Science Academies from almost 40 countries and regional networks state that ignoring the climate crisis is ‘unacceptable’ and stress the urgency of protecting tropical forests.

Held for the first time on the edge of the Amazon Rainforest, COP30 must mark a “turning point” in shaping the climate agenda and cannot end with vague commitments or postponed promises. To achieve this, measures such as strengthening international cooperation for the protection of tropical forests and increasing investment in mission-oriented science are essential. Furthermore, biodiversity must no longer be treated as a peripheral issue in climate negotiations and be placed at the core of the global agenda during the conference. These points are part of the statement “A Scientific Call for COP30: Science Academies United for Climate Action”, which is endorsed by almost 40 Academies of Sciences, as well as the four regional networks under the umbrella of the InterAcademy Partnership (IAP). The document was sent to Ambassador André Corrêa do Lago, President of COP30 on November 3. It was also shared with the Office of the President of Brazil and with the Brazilian Ministries of Science, Technology, and Innovation (MCTI), and of Environment and Climate Change (MMA). The goal is to support discussions and negotiations during COP30.

Among the recommended scientific actions are strengthening international cooperation for the protection of tropical forests and expanding investment in mission-oriented science focused on issues such as forest restoration, recovery of degraded areas, hydrological cycle monitoring, environmental surveillance for disease prevention, development of social technologies, sustainable biodiversity management, and technological innovation in land-use systems and climate change mitigation. The statement also emphasizes that potential solutions to the climate crisis have already been identified by science, and implementation efforts must be accelerated. The endorsing Academies affirm that without living, functional, and socially integrated tropical forests, global climate stability would be impossible to sustain. To reverse this scenario, science must fulfill its role as a reliable source of evidence, a tool for strategic planning, and a foundation for urgent and informed decision-making.

The document was first presented during the event “A Scientific Call for COP30” organized by the Brazilian Academy of Sciences (ABC) and the Inter-American Network of Academies of Sciences (IANAS) in Manaus, Brazil, on October 20-22. Held at the headquarters of INPA (National Institute for Research of the Amazon), the meeting brought together researchers, representatives of Science Academies and Brazilian governmental authorities to discuss urgent topics and proposals for COP30. Participating in the event were more than 20 Academies from Amazonian countries, the Americas and other continents. The video recordings of the event are available at this link.