By Abdullahi Lukman
The Interfaith Rainforest Initiative (IRI) in Brazil, Colombia, and Peru has called for a decisive and ethical COP30, urging world leaders to strengthen and expand commitments to end deforestation and safeguard the Amazon.
In a joint statement, the IRI emphasized that the Amazon must be treated as sacred and warned that the climate crisis threatens both life and livelihoods in the region.
The initiative called on heads of state to adopt courageous, actionable measures at the conference in Belem, uniting faith, science, and politics to preserve life.
The IRI urged COP30 participants to respect ecological limits, halt projects causing irreversible environmental and social harm, and restore global hope through genuine environmental transformation and forest protection.
The group also voiced support for the Tropical Forests Forever Facility (TFFF), encouraging leaders to ensure the fund delivers resources quickly, transparently, and effectively to protect tropical forests.
“Faith, when united with science and filled with solidarity, is a powerful force capable of transforming the world,” the statement read.
IRI pledged to collaborate with governments, communities, and civil society in Brazil, Colombia, and Peru to implement sustainable policies and protect the Amazon’s ecological and social integrity.