 draws to a close, the world’s eyes are fixed on the Amazon:
Will global leaders choose an economic model that accelerates environmental destruction — or one that champions equality, sustainable livelihoods, and the survival of the rainforest?
COP30 could become a defining moment in history — or another missed opportunity.