On the first day of his public agenda in Egypt, the country hosting COP27, president-elect Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (Workers’ Party) insisted that the next edition of the United Nations Climate Conference take place in the Amazon. “We will talk to the secretary-general of the UN and request the 2025 COP to be hosted by Brazil,” Lula stated, mentioning the states of Amazonas and Pará as possible hosts.
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Speaking as a head of state, Lula anticipated which tone he would adopt for his first official speech at COP27, scheduled for 12h15 p.m. (UTC-3). “Brazil is back. Brazil is getting out of that cocoon to which the country was subject during the last four years”, he said.
This morning (16), Lula received a letter from the governors of the Legal Amazon after a day marked by closed-door meetings (Tuesday, 15).
The governor of Pará state, Helder Barbalho, read the document. “We express our disposition to build a fruitful and efficient relationship with the federal government, based on democratic respect, fulfillment of the Constitution and dialogue with the powers constituted at the state and federal levels,” reads an excerpt from the text.
After reading the document, Lula endorsed the content of the letter. “It is quite fair for us to resume our alliances with the states so that the federal government can rule in agreement with governors. More importantly, [we expect] the federal government to resume its work with city mayors,” Lula stated.
Lula also emphasized his purpose in creating the Ministry of Native Peoples to strengthen public policies aimed at Indigenous peoples and guarantee their active participation in the coming government.
“We will combat illegal deforestation. People must know that we will take care of Indigenous peoples. We will create the Ministry of Native Peoples to stop others from treating them as bandits,” Lula said.
Edited by: Thalita Pires e Flávia Chacon
