Help for the Amazon - 29th October 2021

These people live in the Amazon. They want to protect it. They are part of an organisation named COICA. They are asking other countries to help them.

Gregorio Mirabal is the leader of COICA.

Gregorio Mirabal: "We are not realising that human beings have become the worst enemy of nature and of life itself. So we are simply not the best, but we have shown that we can help the world and we need everyone's help."

COICA had a plan for the Amazon. They asked the World Congress on Protected Areas for help. And they agreed to protect 80 percent of the Amazon.

Gregorio hopes people can live in the Amazon in the future.

Gregorio Mirabal: "In 2050, our children will be able to bathe in this river, they will be able to see what is here, they will be able to see the trees, the biodiversity, they will be able to see those macaws slowly flying, and we will be able to drink our chicha as you have seen. This is the scenario that we are offering to the world if you help us protect 80 percent of the Amazon."

The organisations are worried. They think governments are the problem. Gregorio is worried that the plans won't happen.

Gregorio Mirabal: "At the moment the worst danger is the lack of political will of our governments and this goes hand in hand with corruption. If there is money, and there is a lot of money promised for conservation, for this to remain healthy, but it does not arrive."

The Amazon rainforest is very big. Its trees help the planet. But people burn many trees every day. It's a big problem. The rainforest will disappear. It's very important to protect the Amazon now.