From 6-10 May 2024, the ECO-SOLVE team undertook a scoping mission across Brazil, including visits to São Paulo, Brasília and Belém. It focused on identifying and establishing connections with local organisations, government departments, and community groups to understand the intricate dynamics of illicit activities threatening the Amazon Basin rainforest.
The initial meetings in São Paulo involved discussions with Movimento dos Atingidos por Barragens (MAB) and the Fórum Brasileiro de Segurança Pública, where critical issues such as community leader insecurity and the complex criminal threats in the Amazon were highlighted. Engagements with InfoAmazonia and Freedland Brazil underscored the importance of open data and the innovative use of technology in combating wildlife trafficking and corruption. These interactions lay the groundwork for deeper collaborations and knowledge sharing on tackling these multifaceted challenges both at national and regional level, with support from ECO-SOLVE.
In Brasília, the team engaged with federal government departments, international agencies, and key stakeholders including the EU Delegation, the Igarapé Institute, and the Ministry of Environment. Discussions focused on strengthening legal frameworks around fauna management, applying advanced technologies for tracking illegal gold flows, and exploring opportunities for integrating investigative efforts with development policies. The visits to the Federal Police’s forensics lab and other units demonstrated Brazil’s enhanced capacity and commitment to addressing environmental crime through robust scientific and technological methods.
The mission concluded in Belém, where the focus shifted to grassroots organisations and local communities affected by deforestation and mining. Interactions with activists and social movements revealed the adverse impacts of these activities on local livelihoods and highlighted the resilience and solidarity among diverse communities, including quilombolas and indigenous groups. These discussions emphasised the critical need for community mobilisation and institutional strengthening to prioritise environmental crime within governmental agendas.
The insights gained from this scoping mission will significantly inform ECO-SOLVE’s future activities and collaborations aimed at protecting the Amazon and its inhabitants.
