News

08/11/24

At the Closing, Raul Jungmann, President of IBRAM, Celebrates the Success of the Event, and Former Minister of the Environment and Conference Curator, Izabella Teixeira, States That the Continued Dialogues on the Proposals Aim to Ensure Their Implementation by Society

“It was a fascinating experience,” summarized Izabella Teixeira about the conference, highlighting “the engagement of the Amazonian populations.” “Brazil is exposed to the world with COP30 approaching. COP30 has actually already started, with the expectation that the world’s solutions to climate issues also pass through Brazil and the Amazon. The region needs to be viewed in its biodiversity, but it is very fragmented and needs to reorganize around this agenda, around this strategic discussion of Brazil as a contemporary country.”

The Secretary of Culture for the government of Pará, Úrsula Vidal, represented Governor Hélder Barbalho at the closing ceremony. She stated that the conference brought together communities concerned with the protection and development of the Amazon and “allows us to present a new model of governance” for the region.

Hugo Barreto, President of the Vale Foundation, spoke on behalf of the sponsors. According to him, the conference helps position the mining sector with clear commitments to a more sustainable world, addressing aspects such as decarbonization, tackling inequalities, forest protection, and other key issues ahead of COP30. “We want to be part of the discussion for solutions for a better world,” he said.

Fernando Azevedo e Silva, Vice President of IBRAM, spoke on behalf of the Institute’s team, who were responsible for organizing the International Amazon and New Economies Conference. “Under the leadership of our president, Raul Jungmann, IBRAM once again demonstrated its willingness to open the doors of mining to society. This is a new face of mining. We truly showed what it is and what it can do for the greater good of all, without forgetting the mistakes of the past and always seeking dialogue with all audiences,” he said, reflecting on the second edition of the conference. He added that it was a forum “for conversation, for dialogue, for hearing the opinions of various sectors that understand the importance of the Amazon, who want its preservation and sustainable development.”

The International Amazon and New Economies Conference concluded on Friday (November 8) with an audience of 2,800 participants from 11 countries, 170 speakers, 25 panels of presentations and debates, and over 50 hours of content. Raul Jungmann, President of the Brazilian Mining Institute (IBRAM) and one of the conference’s founders, celebrated the diversity of participants who contributed with opinions and proposals aimed at the sustainable development of the Amazon. According to him, at the end of the event, “what remains is the legacy, the products of the dialogues that were promoted over these days to find paths and solutions to the challenges we face, as well as for the future of the Amazon.”

The curator of the conference, former Minister of the Environment and Member of the UN Economic and Social Council, Izabella Teixeira, spoke about the next steps following the event, with an eye on the agenda for COP30, the United Nations climate summit, which will be held in 2025 in Belém (PA), the same location as the conference.

“The idea now is for the various Amazons to leave here and engage in conversation with the various Brazils. It’s time for the Amazons to ‘invade’ the Brazils,” she said, referring to the deepening of the dialogue about the conclusions of the debates held during the conference and how society can support the implementation of the proposals that emerged from the event.