Climate Nature Synergies: From Local to Global

CLIMATE-NATURE SYNERGIES: from local to global STRATEGIC PAPER 65NOVEMBER 2025 IGARAPÉ INSITUTE a think and do tank SP 65 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION TO THE CLIMATE-NATURE SYNERGIES AGENDA ...................................................... 1 1.1 What is the Climate-Nature Synergies Agenda and why does it matter? ............................................................. 1 1.2 The Climate-Nature Synergies Agenda and COP30 in Brazil and the Amazon: How to move forward? ................... 3 2. CLIMATE-NATURE SYNERGIES AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL: BRAZIL ................................................................. 6 2.1 Climate-Nature Synergies and the Ecological Transition in Brazil ................................................................ 6 2.2 Climate-Nature Synergies in Brazil’s public policies and climate diplomacy ................................................................ 8 3. CLIMATE-NATURE SYNERGIES AT THE REGIONAL LEVEL: AMAZON BASIN ................................................ 16 3.1 Climate-Nature Synergies and Amazonian cooperation 16 3.2 Climate-Nature Synergies in financing sustainable development and policies in the Pan-Amazon ................... 18 4. SYNERGIES AT THE GLOBAL LEVEL: MULTILATERAL SPACES ........................................................................... 21 4.1 Synergies in the Rio Conventions: the multilateral debate ....................................................... 21 4.2 Scientific basis and ancestral knowledge ..................... 23 4.3 Conferences of the Parties (COPs) ............................... 23 4.4 Global initiatives and proposals .................................... 26 5. ADVANCING THE CLIMATE-NATURE SYNERGIES AGENDA AT COP30 ........................................................ 29 CONCLUSION ................................................................. 32 IGARAPÉ INSTITUTE | STRATEGIC PAPER 65 | NOVEMBER 2025 1 Table of ContentsEndnotes 1. INTRODUCTION TO THE CLIMATE-NATURE SYNERGIES AGENDA 1.1 What is the ClimateNature Synergies Agenda and why does it matter? Climate change and biodiversity loss represent two of the greatest global challenges of our time. The world is in a state of climate emergency, with 2024 marking the first year in which the global average temperature rose more than 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.1 The effects have intensified year after year, with alarming extreme events becoming increasingly frequent. Six of the nine planetary boundaries have already been crossed, showing that Earth’s life support systems are operating beyond their safe levels.2 Although distinct, both crises are deeply interconnected phenomena with reciprocal impacts. Environmental degradation undermines ecosystems’ ability to regulate climate, while global warming accelerates habitat destruction and species loss. Tropical basins such as the Amazon Basin are emblematic of this interconnection.3 Home to over 10% of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity and 10% of all known fish species,4 the Amazon’s rich biodiversity plays a vital role in regulating the global climate, yet it is increasingly threatened by deforestation, forest degradation, and the direct effects of climate change. The Amazon is also a deeply unequal region, marked by multiple overlapping insecurities – national, public, human, food, and legal – which add layers of complexity to global efforts to safeguard the forest and its peoples.5 The consequences of the dual climate and biodiversity crisis in the Amazon are not limited to the local level; they affect vulnerable populations worldwide, as well as water, food, and climate security across the Basin countries and beyond. The symbiotic relationship between the climate and biodiversity crises in the Amazon and beyond show that, although they are often addressed in a fragmented way in the domestic and multilateral political-institutional scenario, both are in fact inseparable in their impacts and solutions. In other words, integrated, coordinated, and systemic responses are needed to address both crises. It is in this context that the so-called ClimateNature Synergies Agenda emerges: an effort to promote greater coherence between actions to reverse the climate crisis and those to protect biodiversity, thereby safeguarding the ecological integrity of ecosystems by maximizing benefits and minimizing trade-offs (see Glossary). This endeavor is essentially multilevel and multidimensional, aiming to protect people, climate, and nature at different scales — from local to global. By characterizing the “Synergies Agenda” as an effort, we make it clear that it is not a formalized, institutionalized, or agreed-upon agenda: neither at the multilateral level nor at the regional or national level, including in contexts such as the Amazon Basin and Brazil. What we observe instead is an agenda building process that is still unfolding, through experimentation and technical-political debate, aimed at strengthening “synergistic” multilateral, regional, and national instruments and initiatives. CLIMATE-NATURE SYNERGIES: FROM LOCAL TO GLOBAL 2Table of Contents Endnotes In this context, the Synergies Agenda calls, first and foremost, for greater dialogue and alignment between international legal instruments, especially between the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Convention on Biological Diversity (UNFCCC and CBD), and between these two and the three Rio Conventions (see Glossary), as well as with other international environmental agreements on desertification, oceans, and pollution, and with other initiatives such as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Yet more than promoting dialogue between conventions, the Synergies Agenda is above all an implementation agenda: it seeks to strengthen existing public policy and economic instruments in different countries while fostering the creation of new national, regional, and international mechanisms that incorporate both biodiversity conservation and climate mitigation and adaptation into their mandates and objectives. In Climate-Nature Synergies: From Local to Global, the Igarapé Institute uses the case of Brazil and the Amazon Basin as starting points to explore the opportunities and challenges of fostering dialogue between the climate and nature agendas, highlighting the importance of promoting synergies across multiple levels: national, regional, and global. This study identifies ongoing programs and policies that showcase synergistic approaches between climate and nature in Brazil and other Amazonian countries, as well as multilateral initiatives that encourage greater dialogue and alignment between these agendas within the framework of the Rio Conventions and their instruments. We focus specifically on the Climate and Biodiversity Conventions, while also referencing, whenever possible, other international environmental and nonenvironmental political and diplomatic instruments and processes at the United Nations (UN) and other multilateral spaces Through the systematization of ongoing policies, instruments, and initiatives, the sections in this study highlight actions in all three levels to promote climate-nature synergies. These include: greater alignment between national climate and biodiversity plans; prioritization of synergistic, high integrity financial solutions; promotion of public policy instruments that deliver multiple benefits and can be scaled; and reforms in international climate governance. By presenting an overview of ongoing actions, we underscore synergistic approaches already being considered and tested in countries such as Brazil, across the Amazon Basin, and within several multilateral institutions and processes. In listing these ongoing actions, we stress the contribution of the Climate-Nature Synergies Agenda to efforts aimed at strengthening global environmental and climate governance, advancing the implementation of existing international commitments. We also show how current initiatives can leverage the development of new technical, political, and financial partnerships, reinforcing solutions in Brazil and the Amazon Basin and promoting the exchange of experiences among Amazonian countries, as well as between them and other tropical basins, in a context of growing mobilization around tropical forest conservation. IGARAPÉ INSTITUTE | STRATEGIC PAPER 65 | NOVEMBER 2025 CLIMATE-NATURE SYNERGIES: FROM LOCAL TO GLOBAL 3 Table of ContentsEndnotes 1.2 The Climate-Nature Synergies Agenda and COP30 in Brazil and the Amazon: How to move forward? Given the growing prominence of the Climate– Nature Synergies debate in multilateral forums, as well as in public policy instruments and national and regional initiatives in Brazil and across the Amazon Basin, 2025 presents key opportunities to further consolidate and institutionalize this agenda at multiple levels. While experimentation and innovation are underway at the national level in countries such as Brazil, the coming years will be decisive in ensuring continuity, robustness, and scaling of these actions. It will also be essential to invest in strengthening dialogue and cooperation at the regional level in