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

The event brought together 42 participants in Brasília —indigenous leaders, volunteer brigade members, researchers, and policymakers—to co-create new pathways for climate evidence generation, fire prevention, and climate justice in the Amazon and Pantanal biomes. Here’s what we learned:

  • Brazil’s forest fire crisis is worsening. Climate change is making fires more frequent, intense, and destructive, threatening ecosystems, livelihoods, and ways of life.

  • The economic and non-economic losses and damages are palpable. Fires destroy what cannot be replaced, and those who suffer the most are the least responsible.

  • Funding must reach the front lines. Supporting community and volunteer brigades—often unpaid and unprotected—is a fair and smart investment in prevention, adaptation, and climate justice.

  • The fires are political. Weak land regulation, land grabbing, and environmental crime are fueling this crisis. We need accountability and better governance now.

  • Community and volunteer brigades are often the first to respond —preventing, controlling, and restoring ecosystems after fires—but many operate without pay, protection, or recognition, often with their own resources. Supporting them is not charity; it is a strategic and equitable investment in prevention, adaptation, and resilience.

Participants discussed the importance of using multiple sources of evidence to identify and assess loss and damage due to climate change. Scientific analysis can offer valuable insights, but these insights are only fully meaningful in a genuine exchange based on humility and trust . The knowledge of local brigades and communities is essential—both to reveal the limitations of scientific models and to highlight losses that exceed what can be easily measured.

What made this meeting unique was the safe and respectful dialogue that took place between scientific institutions and community brigades. Participants emphasized how rare it is to find a space where all voices are heard equally. The researchers left inspired to make their work more grounded in local realities, while the brigade members felt that their experiences and knowledge were truly recognized and valued.

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

The participants left Brasilia with a common goal : to amplify frontline voices, build plural and concrete climate evidence, and promote policies and financing that reach the territories where fires occur.

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