While world delegations fly into Belém, Brazil, for the world's most significant climate gathering, one journalist is taking a profoundly different route. The Guardian's global environment reporter, Jonathan Watts, has embarked on a three-day boat journey up the Amazon River to reach the Cop30 summit.
The Slow Road to a Climate Summit
Watts chose the slow road – or rather, the slow boat – travelling hundreds of kilometres along the mighty Amazon. His mission is to arrive in Belém immersed in the environment that promises to be a central focus of the climate negotiations. The journey was organised through his journalistic organisation, Sumauma.
He is not travelling alone. His companions on this unique voyage include a diverse group of climate scientists, indigenous leaders, musicians, and even an onboard expert in dreams and the subconscious. This eclectic mix promises deep, unconventional conversations as the landscape unfolds around them.
Learning from the Amazon's Guardians
With the wellbeing of the world's largest rainforest set to dominate discussions at Cop30, this journey poses a critical question. What wisdom can be gleaned from the people who know the Amazon intimately – its rhythms, its secrets, and its fragile balance?
This trip offers a rare opportunity to foreground indigenous knowledge and perspectives before the high-level political talks even begin. It is a deliberate effort to connect the abstract policy of a global summit with the tangible, living reality of the forest and its people.
A Podcast from the River
Jonathan Watts is documenting this expedition for the Today in Focus podcast, where he shares the experience with host Annie Kelly. Listeners can follow the unfolding story from the river itself, gaining insights that might otherwise be lost amidst the formalities of the summit.
This unconventional approach to climate reporting highlights the importance of understanding the context behind the headlines. It is a powerful reminder that the solutions to the climate crisis may not only be found in conference halls, but also in the lived experiences of those on the front lines.