the Amazon Basin and across tropical basins to foster the exchange of policies and experiences, and to build regional and global initiatives that promote synergies in ecosystems critical to the climate and biodiversity agendas. At the international level, a series of proposals have gained momentum in recent years across different multilateral forums to reinforce integrated global governance between the climate and biodiversity agendas. Such strengthening is vital to enable multilateral processes to promote greater policy coherence, refine institutional mechanisms, and ensure that integrated approaches are translated into global actions for climate mitigation, adaptation, and biodiversity conservation. Among the main challenges today are the lack of clear and effective multilateral mechanisms to align the climate and biodiversity agendas, and the inadequacy of existing financial and technical cooperation instruments to support the further implementation of the Rio Conventions, as well as to strengthen public policies and synergistic investments for climate and nature. With COP30 approaching in November 2025, Brazil has an opportunity to advance policy coherence efforts within the UNFCCC framework. The Brazilian Presidency has emphasized the importance of strengthening the implementation agenda of the Climate COPs, and the Climate-Nature Synergies Agenda is a strong ally in this effort, offering both a tangible outcome and a potential legacy for the COP in Belém. In the context of growing efforts to strengthen and reform global governance, advancing the synergies agenda also represents a step toward feasible reforms in the current geopolitical scenario. Connecting multilateral efforts for the climate and nature agendas contributes not only to improving global environmental and climate governance, by reducing fragmentation and optimizing available resources, but also to reforming the international financial architecture, enhancing high-integrity international financing that delivers co-benefits for the climate, nature, and people. This study is organized into four sections: Introduction to the Climate-Nature Synergies Agenda; Synergies at the National Level: Brazil; Synergies at the Regional Level: Amazon Basin; and Synergies at the Global Level: Multilateral Spaces. CLIMATE-NATURE SYNERGIES: FROM LOCAL TO GLOBAL 4Table of Contents Endnotes GLOSSARY Biodiversity and Nature Both terms are used in the international debate on synergies. While international law generally addresses the issue under the umbrella of biodiversity, numerous initiatives frame it through a “climate and nature” perspective. Domestically, in countries such as Brazil, “biodiversity” is a formally established term in national legislation, defined and regulated by frameworks such as the National Biodiversity Policy 6 and Law nº 9.985/2000.7 By contrast, the term “nature” lacks a consolidated legal definition. Integration, Alignment, and Synergies The term “synergies” has been the most frequently used in international debates and in efforts to advance dialogue, alignment, connections, and compatibility between climate and nature agendas. Although terms such as “integration” are common in the field of public policy and global governance,8 the preference for “synergies” in this case reflects a dual concern. On the one hand, it acknowledges the need to reduce fragmentation and competition between international regimes and agendas, and to promote “mutual gains” and “co-benefits” (see below). On the other hand, it incorporates the legal, political, and diplomatic concerns of many countries with ensuring respect for the authority and distinctions of the various agreements and their mandates, as well as the commitments made by countries in each of them. Co-benefits and Trade-offs Overlap and competition between agendas, regimes, and instruments are common phenomena in both public policy and international relations. Efforts to bring climate and nature agendas closer together therefore seek to “maximize co-benefits and minimize trade-offs.” For example, poorly planned climate mitigation measures — such as monocultures for carbon sequestration or the construction of renewable energy parks in areas of high biological importance — can harm biodiversity. By contrast, nature-based solutions, such as ecosystem restoration and sustainable forest management, illustrate a viable path for integrating climate change mitigation with biodiversity conservation in an effective and balanced way.9 IGARAPÉ INSTITUTE | STRATEGIC PAPER 65 | NOVEMBER 2025 CLIMATE-NATURE SYNERGIES: FROM LOCAL TO GLOBAL 5 Table of ContentsEndnotes Ecosystem Integrity or Ecological Integrity Ecosystem Integrity, also known as Ecological Integrity, refers to the capacity of an ecosystem to maintain its composition, structure, functioning, and self-organization over time within a natural range of variability at landscape scales. It is a scientific concept established for several decades and referenced in official documents and national and international regulations, including the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development (1992), the Paris Agreement, the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and IPCC reports. It is a fundamental concept for assessing the “risk of loss” of carbon stocks, and, therefore, an important tool for climate mitigation actions, while maximizing synergies with biodiversity and the provision of essential ecosystem services.10 Natural Climate Solutions (NCS) and Nature-based Solutions (NbS) Natural climate solutions result from the human management of ecosystems and focus specifically on mitigating climate change. Naturebased solutions, by contrast, encompass actions that address broader social challenges through the protection, sustainable management, and restoration of ecosystems, delivering benefits for both biodiversity and human well-being. It is therefore not uncommon for the two to overlap.11 Rio Conventions The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) are “sister conventions” that emerged from the Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 (also known as Rio-92 or Eco-92). These three Rio Conventions stemmed from shared concerns about environmental and development challenges, with sustainable development as their central focus. Given their complementary nature, UN Member States and the UN Secretariat have sought to expand dialogue and foster joint work among them, recognizing the growing severity of challenges related to climate change, desertification, and biodiversity loss, and pursuing increasingly integrated solutions.12 CLIMATE-NATURE SYNERGIES: FROM LOCAL TO GLOBAL 6Table of Contents Endnotes 2. CLIMATE-NATURE SYNERGIES AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL: BRAZIL This section examines the Climate-Nature Synergies Agenda at the national level through the Brazilian case. It highlights the challenges of decarbonization in Brazil and the potential of nature-based solutions for achieving the country’s NDC, showing how climate-nature synergies are already embedded in Brazil’s public policies and climate diplomacy. By mapping existing instruments and initiatives, even if at different stages of maturity, it identifies opportunities to catalyze synergies between climate and nature agendas, demonstrating in practice how these connections can be advanced at the national level. 2.1 Climate-Nature Synergies and the Ecological Transition in Brazil Brazil is home to the world’s richest biodiversity. This extraordinary variety of life — representing more than 20% of all known species on Earth13 — places the country at the forefront of the 17 megadiverse countries.14 Within this scenario, the Brazilian Amazon plays a central role. Covering about 60% of its area within Brazil’s national territory, it is the largest tropical forest in the world and harbors roughly 10% of global biodiversity.15 Within this scenario, the Brazilian Amazon plays a central role. Covering about 60% of its area within Brazil’s national territory, it is the largest tropical forest in the world and harbors roughly 10% of global biodiversity solutions nationally and regionally, through cooperation with neighboring Amazonian countries, while also serving as a model for other regions of the world. Brazil is currently the sixth largest emitter of greenhouse gases (GHG), accounting for 3.1% of global emissions in 2023.16 Unlike most other major emitters, whose emissions stem mainly from the energy, transport, and industrial sectors, in Brazil the primary source is linked to land use change — driven by deforestation and degradation caused by forest fires — as well as by agriculture and livestock. Together, these activities account for approximately 75% of national emissions.17 This Brazilian peculiarity — also observed, albeit to a lesser extent, in other Amazonian countries and in forest-rich nations such as Indonesia — requires embedding climatenature synergies at the core of mitigation initiatives and strategies for decarbonization and ecological transformation. Brazil is currently structuring its path toward ecological transition and carbon neutrality (net zero) around three main pillars: natural climate solutions, especially positive changes in land use and forest management; changes in the