Major organizations such as the UN may have lofty ambitions to change the world, but that doesn’t mean they’re necessarily successful in representing the desires of the people when implementing action. Many people outside these transnational organizations believe not enough is being done to solve the climate crisis, and more and more, these people are taking matters into their hands.
During the last week, European climate strikers and Extinction Rebellion youth activists have traveled by motor canoe deep into the Amazon rainforest to share ideas with indigenous leaders, forest dwellers, environmental activists, and Brazil’s leading climate scientists.
The gathering in the Amazon is an alternative climate conference, one that aims to bring the global debate about climate change into the Amazon. They also want to demonstrate that Brazil can continue to play a positive role despite the country’s decision not to host this year’s official United Nations climate talks in the wake of Jair Bolsonaro’s presidential election victory.