“Traveling through the Amazon means confronting a unique, fragile, and essential world for global climate balance. Protecting it is a task that concerns all of us.” – Emanuela Evangelista, biologist and mission coordinator.

The Amazon Mission 2024, led by the president of Amazônia, took the Italian meteorological services company 3BMeteo team on a journey of study and awareness to document the impact of climate change on the Amazon rainforest. Crossing four Brazilian states—Mato Grosso, Roraima, Pará, and Amazonas—the team of meteorologists gathered scientific data, local testimonies, and images to highlight the need to protect one of the world’s most critical ecosystems.

Key Stops and Testimonies 

1. São Paulo: kickoff and preliminary meetings 

In the vast southeastern Brazilian metropolis, home to over 12 million people, the team addressed the first two major themes related to the Amazon. The first explored the health of the rainforest, analyzed through a census conducted by the specialized center MapBiomas, with an interview featuring researcher Marcos Rosa. The second topic focused on the epidemiology of the Amazon basin, explained through insights from Dr. Fernanda Maffei, an infectious disease specialist at São Paulo Hospital. 

2. Sinop: deforestation for intensive agriculture 

In Sinop, Mato Grosso, the group observed deforestation caused by soybean plantations. Interviews with farmers and local producers revealed the economic pressures driving the conversion of forests into agricultural lands. 

3. Novo Progresso: the broken promise of development 

Carrying a name full of hope, this city was founded in 1973 along the massive road that cut the forest in half to facilitate the transport of agricultural products to export ports. Here, Indigenous leader Doto Kayapó spoke about his community’s circular development model, which opposes urban approaches that prioritize consumption and waste production. 

4. Itaituba: the Munduruku and mercury in the rivers 

In Itaituba, along the Tapajós River, the team visited a remote Indigenous village and met with community leader Juarez Saw Munduruku. The locals shared the dramatic consequences of illegal gold mining, including mercury contamination of the river. “The water is no longer drinkable, and children suffer severe health problems,” Juarez explained. 

5. Santarém: drought and fires 

In Santarém, the group spoke with Caetano Scannavino from the Saúde e Alegria project and Bruno Delano from ICMBio (Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation, responsible for managing 340 protected areas in Brazil). They provided data on devastating forest fires caused by drought. “Climate change is amplifying the region’s vulnerabilities,” Caetano emphasized. 

6. Manaus: biodiversity and urban threats 

In Manaus, the largest urban center in the Amazon, researchers from INPA (National Institute for Amazon Research)—Renato Senna, Luiz Candido, and Leonardo Ramos—explained how Amazonian weather systems work and how climate change is altering the biome’s balance, making both the rainy and dry seasons increasingly extreme. 

7. Xixuaú: the beauty of the Amazonian heart 

After days of difficult navigation caused by the severe drought, the team arrived at Xixuaú village in the Jauaperi National Reserve, in the heart of the Amazon. Here, they interviewed several local community members to understand how they perceive the ongoing climate changes and the practical challenges these bring to their lives in the forest. The mission concluded with a return to Manaus aboard a seaplane. 

Conclusions 

The expedition aims to raise awareness of the importance of the Amazon rainforest, not only through scientific data but also by engaging the public with reports and stories. 

The Amazon biome, essential not only for the survival of local ecosystems but also for humanity’s well-being on this planet, plays a crucial role as a giant global climate regulator. Therefore, it is vital to increase global public awareness on this issue, which affects not only those living in the Amazon but all humans. Concrete solutions exist, including promoting a more sustainable global economy in import and export processes. 

 For more information about the expedition and to read the interviews, visit 3BMeteo’s official blog, in Italian.

Photos: 3B Meteo, Archivio Amazônia, Caio Vilela

On November 16th 2024, the award ceremony for the Gambrinus Mazzotti Literary Prize, in the “Sala Borsa” of the Chamber of Commerce of Treviso-Belluno | Dolomiti took place. 

The Gambrinus Mazzotti Literary Prize, a prestigious award dedicated to topics such as mountains, exploration, travel, ecology, landscape, traditional crafts, and Venetian culture through the “Window on the Veneto” section, is promoted by the Giuseppe Mazzotti Literary Prize Association. This initiative honors Giuseppe Mazzotti, a multifaceted intellectual from Treviso: writer, mountaineer, gastronome, and defender of Venetian villas, as well as a longtime advisor to the Italian Touring Club. 

This year, the Special Jury Prize “Ulderico Bernardi” was awarded to Emanuela Evangelista, biologist and author of the book “Amazzonia. Una vita nel cuore della foresta”. Evangelista, who lives in the world’s largest rainforest, was recognized for “her ability to remind us that there is not just one Amazon.” The award highlights her talent in narrating a complex and unique reality, honoring not only her personal experience but also the importance of protecting one of the planet’s most precious ecosystems. 