energy matrix; and nature-based solutions. The first pillar — NCS focused on positive changes in land use18 —is especially strategic for Brazil. Globally, it is estimated that these solutions could deliver between 20% and 50% of the emissions reduction needed by 2030, equivalent to 5 to 12 gigatons of CO2 equivalent (CO2-eq).19 Brazil and Indonesia lead the world in potential for low-cost NCS, with Brazil accounting for approximately 15% of this potential — the highest share among countries, followed by Indonesia.20 This potential stems from the wide availability of areas for forest restoration, sustainable agricultural practices, and ecosystem conservation, all of which can contribute significantly to carbon removal and reduction. Recent modeling for Brazil indicates IGARAPÉ INSTITUTE | STRATEGIC PAPER 65 | NOVEMBER 2025 CLIMATE-NATURE SYNERGIES: FROM LOCAL TO GLOBAL 7 Table of ContentsEndnotes that forest protection is the main mitigation measure in the short term, responsible for more than 90% of emissions reductions by 2030. Over the long term, restoration gains prominence, contributing up to 18% of the total mitigation potential, although its impacts unfold more slowly, as decades are needed to rebuild carbon stocks.21 In addition, land use change and agriculture represent the most economically viable pathways for decarbonization in Brazil, with costs below USD 20 per metric ton of CO₂ equivalent.22 In practice, investments in agricultural decarbonization, through regenerative practices, integrated systems, bioinputs, and the recovery of degraded pastures, among others, can generate net benefits.23 Estimates suggest that for every dollar invested in reducing emissions from livestock, there is a potential return of USD 2 in productivity gains.24 Beyond natural climate solutions, Brazil also has strategic assets that can contribute economically and efficiently to the country’s ecological transition and to global emissions reductions, including its vast potential for renewable energy. The renewable energy and bioenergy market in the country is projected to reach USD 90 billion by 2040.25 Although the country’s energy matrix has remained predominantly clean for decades, the energy transition and progress toward decarbonization of the power sector are already being driven by regulatory milestones such as the Legal Framework for Microgeneration and Distributed Mini-generation26 the Fuel of the Future bill,27 Offshore Wind Power28 and Low Carbon Hydrogen29 framwork. These initiatives provide legal certainty for investors and encourage the expansion of biofuels and new clean energy sources, including in more remote locations, many of them within the Legal Amazon.30 The transition to a low-carbon economy also opens up strategic opportunities for Brazil in sectors such as attracting data centers, which demand clean and stable energy, and in the sustainable development of critical minerals essential for energy storage technologies, electric vehicles, and renewable energy. Brazil holds significant reserves of these minerals, including niobium, graphite, nickel, and lithium, and has around 50 projects underway dedicated to the exploration of critical minerals useful for the energy transition.31 This advantage could position the country as a key player in the global market for minerals vital for decarbonization.32 Studies suggest that by seizing these opportunities, Brazil could add up to USD 100 billion to its GDP by 2030.33 However, both biofuels and the race for critical minerals come with trade-offs, posing risks and potential negative socio-environmental impacts, such as increased pressure on sensitive ecosystems, accelerated environmental degradation, and threats to food production and food security. In addition, disputes over benefit sharing in the case of critical minerals may exacerbate conflicts, including in Indigenous territories and traditional communities in the Amazon that are already heavily affected by mining. The absence of clear regulations and effective mechanisms for traceability and integrity assurance further increases the risk of overlap between legal and illegal mining, amplifying socio-environmental vulnerabilities and undermining governance of the sector.34 Finally, alongside natural climate solutions and the energy transition, Brazil also stands out in the use of NbS — approaches that not only remove carbon but also generate socioenvironmental co-benefits for the population. The country holds about 20% of the world’s total NbS35 potential. One example is the possibility of reconciling food, energy, and environmental objectives by converting 61 to 85 million hectares of degraded pasture into native forests, planted energy forests, and sustainable agricultural practices.36 According to the Brazilian Restoration and Reforestation Observatory (BRRO), in 2024 more than 150,000 hectares were already under restoration in Brazil, representing a 90% increase over 2021 levels.37 CLIMATE-NATURE SYNERGIES: FROM LOCAL TO GLOBAL 14 Table of Contents Endnotes In the 2000s, especially until 2012, Brazil made significant progress in reducing deforestation, particularly in the Amazon. This achievement was driven by initiatives such as the Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Deforestation in the Legal Amazon (PPCDAm), launched in 2003. Command and control measures, the conditioning of rural credit on environmental compliance, and the prioritizing of municipalities with high deforestation rates also delivered significant results. At the same time, conservation units were expanded and Indigenous Lands were recognized, supported by programs such as the Amazon Protected Areas (Arpa) initiative and the Integrated Protection Project for Indigenous Peoples and Territories.56 These initiatives not only reduced deforestation in the Amazon by a third at the time, but also made a major contribution to climate change mitigation by reducing GHG emissions from forest degradation. They also strengthened the rights of Indigenous peoples and traditional communities, while promoting biodiversity conservation and the maintenance of ecosystem services through the creation of the National System of Conservation Units. During that period, Brazil was responsible for the most significant global impact in terms of biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation.57 However, in the following years, deforestation once again spiraled out of control, a situation aggravated by the economic and political crisis that began in the second half of the 2010s and became particularly acute between 2019 and 2022, when Brazil experienced severe setbacks in its environmental agenda, including the dismantling of public policies and institutions dedicated to environmental protection.58 More recent data, however, points to signs of recovery. In 2023, gross greenhouse gas emissions fell to 2.3 billion tons of CO2 equivalent (CO2eq), a 12% drop from the previous year and the lowest level in 15 years. Synergies in the Brazilian Amazon IGARAPÉ INSTITUTE | STRATEGIC PAPER 65 | NOVEMBER 2025 CLIMATE-NATURE SYNERGIES: FROM LOCAL TO GLOBAL 15 Table of ContentsEndnotes This decline was largely driven by a significant 37% reduction in deforestation in the Amazon.59 Meanwhile, despite progress in reducing deforestation, forest degradation in the Amazon, caused by forest fires and illegal logging, increased by 497%, an alarming surge that reveals the complexity of the challenges ahead. This growth is directly linked to the rise in arson in areas of native vegetation, with impacts further intensified by extreme weather conditions. In 2024, the Amazon faced a second consecutive year of severe drought, worsening water stress and making the forest more vulnerable to fire, with fires even spreading to wetlands that had once served as natural barriers.60 This situation underscores a major challenge for the region: while deforestation is being curbed, factors such as climate change and illegal activities continue to undermine the forest’s resilience and capacity for regeneration. Forest degradation has far-reaching consequences, including biodiversity loss, carbon release, and a greater incidence in extreme weather events. Since 2023, renewed momentum in environmental and climate agendas, together with update diagnoses and responses to a context different from the previous decade, has resulted in a new set of actions, especially at the federallevel actions, starting with the new PPCDAm. At the same time, public policy instruments have expanded, including credit and financing for Amazonian territories, such as the Amazon Fund and Pronaf Floresta, in addition to other actions such as PGPMBio and the Productive Forests Program (see Table 1). Many of these initiatives are still at an early stage and will need to mature and be reinforced in order to generate synergistic outcomes across the climate, nature, and inclusive and sustainable development agendas. CLIMATE-NATURE SYNERGIES: FROM LOCAL TO GLOBAL 16 Table of Contents Endnotes 3. CLIMATE-NATURE SYNERGIES AT THE REGIONAL LEVEL: AMAZON BASIN This section discusses the Climate-Nature Synergies Agenda at the regional level in the Amazon Basin. It identifies initiatives in the PanAmazon region led by regional organizations such as the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), alongside examples of national initiatives across the region — from policies and projects to the diplomatic leadership of other South American countries such as Colombia. The section emphasizes that tackling deforestation, conserving sociobiodiversity, and promoting sustainable development in the Pan-Amazon region require actions that transcend national borders, making it essential to further strengthen technical and political dialogue and enhance regional cooperation in the Amazon Basin around the Climate-Nature Synergies Agenda. 