The smoke from widespread forest fires caused dangerous peaks of air pollution across Brazil in 2024 — with cities such as Porto Velho and São Paulo ranking among those with the worst air quality in the world. Such fires also release severe emissions of black carbon, a short-lived climate pollutant that strongly contributes to global warming. Episodes like these have raised public awareness of the impacts of forest fires on air quality and, consequently, on health — a topic still little addressed in forest-related discussions on the climate agenda. Moreover, the effects are worsened for communities most exposed to risks and most vulnerable to the impacts of these fires on health, the environment, and the local economy.
Considering these challenges, this roundtable will bring together specialists, civil society leaders and government representatives to highlight the importance of integrating the topics of air pollution and black carbon into forest agendas on the road to COP30. The discussion will emphasize the need for a broader forest agenda that takes into account the relevance of super pollutants, their effects on health, and the lived experiences of the communities most affected.
The format will feature the following presentations, followed by interactive Q&A sessions with the audience:

– Researcher from Instituto Ar. Topic: Data and policy pathways to address black carbon from forest fires: how improved monitoring and risk management can guide national action.

– Representative from the Ministry of the Environment’s forest agenda. Topic: Opportunities to integrate air quality and black carbon into the forest agenda for COP30.

– Representative from the COP30 Presidency. Topic: How super pollutants and their impacts on health can be underlined at COP30 discussions

– COP30 Special Envoy. Topic: How civil society can increase attention to the impact of fires on air quality at COP30.

– Representative of an association of affected communities. Topic: The lived experience of forest fire smoke: why the unequal impacts of air pollution must be part of the climate agenda.

The event will be held in hybrid format: in person for invited guests from Brazilian civil society organizations, specialists and relevant government entities, with online participation via registration (featuring simultaneous online translation from Portuguese into English).