“Indeed, there is the forest, but there are also areas with greater human and agricultural presence, including large-scale soy cultivation and livestock farming. There is also a multitude of people who live in the forest and strive to preserve its biodiversity because they call the Amazon their home. This book is further praised for spotlighting the invaluable work that the author has been carrying out in the Amazon for over 20 years, reminding us that while we can travel to learn, the time has come to travel to build a different future for our planet and for all of us.” 

“Here in the Amazon, you can truly feel the interdependence that creates the natural community,” the author emphasized in a video message recorded from her stilt house in the heart of the rainforest, “and it is something we often forget in our urban contexts.” 

Information about the book – in Italian 

This year, Amazônia celebrates twenty years of dedicated efforts to protect the Amazon and promote sustainable development for local communities. This milestone represents not only the completion of two decades of work but also a testament to the determination that has driven us to face and overcome each challenge along the way.

Our achievements

Over these years, Amazônia ETS has achieved significant milestones. We have initiated and strengthened conservation projects that have helped preserve key areas of the Amazon rainforest, safeguarding a natural heritage of immeasurable value. Thanks to collaboration with researchers, local communities, and international organizations, we have been able to develop environmental monitoring programs, natural resource management, and biodiversity protection, all essential for maintaining the balance of the Amazon ecosystem.

In the educational field, our awareness and training programs have reached a great number of people, drawing attention to the importance of adopting sustainable practices. We firmly believe that environmental conservation cannot exist without education, and we are proud to have inspired new generations to care for nature and defend their planet.

The challenges and difficulties overcome

The journey of Amazônia has not been without obstacles. Over the last twenty years, we have faced complex situations, economic difficulties, and challenges tied to the context in which we operate. Our mission has demanded tenacity and the ability to adapt quickly to changes, without ever losing sight of our goal: to protect the Amazon and support the communities that inhabit it.

A look to the future

We look to the future with hope and determination. In the coming years, we want to strengthen and expand our projects, focusing on new initiatives that can ensure sustainable resource management and greater autonomy for local communities. The environmental and social challenges ahead require a joint effort and collaboration from all who share our values.

We will strive to establish new partnerships with local and international organizations to extend our reach and offer ever more innovative and sustainable solutions.

Thanks to our supporters

This twentieth anniversary is an opportunity to thank all those who have supported us and believed in our mission. Without the contribution and trust of our partners and supporters, none of this would have been possible. Our commitment is also dedicated to you, with the hope of continuing, together, to work for the protection of the Amazon.

The road is still long, but each step brings us closer to our goal: a world where the rainforest and its communities can thrive.

Photo by Carla Oliveira

Emanuela Evangelista has been announced as the winner of the second edition of the Campiello Natura – Venice Gardens Foundation Award for her book “Amazzonia. Una vita nel cuore della foresta” (Editori Laterza).

The award ceremony will take place on Saturday 21 September at the Gran Teatro La Fenice in Venice, during the final evening of the 62nd edition of the Campiello Award. The award will be presented by Adele Re Rebaudengo, President of the Venice Gardens Foundation.
The Campiello Natura – Venice Gardens Foundation Award, born from the synergy between the Il Campiello Foundation and the Venice Gardens Foundation, celebrates literature that explores the urgent need to re-establish a harmonious balance with nature.

Through the evocative power of the written word, the award aims to inspire respectful dialogues and conscious reflections, in an era in which nature is seriously threatened.The Jury of Literature of the Campiello Award has awarded Emanuela Evangelista for its passionate and scientifically documented testimony on the current situation of the Amazon. The work denounces the dangers of deforestation and the irresponsible use of natural resources, combining the objectivity of the scientist with the passion of the activist. The book gives voice not only to measurable data, but also to the growing self-awareness of indigenous populations, making it a reportage of great relevance.

Emanuela Evangelista will be present at the award ceremony on Saturday 21 September and will take part in a series of subsequent meetings, where she will have the opportunity to explore the themes of her book and dialogue with the public.

Monday 23 September at 6.00 pm, Royal Gardens of Venice Adele Re Rebaudengo, President of the Venice Gardens Foundation presents the book together with the author.

Tuesday 24 September at 6.30 pm Villa da Schio, Castel Gomberto – Vicenza. Giustino Mezzalira, director of the research and agroforestry management section of Veneto Agricoltura, will dialogue with the author.

Tuesday 1 October at 5.30 pm at Bosco in Città – Giardino d’Acqua in Milan. Words in the garden: the journalist Emanuela Rosa-Clot will present the book together with the author. The meeting, organized in collaboration with the magazine Gardenia, will be held at Bosco in città to celebrate the 50th anniversary of a large green lung, created in 1974 on the initiative of Italia Nostra on land granted by the Municipality of Milan.

Sunday 6 October at 10 am at the Botanical Garden in Lucca as part of the PianetaTerra festival, Emanuela Evangelista will hold the conference entitled ‘The wild road. Stories of humans and non-humans.

Monday 7 October at 6 pm Libreria Panisperna 220 in Rome the journalist Lino Lombardi will present the book together with the author.

Learn about the book here (in Italian).