COP30: Human Rights, Commodities and Deforestation in Brazil

Organised by Observatorio-Socioambiental, this event presented a proposal for a new Social Environmental Observatory and Platform which will bring together data about human rights violations, production of commodities in Brazil so as to increase awareness of the socio-environmental impacts.

The event included discussion of Fern’s new report Creating a Platform for collecting and visualising social and human rights impacts lessons from Brazil. 

• Where: COP DO POVO, Sala 4
  Travessa Piedade, nº 426, Bairro Reduto, Belém – Pará, Brazil

• When: 12 November, 10.15 – 12:00 (GMT-3) 

Deforestation in Brazil isn’t just an environmental issue — it’s deeply connected to human rights. Indigenous Peoples, traditional communities, and family farmers (known as PCTAFs) live on lands that are vital for biodiversity, water, and carbon storage. Yet, many of these groups face land grabbing, pollution, and other harms tied to agribusiness expansion. 

While Brazil has strong data on deforestation and land use, information about social and human rights impacts — such as land conflicts, pesticide exposure, or labour abuses — is still scattered, incomplete, or hard to access. This lack of easily available data makes it difficult to protect vulnerable communities and hold powerful actors accountable. 

To close this gap, a group of Brazilian civil society organizations (CSOs), supported by Fern, launched a pioneering project in 2023 to create a Social Platform — an open-access tool that maps and visualises human rights impacts and rural conflicts across Brazil. Developed through workshops, surveys, and collaboration with rightsholders, the first prototype was launched in February 2025. 

Led by Instituto Sociedade População e Natureza (ISPN), the network is now working to expand the platform, making it a comprehensive, user-friendly resource for communities, researchers, and policymakers. 

This initiative aims to make social and environmental data more transparent and accessible — empowering local communities, informing better policies, and promoting more just and sustainable land use in Brazil and beyond. 

The Social Platform was launched and discussed at COP30 in Belém, Brazil.  

Agenda:

• 10.15-10.20 Arrival and icebreaker 
• 10.20 - 10.30 Presentation of Observatory and Platform (Gabriela Russo Lopes, Diversa Consultoria Socioambiental) 
• 10.30-10.40 Uses of the Platform for International Trade Regulations (Nicole Polsterer, Fern)
• 10.40-10.50 How the private sector can use the Platform (Ana Carlonia Crisostomo, WWF-Brazil) 
• 10.50-11.00 How civil society can use the Platform (Rodrigo Noleto, ISPN) 
• 11.00-11.20 How governments can use the Platform (Assessoria de Meio Ambiente, Mudança Climática e Mobilidade Humana da DPU)
• 11.20-11.40 Uses of the Platform for Indigenous Peoples and Complaint Cases and Mechanisms  (Ingrid Martins, APIB)
• 11.40-11.50 How people and communities can use the Platform (Ronilson Coast, CPT) 
• 11.50-12.00 Q&A 

Image: Renan Martelli da Rosa/Shutterstock

Kategorien: Events, EU Regulation on deforestation-free products, Brazil