Eight South American countries left the summit of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO) in Brazil without a rather unified strategy to battle deforestation in the dangerously vulnerable Amazon rainforest, a distressing outcome given its vital role in mitigating the climate crisis.

For nearly a decade, member states had not met to set goals that would put an end to irreparable damage to the rainforest. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva championed a regional policy aimed at halting deforestation by 2030, with Brazil committing itself to zero deforestation.

Deforestation surged during the tenure of Jair Bolsonaro’s predecessor, Lula da Silva. Deforestation rose to a level that impacts what could be a tipping point that makes the rainforest transform into a grassy savannah, impacts biodiversity, and changes the climate.

All these countries-Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Guyana, and Suriname-all signed the Belém Declaration, outlining a 113-point agenda, including the formation of the Amazon Alliance to Fight Deforestation. But he still remains reluctant as there is no unified stance, which is discouraging as the fate of the Amazon significantly influences global climate balance, biodiversity, and carbon storage.

Guyana, Suriname, and Bolivia refused to agree upon goals during the summit. The Brazilian National Institute for Space Research's data shows deforestation increased by over 70% from 2018 to 2021 under Bolsonaro.

Colombia just endorsed the Amazonia for Life: 80% by 2025 initiative seeking to protect 80 percent of the Amazon, highlighting the urgency of acting jointly to uphold the future of the rainforest.

While new data indicates that deforestation in Brazil has dropped, the critical vulnerability of the Amazon continues. The result of this summit highlights what is still an ongoing challenge in ensuring worldwide climate resilience and conservation efforts.