3.1 Climate-Nature Synergies and Amazonian cooperation Tropical forests such as the Amazon Basin provide fertile ground for innovation and experimentation within the climate–nature synergies agenda, enabling commitments made under the Rio Conventions to be translated and implemented in critical territories. It is, therefore, an implementation-driven agenda. The ecological importance of the biome, along with the need to establish mechanisms for its management and conservation beyond the borders of the national states that make up the Basin, gave rise to the Amazonian consultation, coordination, and cooperation efforts61 culminating in the signing of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty (ACT) in 1978 and the creation of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO) in 1995. Since its inception, ACTO has been committed to promoting sustainable development in the Amazon region, integrating biodiversity conservation with economic and social prosperity. Its mandate reflects the understanding that these pillars are interdependent and essential for the region’s balance. The Organization grounds its actions on principles that promote cooperation among member countries, recognizing the Amazon as a vital ecosystem not only for biodiversity and sustainable development in South America, but also for global climate security. The treaty establishing ACTO reaffirms the commitment of its members to “act in accordance with the principle of sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, in harmony with nature and the environment”.62 This commitment is even more relevant today, given the critical importance of preserving the Amazon — the world’s largest tropical forest — in the face of the triple planetary crisis, and its contribution to global climate stability and biodiversity conservation. In addition, ACTO’s mandate prioritizes the coordination of environmental, climate, development, and more recently public security policies,63 which are essential to address cross-border challenges that threaten the region’s integrity, including the urgent need to end deforestation and tackle organized environmental crime.64 The Belém and Bogotá Declarations, adopted at the Amazon Summits of 2023 and 2025,65 underscores the climate-nature synergy agenda, highlighting the Amazon’s importance for global climate security and its crucial role in strengthening resilience to the IGARAPÉ INSTITUTE | STRATEGIC PAPER 65 | NOVEMBER 2025 CLIMATE-NATURE SYNERGIES: FROM LOCAL TO GLOBAL 17 Table of ContentsEndnotes impacts of climate change. The Declarations also emphasize the need for a sustainable development paradigm that integrates social, economic, and environmental dimensions, promoting the responsible use of natural resources, rule of law, the strengthening of local livelihoods, and the valuation of ecosystem services provided by the forest.66 With its mandate and network, ACTO is well positioned to lead the regional development of an integrated model for development and conservation in the Amazon. By aligning climate and biodiversity agendas, promoting innovative financial mechanisms, and institutionalizing cross-border cooperation, ACTO has the potential to turn the region into a global example of integrated regional environmental governance. However, the success of this model depends on strengthening ACTO itself and its capacity to foster intergovernmental cooperation on the climate-nature synergy agenda. This includes supporting countries in harmonizing regulatory frameworks, coordinating and sharing public policies and technologies, and implementing concrete actions to preserve biodiversity, mitigate climate change impacts, and promote local development compatible with the standing forest. Although modest in scale, ACTO has developed technical cooperation initiatives that demonstrate climate-nature synergies at the regional level in the Pan-Amazon. Among the ongoing initiatives is the Bioamazônia Project,67 aimed at strengthening the management, monitoring, and control of wild fauna and flora species threatened by trade, especially those included in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites). Past initiatives include projects like the Forest Cover Monitoring in the Amazon Region and the Monitoring of Deforestation, Forest Use and Land Use Change in the Pan-Amazon Forest,68 implemented between 2011 and 2018, which sought to strengthen forest cover monitoring systems in member countries. Another example is the ACTO Biomaz Project: Support to the ACTO biodiversity program under the CBD Framework in Latin America. The project sought to develop a consensus framework or program among member countries for the sustainable use and conservation of the Amazon biodiversity, generate data on the status and trends of biodiversity and ecosystem services, and foster dialogue and the exchange of experiences among experts and civil servants across the Basin.69 In addition to ACTO’s regional initiatives, the Science Panel for the Amazon (SPA)70 has emerged as a key scientific platform for promoting synergies between the agendas for combating climate change and protecting biodiversity in the region. In its Amazon Assessment Report 202171, the Panel reinforced the importance of integrating biodiversity conservation with climate action, highlighting the Amazon’s critical role as a global climate regulator and one of the planet’s largest reservoirs of biodiversity. In addition, during the COP16 Biodiversity Conference in 2024, the SPA presented a Policy Brief72 proposing the creation of a network of innovation hubs to promote regenerative bioeconomies in the region, integrating science, technology, and traditional knowledge. These scientific contributions provide practical guidance for strengthening regional cooperation and advancing a development model that reconciles environmental protection and climate resilience. This set of initiatives illustrates the growing interest in the synergies agenda and the emergence of more integrated approaches at the regional level. Given the current volume and scale of actions explicitly designed to foster complementarity between these agendas, it is clear that there is still room to deepen and institutionalize efforts at the regional level, as well as expand the thematic scope of cooperation. Within ACTO, this could mean complementing the more traditional focus on natural heritage preservation with projects that advance sustainable and inclusive development solutions in areas such as the bioeconomy.73 CLIMATE-NATURE SYNERGIES: FROM LOCAL TO GLOBAL 18 Table of Contents Endnotes 3.2 Climate-Nature Synergies in financing sustainable development and policies in the PanAmazon In parallel with the efforts of regional institutions, recent years have seen the emergence of several national and multilateral initiatives that also support the implementation of climatenature synergies at the domestic level and across countries in the region. Among these are projects led by Latin American multilateral financial institutions, such as the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and, to a lesser extent, the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF). Within the IDB, the Amazon Forever Program74, launched in 2023, stands out. It adopts an integrated approach aimed at preserving the Amazon as a global biodiversity and climate asset. This innovative umbrella program provides a framework for regional coordination of sustainable and inclusive development in the Amazon. It finances and supports local actors in actions that promote nature-based solutions, strengthen Indigenous communities, and foster sustainable infrastructure, while prioritizing the protection of the region’s natural resources. The program currently covers more than 270 projects and a portfolio of operations exceeding USD 5 billion. Through its portfolio, Amazon Forever mobilizes financing for climate and conservation actions, encouraging public-private partnerships and community engagement as key elements for achieving lasting results. Its priority areas include combating deforestation, promoting the bioeconomy and creative economy, advancing inclusive social development, strengthening sustainable cities, and supporting low-carbon agriculture adapted to the Amazon context 75 Among the many initiatives relevant to the climate-nature synergies agenda, the Amazonia Bonds— launched in 2024 and aligned with the principles for green, social, and sustainability bonds76, — stand out as a mechanism to leverage responsible capital for climate and nature finance in the region. The Bank also supports regional networks such as the Pan-Amazonian Network for the Bioeconomy and the Bioamazon Network of Research and Innovation