“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
