From September 8 to 10, 2025, the BASE Initiative, in collaboration with My Climate Risk (World Climate Research Programme – WCRP), Rede Clima, with the invaluable support of Fundo Casa Socioambiental, COIAB (Coordination of Indigenous Organizations of the Brazilian Amazon)and the Institute for Applied Economic Research (Ipea), convened the three-day workshop called “Climate Evidence for Loss and Damage in the Context of Wildfires in the Amazon and Pantanal Biomes”.

This event gathered 42 participants in Brasilia — Indigenous leaders, members of volunteer brigades, researchers and policymakers — to co-create new pathways for climate evidence, fire prevention, and climate justice in the Amazon and Pantanal biomes. Here is what we learned:

  • The wildfire crisis in Brazil is worsening. Climate change is making fires more frequent, intense, and destructive, threatening ecosystems, livelihoods, and ways of life.
  • Economic and non-economic loss and damage is palpable. Wildfires are destroying what cannot be replaced, and those most affected are the least responsible.
  • Finance must reach the frontlines: Supporting volunteer and comunities fire brigades, often unpaid and unprotected, is a smart, just investment in prevention, adaptation, and climate justice.
  • Fires are political: Weak land regulation, land grabbing, and environmental crime are fueling this crisis. We need accountability and better governance now.
  • Volunteer and community brigades are often the first to respond — preventing, containing, and restoring ecosystems after fire — yet many operate without pay, protection, or recognition, often using their own resources. Supporting these brigades is not charity; it is a strategic and just investment in prevention, adaptation, and resilience.

Participants discussed the importance of using multiple lines of evidence when identifying and assessing losses and damages from climate change. Scientific analysis can offer powerful insights, but these only become meaningful through genuine exchange built on humility and trust. The knowledge of local brigades and communities is indispensable — both in revealing the limits of scientific models and in illuminating the losses that go beyond what can be easily measured.

What made this encounter unique was the safe and respectful dialogue that emerged between scientific institutions and community brigades. Participants highlighted how rare it is to find a space where everyone’s voice is heard on equal terms. Researchers left inspired to make their work more connected to local realities, while brigade members felt that their experiences and knowledge were truly valued.

The workshop also strengthened alliances across diverse sectors. Organizations such as Fundo Casa Socioambiental, GAIA Social, and COIAB shared concrete experiences of how local support mechanisms can empower volunteer brigades. The presence of public-sector actors, including representatives from Pulso Público and Brazil’s Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change, opened new channels for collaboration on fire prevention and governance.

Participants left Brasília with a shared purpose: to amplify frontline voices, build actionable and plural climate evidence, and promote policies and finance that reach the territories where wildfires unfold.

Stay connected to BASE Initiative to learn how we are working with partners and communities to make climate evidence a tool for justice.