Institutes in Biodiversity, both focused on promoting the Amazon bioeconomy while creating opportunities for local populations and ensuring the conservation of the standing forest. For its part, CAF has sought to integrate climate and biodiversity agendas through strategic investments aimed at protecting key ecosystems in the Amazon. With a planned contribution of USD 2 billion by 2030,77 CAF focuses on developing sustainable production chains, building resilient cities, and restoring degraded areas. In partnership with ICLEI, the global association of local and subnational governments, the bank has also worked to incorporate biodiversity into urban policies, reaffirming its commitment to sustainable development and environmental protection.78 Finally, alongside the regional actions led by ACTO, the work of the SPA, and the activities of regional multilateral banks such as the IDB and CAF, other Amazonian countries – much like Brazil (see Section 2) – have also made progress nationally and through partnership with neighboring countries in developing policies and projects that connect biodiversity and climate change agendas. Table 2 below presents some of these initiatives (including projects, public policies, financing mechanisms, and cooperation projects), offering concrete examples of how countries in the region are already promoting climate-nature synergies on the ground. IGARAPÉ INSTITUTE | STRATEGIC PAPER 65 | NOVEMBER 2025 CLIMATE-NATURE SYNERGIES: FROM LOCAL TO GLOBAL 19 Table of ContentsEndnotes Table 2. Instruments and initiatives that promote climate-nature synergies in the Pan-Amazon National Strategic Policies and Actions Category Country Instruments and initiatives Description Colombia Peru and Suriname Colombia Colombia Venezuela Bolivia National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans (NBSAPs)79 Strategy 2050 (E2050)80 Diplomacy for ClimateNature Synergies Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC)81 National plans for biodiversity conservation aligned with CBD targets, including climate actions and recognizing the synergies between the climate and biodiversity agendas. Long-term strategies for carbon neutrality and climate resilience that connect biodiversity conservation with the green economy. The Colombian government has been actively engaged in diplomacy on the Rio Conventions Synergies Agenda, particularly regarding climate and biodiversity, and has placed this issue at the center of its COP16 Biodiversity Presidency in 2024 (see Section 4). Venezuela has updated its climate change commitments to include adaptation and mitigation measures that account for biodiversity conservation, reflecting an integrated approach to the country’s environmental challenges. Policy framework that guides public policies to integrate climate adaptation and biodiversity preservation. Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, and Costa Rica Financial mechanism that channels international resources for biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation in the Chocó Biogeographic Region, and related eco-regions, in partnership with the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF). Financial Instruments and Financing Mechanisms Plurinational Climate Change Policy82 Peru Tax incentive scheme that allows private companies to allocate up to 50% of their eligible taxes to public infrastructure projects, including nature-positive initiatives such as biodiversity protection and Nature-based Solutions. Multi-donor fund for the Chocó Biogeographic Region and other related eco-regions83 Works for Taxes e Invierte.pe84 CLIMATE-NATURE SYNERGIES: FROM LOCAL TO GLOBAL 20 Table of Contents Endnotes Bioeconomy and Payment for Environmental Services (PES) Programs and Projects French Guiana Bolivia Colombia Brazil and French Guiana Action Plan on Bioeconomy and Tropical Forest Protection85 Sovereign Carbon Market86 Biocultural Pacific Program87 Brazil-French Guiana Cross-Border Environmental Cooperation 88 Action plan to establish a bioeconomy model that integrates the social, economic, and environmental dimensions of sustainable development, contributing to climate change mitigation and poverty. Framework that establishes a national carbon market to generate resources and finance sovereign efforts to combat deforestation, while supporting biodiversity conservation projects. Program that integrates biodiversity conservation with sustainable development in coastal and forest areas. Bilateral agreement focused on combating environmental crimes in border regions, preserving natural areas, conserving biodiversity, restoring degraded areas, and addressing biopiracy and wildlife trafficking. Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela Regional platform composed of the seven countries that share the Andes Mountains. On a voluntary basis, these countries work to strengthen regional dialogue, promote and implement joint actions for the conservation and sustainable development of the Andean region. Regional Governance and Cooperation Andean Mountain Initiative89 Inter-American Development Bank Program designed to expand financing, share strategic knowledge, and enhance regional coordination to accelerate sustainable, inclusive, and resilient development in the Amazon. By integrating climate action and forest conservation, the program prioritizes sustainable agriculture, forestry, and the bioeconomy, among other key areas. Amazon Forever Program90 Source: Igarapé Institute Continuation Category Country Instruments and initiatives Description IGARAPÉ INSTITUTE | STRATEGIC PAPER 65 | NOVEMBER 2025 CLIMATE-NATURE SYNERGIES: FROM LOCAL TO GLOBAL 21 Table of ContentsEndnotes 4. SYNERGIES AT THE GLOBAL LEVEL: MULTILATERAL SPACES This final section addresses the Climate-Nature Synergies Agenda at the global level, with a focus on multilateral initiatives within the United Nations (UN) system and other international forums. This section highlights diplomatic efforts within multilateral bodies, as well as contributions from the scientific community and civil society, to promote greater dialogue among the Rio Conventions. It underscores the growing importance of this agenda and the progress achieved in recent years, especially the bridges beginning to be built within the Convention on Biological Diversity. Finally, it points to the most promising opportunities for this agenda to gain more weight within the Climate Convention, starting with COP30 in Brazil and the Amazon. 4.1 Synergies in the Rio Conventions: the multilateral debate Global environmental governance is shaped by a series of distinct agreements. Instruments such as the UNFCCC, the CBD, and the UNCCD — also known as the Rio Conventions, as they originated from the Rio Eco-92 (see Section 1) — form part of a complex web of multilateral mechanisms designed to address the climate and ecological crises. In this framework, environmental commitments intersect with non-environmental commitments and initiatives, such as the SDGs, as well as the activities of multilateral development banks and environmental and climate funds. However, in practice, this set of instruments tends to operate in parallel, leading to overlaps, gaps, and at times even conflicts between their objectives.91 This is far from a new diagnosis — or one limited to environmental agreements. Fragmentation, duplication, and competition between international instruments continue to pose major challenges to advancing synergistic actions that address climate change and nature protection. These challenges are further compounded by the broader crisis in UN multilateralism and global governance, marked by the rise of nationalism and authoritarianism in different parts of the world, with repercussions for climate governance.92 Despite undeniable achievements,93 the Climate Conferences of the Parties (Climate COPs) have also faced growing criticism, particularly due to the exhaustion of the current model. One concern is the consensusbased decision-making process, which allows individual countries to slow or block progress, especially in the transition away from fossil fuels, often resulting in weakened agreements despite the urgency of the climate crisis. Another recurring concern relates to the COPs’ limited capacity to ensure and support the effective implementation of commitments negotiated over the last few decades, especially since the Paris Agreement.94 In other words, there are persistent questions about the effectiveness of multilateral processes such as the Climate COPs in turning agreed commitments into concrete public policies, including those reiterated in the latest Global Stocktake (GST) concluded at COP28 in 2023.95 The issue of synergies is itself a further source of concern. A central challenge lies in the absence of clear and effective multilateral mechanisms to align the climate and biodiversity agendas. While the UNFCCC relies on quantitative targets, such as achieving CLIMATE-NATURE SYNERGIES: FROM LOCAL TO GLOBAL 22 Table of Contents Endnotes emissions neutrality by 2050 (Article 4.1 of the Paris Agreement), biodiversity cannot be captured by a single indicator, making it inherently more complex to set targets and evaluate policies. In addition, within the financing pillar of both agendas, significant gaps between