Brazil's Rio Nature & Climate Week calls for unified climate, biodiversity, desertification agenda

The opening day of Rio Nature & Climate Week (RNCW) in Rio de Janeiro highlighted the need to integrate the three UN conventions on climate, biodiversity and desertification. Organisers said the coordination is essential to accelerate implementation of commitments, citing the 250 million hectares of degraded land that must be restored by 2030. Panelists included Natalie Unterstell of the Talanoa Institute, COP30 executive director Ana Toni and UNCCD COP15 president Alain‑Richard Donwahi, who urged “three teams, one convention.”

On the final day, Indigenous Peoples Minister Eloy Terena linked climate action to democracy, noting Brazil’s recent 35 % drop in deforestation alerts and the role of protected Indigenous territories. He pointed to the creation of the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples as a shift toward genuine participation, citing 20 newly recognized Indigenous lands and de‑intrusion in 12 critical areas. Terena called for democratized climate finance and positioned Brazil and the Global South to lead a new, justice‑based environmental governance.

Both sessions emphasized Brazil’s ambition to become a permanent hub for global climate, biodiversity and land‑restoration cooperation.