From September 9-12, 2024, in Belém, Brazil, the Science Panel for the Amazon (SPA) participated in the pivotal workshop “Bending the Curve of Biodiversity Loss and Positive Tipping Points”. The event was organized by Wageningen University & Research and WWF, and hosted by Instituto de Pesquisa Ambiental da Amazônia (IPAM) and Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (Embrapa). This workshop brought together a diverse group of experts and stakeholders to address the pressing issue of biodiversity loss in the Amazon, focusing on developing actionable strategies and policies.
The SPA was prominently represented in the workshop by Federico Viscarra, SPA Science Officer, as well as SPA members: Bernardo Flores, Ane Alencar, Daniel Larrea, Andrea Encalada, Juan Guayasamin, Mariana Varese, Francisco Costa, Marina Hirota, Gregorio Mirabal, Gloria Amparo Rivera and Federico Mosquera Guerra.
Throughout the workshop, SPA members engaged deeply in discussions on how to reverse biodiversity loss and create positive tipping points. The event featured presentations and group exercises focused on key actions and policies needed to protect Amazon biodiversity. SPA’s contributions included sharing insights from their extensive publications and participating in collaborative exercises to map existing initiatives, develop the narratives of key policies, identify data gaps, and outline future actions.
The workshop emphasized the importance of connecting local and global perspectives, integrating data with actionable strategies, and fostering collaborative efforts. The diverse expertise of SPA members enriched the dialogue, leading to valuable exchanges of knowledge and innovative approaches to conservation. The integration of bottom-up solutions with top-down policies was suggested in order to reach the goals of biodiversity conservation and also to avoid the risk of reaching the tipping point in the Amazon. The main policies proposed during the group discussions focused on several key areas, including restoration, governance and knowledge integration, sustainable livelihoods, and sustainable infrastructure, among others.
As we approach the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), set to take place between October 21 and November 1, 2024, in Cali, Colombia, the insights gained from this workshop will be instrumental in guiding our collective efforts to safeguard the Amazon. The collaboration and strategies developed will help drive dialogues and shape effective policies to protect one of the world’s most vital ecosystems.