RAISG presents results on science and Indigenous knowledge to ARO

The Amazonian Network of Georeferenced Socio-environmental Information (RAISG) paid a visit on April 28 to the Amazon Regional Observatory (ARO) of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO), in Brasília, to present the main results of the project “Science and Indigenous Knowledge for Amazon Governance” and to strengthen regional cooperation based on the use of data and evidence for decision-making.

The meeting brought together representatives from RAISG, ACTO, and Indigenous leaders, with the aim of discussing how the integration of science and traditional knowledge can contribute to Amazon governance and to the regional and international climate agenda.

During the opening session, ACTO’s Administrative Director, Edith Paredes, highlighted the importance of information exchange for the regional agenda and for feeding data systems used by ACTO Member Countries. She also emphasized that data sharing among Amazonian countries is still under development, but initiatives like this help move the discussion forward. “Having access to information produced in other spaces is extremely important for analyzing the state of the Amazon region,” she noted.

RAISG’s Executive Secretary, Julia Alfonso, emphasized the collaborative nature of the meeting and the network’s role in regional cooperation. “The idea of this meeting is to think about an international mission for the Amazon, focused on our regional cooperation,” she said, highlighting the commitment of the organizations that make up the network.

In the presentation of results, Renzo Piana, a member of RAISG’s Board of Directors, highlighted evidence on the role of Indigenous territories in climate stability. According to him, the data show that carbon loss is significantly lower in these areas. “Without proper governance, the amount of carbon that will be emitted is likely to increase,” he warned, advocating for strengthened territorial governance as a key strategy to curb deforestation and emissions.

The Indigenous perspective was reinforced by Carlos Lozano, a young leader from the Peruvian Amazon, who highlighted the role of communities in protecting their territories. “We are the ones on the ground, and we not only suffer the consequences but also protect these territories through our customs and traditions,” he stated. He also underscored the importance of legal security for Indigenous lands.

From the ARO, Arnaldo Carneiro highlighted the convergence between the agendas of both institutions and the importance of transparency and multiple data sources. “In the Amazon, it is better to have two data points than a single exemplary one,” he said, advocating for the combination of different methodologies and knowledge systems to better understand regional dynamics.