2024-07-04 20:52:14
This week, the Instituto Socioambiental (ISA) released the second episode of “Vozes do Clima”, an audio bulletin launched on June 6 with the aim of providing information to indigenous and quilombola and traditional communities on matters that related to the climate issue. In this second edition, presented by Alex Hadda, from the Kalunga quilombola community, in Goiás, the leaders of the quilombola address the impacts of the climate emergency in their territories and propose measures to address the problem.
Open or play!
The cover was made during the 2nd Aquilombar, the biggest event of the Brazilian quilombola movement, which was held by the National Coordination of Black Rural Culombola Communities (Conaq) on May 16, with the theme “Ancestralising the future”. During the meeting, which ended with a large procession with more than 3 thousand people, ISA heard from leaders from different regions of the country who expressed concern about the future of traditional communities in the face of recurring environmental disasters, such as the latest one. occurred in Rio Grande do Sul, which left 136 quilombola communities in a state of distress or emergency, according to data from the Ministry of Racial Equality.
Also listen to the first episode of “Vozes do Clima”
“We are very sad about the situation that Rio Grande do Sul is going through. Communities (quilombolas) are being destroyed by this climate disaster. We had a big delegation from Rio Grande do Sul to be here, but they couldn’t come because of this situation”, said Biko Rodrigues, executive coordinator of Conaq.
Aquilombar 2024 took place between 15 and 16 May, one of the biggest events of the quilombola movement in Brazil |
Kátia Penha, a member of the Divino Espírito Santo quilombo, in the north of Espírito Santo, and the national coordinator of Conaq, told ISA how climate change affects the cultivation and production of food, the main source of income for many communities. “We invest, we go there, we plant the beans. Then there’s a terrible drought and the farmer loses his beans completely, because it didn’t rain.” This is climate change”, he said.
Climate adaptation policies
One of the other options presented in the second episode of “Vozes do Clima” to address the consequences of the climate emergency is the implementation of adaptation policies. At the beginning of June, the plenary meeting of the Association of Deputies approved the bill that establishes general rules for the preparation and implementation of national, state and municipal plans on the matter. With this, the National Congress responded to the disaster facing the people of Rio Grande do Sul and many others that have already happened in the country.
“The approved project defined that the participation of civil society must be in the different stages of these plans, that is, preparation, implementation and review. These reviews have to be done every four years because of the progress of the climate emergency”, explained Ciro Brito, climate policy analyst at ISA.
According to him, out of the 26 capital cities of Brazil, only 11 have a climate adaptation plan and several reasons are presented as challenges to their expansion, such as the lack of resources and guidelines on how to include civil society in this discussion. “With this possible law, these guidelines will be clarified and funding mechanisms will also be implemented”, he said.
Title to contain threats
Those interviewed in the episode are also concerned about how slow the recognition and title processes for quilombola territories are. Shortly before Aquilombar took place, the federal government had informed the leaders of the movement that it would document the delivery of the final title to their territories during the event, which was not confirmed in the end.
This delay is also reflected in the various threats facing communities. Although they are among the most conserved areas in Brazil, 98.2% of quilombola territories are threatened by infrastructure works, mining needs and overlapping private properties, according to a study carried out by ISA in partnership with Conaq.
Sandra Maria da Silva Andrade, executive coordinator of CONAQ/MG, during the Aquilombar 2024 march | Webert da Cruz Elias/ISA
Chagas de Souza, a Conaq consultant, commented on the problem. “ISA’s research with Conaq shows that the titled territories are the most conserved territories. Because these territories are more protected and the land grabber or the process of deforestation, invasion of the territory, is more comprehensive because there is a title to that territory”, he argued.
Antonio Oviedo, ISA analyst responsible for the study, explained that many quilombola territories are under pressure from these three vectors. “You can see: mining needs, many rural environmental records and areas of influence of infrastructure works within the same territory, which increases the vulnerability of those territories”.
Although Brazil is a signatory to Convention 169 of the International Labor Organization (ILO), which determines the need for free prior consultation, many projects are carried out without guaranteeing this right to indigenous communities, quilombolas and communities other traditional,. according to Oviedo highlighted.
“Brazil is committed to free, informed consultation in advance with traditional communities, the most vulnerable populations, in the event of the implementation of any public policies, or infrastructure work, or contract, or projects that affect the lives of these people. And what we understand is that infrastructure works in Brazil do not adequately consult residents. And in the end what happens? Environmental degradation remains in place, and wealth is left.”
The audio bulletin “Vozes do Clima” is produced by ISA, produced by podcast producer Bamm Mídia and supported by Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). The visual identity was designed by indigenous designers and illustrators Kath Matos and Wanessa Ribeiro. In addition to being distributed via Whatsapp and Telegram, the program can also be heard on the audio platforms Spotify, iHeartRadio, Amazon Music, Podcast Addict, Castbox and Deezer.
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