By Lucas Guaraldo*
The future of the Amazon depends primarily on how effectively the information gathered by scientists, indigenous peoples, and traditional communities is incorporated into public policies for the climate change and sustainability agenda, warns the article“From Knowledge to Action: strengthening the science-policy interface for the future of the Amazon,”published on May 22 by the Scientific Panel for the Amazon. According to the authors, the main obstacle to halting the loss of native vegetation in the biome is not a lack of understanding of the problem, but the difficulty of translating research into concrete actions and robust legislation within the decision-making sphere.
“Scientists, indigenous peoples, politicians, and decision-makers operate differently within their respective structures and epistemologies. These differences create vulnerabilities in environmental conservation, because there are many divergent incentives, interests, and priorities influencing something that should follow a common and efficient path. What we see today is a huge challenge in aligning multiple interests, because it consumes time and resources, but it would be very important for the effectiveness of the environmental agenda,” warns Patrícia Pinho, deputy director of Science at IPAM (Amazon Environmental Research Institute) and author of the study.
The researchers also highlight that discussions on public policies for the Amazon often do not include the indigenous peoples and traditional communities they are intended to benefit, generating mistrust among the different stakeholders involved. To support the development of more effective policies, the authors suggest creating specialized rapid-response teams to advise decision-makers during crises, as well as strengthening scientific outreach and establishing laboratories and innovation centers dedicated to developing region-specific strategies for the Amazon biome.
For the researchers, despite previously published studies and warnings from community leaders, the Amazon is still treated politically as an inexhaustible source of natural resources to be exploited. According to the article, this logic of forest occupation and exploitation contributes to the ecological imbalance of the biome, which is approaching a point of no return.
Communication Challenges
For the researchers, the disconnect between stakeholders reflects systemic problems in the production and circulation of knowledge, in which scientists and policymakers struggle to move beyond their own institutional “bubbles.” Furthermore, interactions between science and politics tend to prioritize certain areas of knowledge and specific types of data, marginalizing other forms of knowledge and limiting the effectiveness of decision-making.
“Government agencies in the Amazon are forced to produce regulations that simultaneously address poverty, conservation, economic development, and social inequality in regions that are completely different from one another. We have legal frameworks, but they undergo frequent changes driven by the political will of the moment, often by corruption and a lack of resources for effective enforcement. At the same time, we see researchers producing relevant data, but they often fail to influence this process,” explains Pinho.
According to interviews conducted with 22 residents of the region for the study, communication problems stem mainly from delays in the publication of scientific articles, while public policies are often driven by rapid and dynamic debates. The academic format, based on extensive studies and technical reports, also tends to be inaccessible to local communities and often fails to address the specific needs of these areas or provide data that can be directly applied to the formulation of public policies.
IPAM journalist, lucas.itaborahy@ipam.org.br*