internationally agreed commitments — especially those made by developed countries to support developing countries — and the actual mobilization of resources. At the same time, synergistic international financing, such as in the case of NbS, still represents only a small share of total flows. According to 2021 data, approximately USD 133 billion per year is currently allocated to NbS, mostly from public sources, which is low compared to spending on the energy transition or to subsidies for activities that degrade nature.96 Challenges also persist with voluntary and market-based approaches97 which, despite their growing popularity, have shown limited and not yet fully understood impacts, especially in the context of NbS and nature finance. Evidence indicates that their contribution to emissions reductions remains constrained and, to be effective, they must be complemented by more robust and ambitious public policies. Such policies should aim to increase public financing, mobilize private capital as catalytic capital, and to provide guarantees and other de-risking instruments, including exchange rate guarantees, while also ensuring the integrity of market-based solutions.98 The REDD+ carbon credit mechanism, created under the UNFCCC to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, has demonstrated that its effectiveness depends on a participatory design that ensures fair compensation mechanisms and equitable distribution of benefits and costs. Without such a structure, there is a risk of exacerbating inequalities and generating negative impacts on vulnerable communities.99 In both REDD+ and the still-emerging carbon markets and biodiversity credits or certificates, integrity challenges persist.100 Moreover, carbon markets under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement remain in the early stages of development and will require consolidation efforts at the national level, along with guarantees of interoperability, not only between regulated and voluntary markets within countries,101 but also across jurisdictions. Finally, the lack of coherence and integration across sectors and policy scales continues to be a major obstacle. The Rio Conventions — UNFCCC, CBD, and UNCCD — each carry negotiation agendas that reflect the diverse interests of their parties, which often translate into fragmented approaches when shaping national policies and instruments. While opportunities for more integrated governance do exist, significant barriers remain to cooperation among multiple actors and across different levels of governance.102 In the current scenario, international cooperation plays an even more critical role in advancing the implementation of the Paris Agreement and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KM-GBF). It is essential to recognize the progress already achieved through international cooperation in addressing global challenges, while also acknowledging the need for reforms in existing structures and arrangements. Such reforms are necessary to promote greater coherence and synergy between the climate and nature agendas, ensuring the effective and integrated implementation of multilateral agreements. Although still emerging, there are numerous proposals for innovative approaches to foster climate-nature synergies on a global scale, combining adaptive tools and cross-sectoral solutions, as discussed below. IGARAPÉ INSTITUTE | STRATEGIC PAPER 65 | NOVEMBER 2025 CLIMATE-NATURE SYNERGIES: FROM LOCAL TO GLOBAL 23 Table of ContentsEndnotes 4.2 Scientific basis and ancestral knowledge Scientific evidence has been crucial for building clima-nature synergies. In 2003, the CBD published Technical Study No. 10,103 one of the first technical and scientific efforts aimed at integrating the biodiversity and climate agendas. The study recommended incorporating biodiversity considerations into the implementation of the Climate Convention and its Kyoto Protocol. It was prepared by an ad hoc technical group with support from SBSTTA (the CBD’s scientific subsidiary body), drawing on evidence from the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) and experts across multiple fields. In 2019, the Intergovernmental Panel on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) identified climate change as the third leading driver of biodiversity loss, after land use change and the direct exploitation of species. The report identified the urgent need to protect between 30% and 50% of the planet’s land, freshwater, and oceans to prevent irreversible impacts.104 The concept of ecosystem integrity (see Glossary), which appears in both the Paris Agreement and the IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report, is central to aligning ecosystem-based strategies with climate mitigation goals. It provides a scientific framework for minimizing the risks of ecosystem-based policies while maximizing carbon stocks and collateral benefits.105 In a landmark collaboration, the joint workshop of the IPCC and IPBES in 2021 marked the first formal interaction between the two intergovernmental scientific panels. The resulting report106 mapped complex connections between the two agendas, proposing coordinated actions that enhance co-benefits and minimize trade-offs (see Glossary). Building on the long-standing efforts by Indigenous peoples and traditional communities, especially in forest areas, whose ancestral knowledge — or Indigenous science — has long addressed climate and biodiversity in an integrated manner, there is now a growing consensus on the importance of climate-nature synergies. Within climate science, the next frontier is to advance synergistic approaches to knowledge production and evidence generation that can inform international climate action. This includes, for example, developing carbon neutrality models that guide public policies for climate and nature.107 4.3 Conferences of the Parties (COPs) A more integrated approach, with stronger intersectoral policy action and coordinated governance between institutions and the strategic goals of the 1992 Rio Conventions on climate and biodiversity (UNFCCC and CBD) — is essential to align biodiversity conservation objectives with climate mitigation and adaptation actions. Despite the difficulties, a number of initiatives and proposals have sought to promote greater integration between these agendas. Since the creation of the Joint Liaison Group (JLG) in 2001, efforts have been made to foster cooperation among the Rio Conventions.108 These efforts have begun to show results, with references to synergies becoming increasingly frequent in documents and decisions from different multilateral processes (see Table 3 below).109 This includes, for example, decisions under the Convention on Desertification, such as Decision 8 of COP16 in 2024, which strongly emphasizes the need to connect the agendas of the three Rio Conventions. In recent years, the interconnection between climate and nature has been increasingly recognized at key global milestones. Two fundamental instruments in this context are the Paris Agreement itself and the KunmingMontreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which establish commitments to address the climate crisis and the biodiversity loss crisis, CLIMATE-NATURE SYNERGIES: FROM LOCAL TO GLOBAL 30 Table of Contents Endnotes At the same time, Brazil is expected to advance initiatives such as the United for Our Forests Group and to launch the TFFF at COP30, underscoring its leadership and commitment to forest conservation. Brazil also has the opportunity to contribute to the synergies agenda through one of its main deliverables under the Baku to Belém Roadmap to 1.3 T. This includes explicit references to the promotion of synergistic financing instruments, the development of criteria for financing, and the provision of financial incentives for ecological restoration and the bioeconomy. WithIn the Negotiating Agenda, progress on climate-biodiversity synergies – referred to here as biodiversity, in alignment with the CBD – will depend above all on the engagement of the Parties and the work of the UNFCCC secretariat. Although the Brazilian presidency of COP30 can exert political influence and catalyze support among the Parties, it does not have a formal mandate to set the agenda or conduct negotiations. The inclusion of topics on the agenda and the adoption of decisions depend on consensus among countries, in accordance with the rules that guide UNFCCC’s multilateral processes. Nevertheless, the growing international recognition of the interdependence between the climate and nature agendas, together with the symbolism of a COP held in the Amazon, may help create favorable conditions for significant progress. Among the most concrete entry points for this agenda in the COP30 negotiations, and in subsequent ones, the following options stand out.128 A decision under the SBSTA (UNFCCC Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice) on cooperation with other international organizations, a particularly promising avenue given the positive outcome achieved in Bonn during SB62 (see below). This progress paves the way for discussions to resume at COP30 and could lead to the adoption of a formal decision on synergies between the Rio Conventions. A decision within the context of