The BBC Debate "Managing the Amazon: A Global Responsibility?"  To view the debate click here. 

The debate include:

Carlos Eduardo de Souza Braga, Governor of Amazonas, Brazil

Pamela Cox, Vice-President, Latin America and the Caribbean, World Bank, Washington DC

Luiz Fernando Furlan, President, Foundation for a Sustainable Amazon, Brazil

Marcelo Furtado, Executive Director, Greenpeace International, Brazil

Luiz Carlos de Miranda Joels, Director of the Brazilian Forestry Service, Brazil

With comments from the front row:

Virgilio Vianna, Director, Sustainable Amazon Foundation (FAS) ??Martin von Hildebrand, Founder, Gaia Amazonas Foundation, Colombia

Moderated by

Nik Gowing, Main Presenter, BBC World News, United Kingdom

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"Managing the Amazon: A Global Responsibility?"

During World Economic Forum in Latin America held in Rio de Janeiro, the BBC World Debate asked how grave the threat to the Amazon really is and how the international community can cooperate to help find a solution.  Throughout the debate it was highlighted that Latin American countries need to do more to avoid deforestation, a main source of GHG emissions in the region. It was also discussed the need for a mechanism to measure avoided-deforestation emissions reduction and to ensure that any global climate agreement includes this mechanism.  Such mechanism would be a way, for developing countries signatories in particular, to meet their post-Kyoto emission reduction commitments. It was also brought up that to avoid deforestation, especially in the Amazon, efforts must be made to reduce poverty and increase education. Forest dwellers cut trees out of economic necessity and lack awareness of the environmental impact, especially on climate change. Finally, the debate examined the viability to meet anti-deforestation targets in its Brazilian National Climate Change Plan, which involves a commitment to reduce Brazilian Amazon deforestation by 70% from 2006-2017.