By Bibiana Alcântara Garrido*
IPAM (Amazon Environmental Research Institute) has signed a cooperation agreement with the South-North Institute of Sustainable Development, based in Beijing, to jointly study the impacts of climate change on agricultural production and trade between Brazil and China. The partnership was signed in the Chinese capital on Friday 27th.
The research institutions will collaborate in the production of scientific data to support dialogues and policies on climate, agriculture and conservation, with the aim of further expanding cooperation between Brazil and China. The agreement has an initial duration of three years.
The research institutes will collaborate to promote green trade between Brazil and China (Photo: Bibiana Garrido/IPAM)
“Brazil and China have aligned themselves as nations that offer the world the leadership needed for our common commitment to adapt to climate change. Research institutions in both countries can and must make this a turning point: producing science to deliver solutions to the challenges posed by climate to global food security,” says André Guimarães, IPAM’s executive director and COP30’s special envoy for civil society.
One of the short-term objectives is to develop recommendations for sustainable tropical agriculture at COP30, with a focus on adapting production systems while promoting the maintenance of the integrity of ecosystems such as the Amazon and the Cerrado.
“This partnership is a timely response to the growing demand for scientific collaboration between China and Brazil on sustainable agriculture. As a civil society organization and think tank, we have a unique role to play in connecting science, policy and community priorities. Through joint research on land use practices and climate resilience, we seek to think through practical solutions that support sustainable and resilient supply chains,” comments Peng Ren, head of programs at the South-North Institute of Sustainable Development.
In addition to scientific production, the partnership includes events and workshops with stakeholders interested in climate solutions and agro-commodities trade between Brazil and China.
Since 2009, China has been Brazil’s largest trading partner, accounting for around ⅓ of Brazilian exports. Soy is the commodity most in demand, but the Asian country has also been a growing destination for Brazilian meat. It is precisely the synergy between agricultural production and native vegetation, in a logic of adaptation to climate change, that the researchers want to study.
*IPAM Communications Specialist, bibiana.garrido@ipam.org.br