the Global Stocktake, based on the outcomes of the Dubai Dialogue (UAE Dialogue), which explicitly highlights the integration between the climate and biodiversity agendas. A decision under the Sharm el-Sheikh Work Program on Ambition and Implementation of Mitigation (MWP), referring to the results of the dialogue on forest sector mitigation solutions held during Panama Climate Week. A decision in the main text of COP30 (cover decision), proposing the establishment of an Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group (AHTEG) and requesting the Executive Secretariat to strengthen collaboration with the secretariats of the other Rio Conventions, including through the development of a Joint Work Programme. The creation of a stand-alone agenda item on synergies between the Rio Conventions, accompanied by a decision establishing an AHTEG and formally launching a Joint Work Programme. IGARAPÉ INSTITUTE | STRATEGIC PAPER 65 | NOVEMBER 2025 CLIMATE-NATURE SYNERGIES: FROM LOCAL TO GLOBAL 31 Table of ContentsEndnotes Following the first technical exchange between the secretariats of the Rio Conventions, significant progress was made to strengthen synergies between the three Conventions during the 62nd session of the UNFCCC Subsidiary Bodies, held in Bonn in June 2025. The agenda advanced within the formal negotiation process, with particular emphasis on the item on international cooperation (SBSTA 14), which officially launched discussions on synergies between the Conventions, in preparation for a potential decision at COP30. The approved text129 — led by Colombia — invites Parties and observers to submit contributions by September 30, 2025, and highlights the importance of expanding and making existing collaborations and making them more inclusive. Colombia continues to lead these efforts, with Brazil playing a strategic role in its capacity as COP30 Presidency. Throughout the two weeks of SB62, a series of side and external events addressed the theme of synergies from multiple perspectives, reflecting the growing international interest. Highlights included the high-level event organized by the COP30 Presidency, “Bringing the Legacy of Rio to Belém,” as well as receptions hosted by Germany and Colombia on cooperation among the Conventions. The UNFCCC Secretariat also contributed with side events focused on synergistic implementation and joint capacity building. In addition, several civil society organizations, think tanks, and universities organized events exploring nature-based solutions, a positive energy transition for nature, and the role of tropical forests in climate and biodiversity synergies. SB62 – Progress on Synergies within the UNFCCC towards COP30 32 Table of Contents Endnotes CLIMATE-NATURE SYNERGIES: FROM LOCAL TO GLOBAL CONCLUSION The Climate-Nature Synergy Agenda is already taking shape. At the multilateral level, there is growing recognition of the interdependence between the climate and nature agendas, with concrete proposals and progress in recent years, both in the political and diplomatic spheres and in the work carried out by the bodies that make up the Rio Conventions. At the implementation level, several countries and regions, including Brazil and the Amazon Basin, have demonstrated remarkable dynamism. In Brazil, the wide range of initiatives and actions mapped throughout this study indicate that the country has the diplomatic will and a solid foundation of structured solutions, effective instruments, and technical capacity to advance the twin agendas of combating climate change and conserving biodiversity. This progress is driven by an approach that links environmental conservation with sustainable and inclusive development. The Brazilian Amazon stands out as a key arena for much of this experimentation, though it is far from being the only hub of innovation. Both in Brazil and beyond, the Amazon Basin — the world’s largest tropical forest — is not only one of the epicenters of the climate crisis and biodiversity loss, but also a source of climate solutions and action, including through promoting climate-nature synergies for environmental conservation and sustainable development. Regionally, across the PanAmazon region, there is a growing number of actions to promote climate-nature synergies underway at the national, bilateral, and multilateral levels, within and between different Amazonian countries, and led by regional organizations and initiatives. However, while progress has been significant, it is important to recognize not only the incipient nature of some of these initiatives, but also the need to consistently channel resources toward improving and expanding existing policies, instruments, and projects. In countries like Brazil, strengthening the implementation of synergistic initiatives requires expanding and sustaining political commitment (including at the subnational level), ensuring strategic financial allocation, enhancing state capabilities, and engaging different sectors of government and society. These efforts are essential to mitigate integrity risks and to expand positive impacts on both national sustainable development and the global response to the climate and biodiversity loss crises. In the Pan-Amazon region, efforts to combat deforestation, protect socio-biodiversity, and promote sustainable development demand actions that transcend national borders. As ACTO member countries seek to deepen regional cooperation, the Climate-Nature Synergies Agenda offers a promising platform for sharing experiences and promoting innovative solutions tailored to the realities of the region. Supporting national and regional public policies and integrating climate, nature, and sustainable development agendas are also essential to ensure that countries in the region meet their climate and biodiversity commitments while advancing sustainable development that respects the rights and needs of Amazonian populations. In this context, bilateral or multilateral technical cooperation among countries, along with financial and technical support from initiatives such as the Amazon Forever Program and others, will be important partnerships for governments and regional bodies such as ACTO, helping to strengthen state capacities and advance the implementation of increasingly synergistic conservation and sustainable development policies and projects. Finally, at the multilateral level, although the most recent advances have taken place within the framework of the Convention on 33 Table of ContentsEndnotes IGARAPÉ INSTITUTE | STRATEGIC PAPER 65 | NOVEMBER 2025 CLIMATE-NATURE SYNERGIES: FROM LOCAL TO GLOBAL Biological Diversity, aimed at achieving greater policy coherence with the climate agenda, there is now growing openness to advancing this discussion within climate negotiations as well. In the year when the Climate COP will be held in the Amazon — a critical ecosystem for both agendas — there is a unique window of opportunity to reach new consensus and solidify the importance of the Climate-Nature Synergies Agenda. Strengthening this agenda within the UN system is crucial to consolidate and accelerate the progress being made in countries such as Brazil, and others across the Amazon Basin, as well as in global institutions like the Multilateral Development Banks. There is no doubt that the multilateral context remains delicate and that there are multiple concrete paths for incorporating this issue into the negotiations, the Action Agenda and related processes. However, it falls to Brazil, as President of COP30, to lead efforts and build consensus to secure these advances, whether through the Action Agenda, the high-level segment or in COP30 negotiations in Belém in 2025. By doing so, Brazil will make a tangible contribution to advancing the implementation of the Rio Conventions — a stated priority of its COP30 Presidency — while simultaneously promoting the forest conservation agenda, which has become an increasingly central priority for the country, both domestically and diplomatically. 34 CLIMATE-NATURE SYNERGIES: FROM LOCAL TO GLOBAL Endnotes 1. World Meteorological Organization (2025). WMO confirms 2024 as warmest year on record at about 1.55°C above preindustrial level, Press Release, 10/01/2025. 2. Stockholm Resilience Centre, Universidade de Estocolmo. Planetary Boundaries 3. Nobre, C. (2024). Liderança climática do Brasil enfrenta seu maior desafio. Valor Econômico, Opinião. 4. WWF (2024). Relatório Planeta Vivo 2024. São Paulo: WWF. 5. Instituto Igarapé e Uma Concertação Pela Amazônia. (2025). Segurança: um olhar multidimensional para a Amazônia contemporânea. Cadernos da Concertação, Volume 7. 6. Decree on the National Biodiversity Policy (2002). Decreto nº 4.339, de 22 de agosto de 2002 7. National System of Nature Conservation Units Act (2000). Lei nº 9.985, de 18 de julho de 2000 8. Biesbroek, R. (2021). Policy integration and climate change adaptation, Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, Vol.52, p. 75-81; Agyepong, I., M’Cormack’Hale, F., Amoakoh, H., Derkyi-Kwarteng, A., Darkwa, T., and Odiko-Ollennu, W. (2021). Synergies and fragmentation in country level policy and program agenda setting, formulation and implementation for Global Health agendas: a case study of health security, universal health coverage, and health promotion in Ghana and Sierra Leone. BMC Health Services Research, 21. 