Opening Ceremony: Amazon Week 2024

What is the value of nature?

The Amazon rainforest generates 20 billion tons of water vapor daily, along with 200 million liters of water per second flowing into the Atlantic Ocean through the Amazon River, the largest freshwater river in the world. This intricate water system supports an estimated 75% of South America's GDP, roughly valued at $4.3 trillion. To replicate the volume of water conveyed by the Amazon's "flying rivers" using existing technology, we would need to construct over 50 thousand hydroelectric plants akin to Itaipu. Itaipu, the third-largest hydroelectric facility globally by installed capacity (14 MW), was erected in the 1970s with direct investments exceeding $12 billion in today's currency.

This phenomenon highlights more than just the staggering numerical dimensions associated with the Amazon. Beyond its vast territory and natural splendor, the ecosystem provides invaluable benefits to humanity without additional costs, contributing significantly to global climate equilibrium. These are services rendered by the forest that cannot be replaced even by cutting-edge technologies available to us. Any disruption due to a temperature increase exceeding 1.5°C would lead to severe socioeconomic repercussions. Examples like those involving the "flying rivers" prompt us to ponder: what is the true value of nature?

Moreover, the Amazon boasts immense cultural diversity. Spanning nine countries, it houses 50 million inhabitants, including 400 indigenous groups speaking over 300 languages. Much of our understanding of local biodiversity hinges on preserving these languages and traditional wisdom. In 2016, the Matsés people from the Peruvian Amazon published a 500-page encyclopedia detailing their traditional medicinal knowledge in their native tongue. What is the value of such knowledge?

Without aligning conservation efforts with economic activities, forest preservation remains challenging. Various studies indicate that integrating technology and sustainable infrastructure could enable the Amazon to develop sectors like agriculture, tourism, mining, and the bioeconomy while adhering to the Paris Agreement and ensuring a just social transition.

Participation is free.

Simultaneous interpretation Portuguese - German will be available.

Amazon Week 2024 seeks to facilitate discussions on forest conservation, climate protection, and socioeconomic development in the Amazon region. Organized, in this second edition, by Brazilian embassies in Berlin, Brussels and Paris, along with the Brazilian mission to the European Union and other Amazonian countries embassies, the event counts on partnerships with public institutions, think tanks, NGOs, companies, consultancies, and academia. Different partners are promoting topics of interest within the project's theme using their preferred format.

The event schedule with all the events taking place in Berlin, Brussels, Paris and online from 16th to 27th September is available at WWW.AMAZONWEEK.EU

Agenda

15:30 – Arrival of guests

16:00 – Welcome: Ambassador Roberto Jaguaribe

16:10 – Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Colombia, Jorge Rojas Rodríguez

16:20 – President of the Brazilian National Foundation of Indigenous Peoples (FUNAI), Joenia Wapichana

16:30 – TBC, State Secretary, Brazilian Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MMA) or Brazilian Ministry of Indigenous Peoples (MPI)

16:40 – Dr. Bettina Hoffmann, Parliamentary State Secretary, German Ministry of Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection(BMUV)

16:50 – Member of the German parliament – name TBC

17:00 – Dr. Anne Larigauderie, Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES)

17:10 – Mr. ⁠Davi Kopenawa Yanomami

17:45 to 19:00 – Amazonian Cocktail