Anna Júlia Lopes*
The absence of effective public policies and adequate funding has limited the implementation of climate adaptation strategies in the Amazon. According to Patricia Pinho, Research Director at IPAM (Amazon Environmental Research Institute), this barrier compromises the protection of the forest and the safety of the communities living in the region.
In a policy brief published in April this year, Pinho, along with other IPAM researchers, points out that extreme climate events in the Amazon — such as severe floods, prolonged droughts, and wildfires — not only increase the vulnerability of local populations but also threaten the region’s biodiversity. The impacts affect infrastructure, the economy, and people’s daily lives. According to the document, between 1991 and 2023, economic losses reached R$ 10.6 billion. These figures, the study argues, reinforce the urgency of adaptation measures.
“We know that people are vulnerable in terms of access to clean water, energy, transportation, and food. Health also becomes very challenging due to mobility issues and lack of medical care in remote communities and towns. This gives a general picture that climate risks and impacts have substantially increased, while adaptation strategies remain insufficient,” explains Pinho.
IPAM has been expanding its agenda on climate change adaptation, focusing on Amazonian populations. The effects experienced by Indigenous peoples, for example, are monitored through initiatives like SOMAI-ACI (System for Observation and Monitoring of the Indigenous Amazon and the Indigenous Climate Alert app) to support territorial management and data generation that can underpin the development and strengthening of public policies.
State of the Adaptation Agenda in the Amazon
In the researcher’s view, Brazil is falling short in leading the development of adaptation strategies that reduce climate risks and impacts — especially those that require political will or support from the private sector, which could help finance solutions. According to the policy brief “Accelerating Equitable Adaptation Strategies in the Amazon Amid Climate Change”, only nine Brazilian municipalities have laws aimed at climate mitigation or adaptation. However, Pinho points out, there are currently no public policies that specifically address the Amazon’s climate-related challenges.
IPAM’s study identifies the lack of political prioritization as the main reason for the absence of adaptive action. According to the brief, climate change is often sidelined in budgets, behind other agendas such as health, public safety, and the economy. Additionally, there is a lack of financial resources, limited technical capacity in many municipalities, and a lack of reliable data on local vulnerabilities and impacts. Conflicts of interest and economic pressures are also among the obstacles.
Pinho argues that the public sector’s emphasis on mitigation measures is also problematic. Currently, she says, most public funds are spent on disaster recovery. However, depending on the severity of the climate event, recovery is not always easy — even over time. For this reason, she advocates for a proactive climate adaptation agenda, which should be treated like “insurance,” so that when impacts occur, economic, social, and human losses are minimized.
“Adaptation strategies do require financial investment and mobilization of governance and monitoring structures. But when compared to the cost of disasters and their consequences, the investment in adaptation is very low considering the benefits it can bring,” says the researcher.
In this context, IPAM has actively contributed to creating local adaptation solutions. One recent initiative by the organization was the development of the Municipal Plan for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation in Rio Branco, created in partnership with Embrapa (Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation) and ICLEI (Local Governments for Sustainability – South America). The plan outlines priority actions to tackle climate challenges in the municipality and was built through dialogue with various sectors of society. The Rio Branco experience illustrates how scientific research combined with institutional coordination can result in concrete strategies to strengthen local resilience, demonstrating the potential of partnerships among governments, research centers, and civil society for advancing the Amazon adaptation agenda.
Despite having this structured plan, by 2023 the capital of Acre had not yet implemented the proposed measures. The city experienced flooding in 41 of the past 52 years, with medium, major, or extreme events in nearly half of that period. In 2023 alone, more than 20,000 people were affected by the overflow of the Acre River and its tributaries, leading the city to declare a state of emergency. The plan identifies these floods as high-risk vulnerabilities and attributes part of the worsening impacts to disorderly land occupation, neglect of the Master Plan, and lack of urban infrastructure adapted to new climate conditions. According to IPAM, Rio Branco’s case shows that planning alone is not enough: strategies must be turned into concrete, ongoing actions to avoid repeat tragedies.
In addition to its support in Acre, IPAM is also advancing discussions on climate change mitigation and adaptation in Manaus and Belém.
Community Participation in Policy Development
Every climate impact left unaddressed through adaptation tends to multiply in severity and negative consequences. Pinho emphasizes that, unlike mitigation, the adaptation agenda must be implemented at the local level and with direct involvement of affected communities.
A biology graduate from UFSCar (Federal University of São Carlos), Pinho highlights the broad scientific consensus that engaging traditional populations in the development of climate policies makes measures more effective. Traditional knowledge, whether ecological or culturally relevant to the ecosystem, enhances the effectiveness, reach, and monitoring of adaptation strategies.
With local participation, she says, policies are more likely to be inclusive and adaptable, and their implementation and monitoring become easier — particularly if adopted measures fail and strategies need to be rethought.
Key Solutions
In IPAM’s institutional view on adaptation, protecting natural territories — especially those of Indigenous, riverside, extractive, and traditional populations — is the most urgent strategy. This protection can be achieved, according to the policy brief, through proper designation of Undesignated Public Forests and by strengthening the autonomy of resident populations, ensuring access to healthcare, clean water, energy, and basic infrastructure, and reducing dependence on river navigation during droughts.
Another key point raised by Pinho is the need to develop a system that addresses the seasonality of Amazonian rivers, considered one of the region’s main risk factors. She stresses that the lives of Amazonian peoples are deeply tied to the dynamics of water — whether in fishing, agriculture, or mobility.
IPAM produced a documentary, launched in 2024 during Proteja Talks in Manaus, about the 2023 drought of the Negro River and its impacts on local populations. In addition to interviews and testimonials from residents and traditional communities, the film features scientists explaining the extreme event and discussing pathways toward climate balance. Watch the trailer:
A set of “no regrets” adaptation measures — those that yield benefits even under climate uncertainty — can be implemented immediately, according to the IPAM study published in 2025. These include:
- Decentralizing energy production with a focus on renewable sources like solar;
- Strengthening basic infrastructure and health and education services in small towns;
- Improving water resource governance; and
- Promoting a sustainable bioeconomy based on biodiversity and traditional knowledge.
These actions not only reduce the vulnerability of Amazonian populations but also help conserve forest ecosystems and prevent more severe socio-economic losses in the future.
In addition to the above, IPAM also proposes adaptation strategies tailored to different sectors and regions of the Amazon. These include support for low-impact agriculture with integrated systems and pasture restoration; sustainable fisheries management using climate-adapted technologies; and the promotion of low-impact fish farming. The policy brief also advocates for the use of nature-based solutions in urban areas, the strengthening of early warning systems for extreme events, and the expansion of public policies to protect Indigenous and traditional territories — considered essential for preserving the forest and mitigating the impacts of climate change.
*Jornalista do IPAM, anna.rodrigues@ipam.org.br