9. IPBES & IPCC (2021). Scientific Outcome of the IPBES-IPCC Co-sponsored Workshop on Biodiversity and Climate Change 10. Rogers, M. et al. (2022). Using ecosystem integrity to maximize climate mitigation and minimize risk in international forest policy, Frontiers in Forests and Global Change, Vol. 5. see also International Union for the Conservation of Nature - IUCN (2023). Primary Forests, Ecosystem Integrity & Climate Change; Technical Brief, UNFCCC COP 28; Wildlife Conservation Society. Ecological integrity: an overview 11. The Nature Conservancy Brasil (2024). Princípios para soluções climáticas 12. United Nations Climate Change. The Rio Conventions 13. Ministry of the Environment (MMA). Biodiversidade e Biomas 14. The Group is composed of 17 developing countries which together account for more than 70% of the world’s biodiversity: Bolivia, Brazil, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ecuador, Kenya, India, Indonesia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mexico, the Philippines, South Africa, and Venezuela. Australia is also a megadiverse country but is not a member of the Group. See Ministry of the Environment (2013). O Brasil na Agenda Internacional para o Desenvolvimento Sustentável 15. InfoAmazonia (2022). COP15: Amazônia e biodiversidade e Mongabay (2021). Plataforma apresenta dados inéditos sobre a biodiversidade brasileira 16. European Parliament (2018). Emissões de gases com efeito de estufa por país e setor: Infografia 17. The Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Removals Estimating System (SEEG) 18. The Nature Conservancy Brasil (2024). Princípios para soluções climáticas 19. Rocha, J. C., Peterson, G. e Bodin, Ö. (2018). Cascade effects in linked social-ecological systems. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), vol. 115, n. 26, pp. 6623-6628 20. McKinsey & Company (2023). Greener shores: Brazil’s $100 billion decarbonization opportunity 21. Soterroni, A.C., Mosnier, A., Câmara, G., et al. (2023). Nature-based solutions are critical for putting Brazil on track towards net-zero. Global Change Biology, 29(22), pp 6162–6178. 22. McKinsey & Company (2023). Greener shores: Brazil’s $100 billion decarbonization opportunity 35 IGARAPÉ INSTITUTE | STRATEGIC PAPER 65 | NOVEMBER 2025 CLIMATE-NATURE SYNERGIES: FROM LOCAL TO GLOBAL 23. Arapyaú Institute & Itaúsa Institute (2025). Soluções em Clima e Natureza do Brasil 24. McKinsey & Company (2023). Greener shores: Brazil’s $100 billion decarbonization opportunity 25. Ibid. 26. Institution of the Legal Framework for Distributed Microgeneration and Minigeneration, the Electric Power Compensation System (SCEE), and the Social Renewable Energy Program (PERS). Lei nº 14.300, de 6 de janeiro de 2022 27. Act on the National Policy for Sustainable Biofuels (2024). Lei nº 14.993, de 23 de maio de 2024 28. Act on the Use of Federal Assets for Energy Generation from Offshore Projects. Projeto de Lei nº 576/2021 29. The Legal Framework for Low-Carbon Hydrogen (2024). Lei nº 14.948, de 3 de abril de 2024 30. Instituto de Energia e Meio Ambiente (2019). Quem ainda está sem acesso à energia elétrica no Brasil? 31. Ministry of Mines and Energy - MME (2025). Guia para o Investidor Estrangeiro em Minerais Crí ticos para a Transiç ã o Energé tica no Brasil 32. Igarapé Institute (2023). Brazil’s critical and strategic minerals in a changing world; Brazilian Mining Institute (Ibram). Os minerais críticos e estratégicos na COP30: Avançar com uma política para os brasileiros e para o mundo, 2025 33. McKinsey & Company (2023). Greener shores: Brazil’s $100 billion decarbonization opportunity 34. Igarapé Institute (2023). Minerais Críticos e Estratégicos: O papel do Brasil na transição energética global. ; Instituto Brasileiro de Mineração - IBRAM (2025). Os minerais críticos e estratégicos na COP30. Avançar com uma política para os brasileiros e para o mundo.; 35. Empresa de Pesquisa Energética (EPE) (2023). Plano de Transição Energética – Relatório Final 36. Ibid. 37. Brazilian Restoration and Reforestation Observatory. Plataforma Nacional de Monitoramento da Restauração 38. Centro Brasileiro de Relações Internacionais - CEBRI. (2023). The National Monitoring Platform for Restoration; Ricupero, R. (1993). Crônica de uma negociação (Na Conferência do Meio-Ambiente e Desenvolvimento, Rio/92). Lua Nova: Revista de Cultura e Política, n. 28-29, pp 265-282; Fukuda-Parr, S. & Muchhala, B. (2020). The Southern origins of sustainable development goals: Ideas, actors, aspirations. World Development, v. 126, p. 104706; e Viola, E. & Gonçalves, V. K. (2019). Brazil Ups and Downs in Global Environmental Governance in the 21st Century. Revista Brasileira de Política Internacional 62, nº 2 (2019): e010. 39. Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2023). Unidos por Nossas Florestas – Comunicado Conjunto dos Países Florestais em Desenvolvimento em Belém; Tropical Forest Forever Facility - TFFF 40. Submission of Brazil on notification 2025-005. Convention on Biological Diversity. 41. Ministry of the Environment (2025). Discurso da ministra Marina Silva na abertura da 11ª Reunião de Ministros de Meio Ambiente do BRICS 42. Agromais (2024). Brasil na COP16: Compromissos e metas em prol da biodiversidade 43. Decree on the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan. Decreto Nº 12.485, de 3 de junho de 2025: Dispõe sobre a Estratégia e o Plano de Ação Nacionais para a Biodiversidade 44. Gov.br Agency(2025) Ministério do Meio Ambiente propõe Metas Nacionais de Biodiversidade até 2030 45. Ministry of the Environment (2024). Plano Nacional de Recuperação da Vegetação Nativa (Planaveg) 46. Lopes, C. L., Corleto, A. F., Chiavari, J. (2024). Bioeconomia no Novo Governo Lula: Avanços Regulatórios e Institucionais. Rio de Janeiro: Amazônia 2030. 47. Brazilian Development Bank - BNDES (2024). MMA e BNDES lançam os primeiros editais para restauração da Amazônia 36 CLIMATE-NATURE SYNERGIES: FROM LOCAL TO GLOBAL 48. Brazilian Development Bank - BNDES (2023). Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social (2023). BNDES amplia vedação de crédito a clientes com embargo por desmatamento ilegal.; Banco Central do Brasil (2024). Resolução CMN n° 5.193 de 19/12/2024: Altera normas da Seção 9 (Impedim entos Sociais, Ambientais e Climáticos) do Capítulo 2 . 49. Brazilian Forest Service (2025). SFB prepara a emissão das primeiras Cotas de Reserva Ambiental (CRA) do Brasil 50. Gasparinetti, P. e Vilela, T. (2028). Implementando Mercados de Cotas de Reserva Ambiental (CRA) nos Estados Brasileiros: Desafios e Oportunidades para as Regulamentações Estaduais. Discussion Paper. Conservation Strategy Fund (CSF). 51. Ministry of Agrarian Development and Family Farming - MDA (2024). Programa Florestas Produtivas permitirá mais alimentos e restauração florestal no país 52. Talanoa Institute. (2024). NOAukpact: Mobilizando ações para a sustentabilidade 53. Amazônia 2030, BVRio and Igarapé Institute (2024). Mecanismo para Florestas Tropicais: uma nova abordagem para o financiamento da conservação florestal 54. Brazilian Development Bank - BNDES (2024). Projetos de carbono e outros pagamentos por serviços ambientais (PSA): Resumo Executivo, Conclusões e Recomendações 55. Greenwashing is the attempt to disguise negative impacts with discourse or isolated sustainability actions, without structural changes. 56. Mello, N. G. R. e Artaxo, P. (2017). Evolução Do Plano de Ação Para Prevenção e Controle Do Desmatamento Na Amazônia Legal. Revista Do Instituto de Estudos Brasileiros, nº. 66, 108. 57. Viola, E. (2010). Global Climate Policy and Brazil : 2005-2010. Revista Tempo Do Mundo 2 (2): pp 79-114; Tollefson, J. (2013). Brazil Reports Sharp Drop in Greenhouse Emissions. Revista Nature. 58. Climate Observatory (2023). Nunca mais outra vez: Uma análise das lições do Plano de Prevenção e Controle do Desmatamento na Amazônia Legal (PPCDAm) 59. Climate Observatory (2024). Emissões do Brasil têm maior queda em 15 anos 60. Amazon Institute of People and the Environment - Imazon (2024). Amazônia fecha 2024 com queda de 7% no desmatamento, mas alta de 497% na degradação 61. Paes, L. O. (2022) The Amazon rainforest and the global–regional politics of ecosystem governance. International Affairs, v. 98, n. 6, p. 2077-2097. 62. Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (OTCA). Quem somos 63. Ministry of Justice and Public Security (2023). Cúpula da Amazônia: Segurança Pública será um dos temas centrais. 64. Waisbich, L. T. et al (2022). O ecossistema do crime ambiental na Amazônia: uma análise das economias ilícitas da floresta Instituto Igarapé. 65. Amazon Cooperation Treaty - TCA. (2023). Declaração de Belém; Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization - ACTO (2025). Declaração de Bogotá 66. Ibid 67. Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (OTCA). Projeto Bioamazônia 68. Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (OTCA. Projeto Monitoramento da Cobertura Florestal na Região Amazônica: Monitoramento do Desmatamento, Aproveitamento Florestal e Mudanças no Uso da Terra na Floresta Pan-Amazônica 69. Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (OTCA). 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