From November 13 to 19, 2025, the BASE Initiative, coordinated by Fundación Avina, will support four key spaces at COP30 in Belém, Brazil, bringing together scientists, community brigades, Indigenous leaders, governments, and private and philanthropic actors.

These dialogues will focus on one of the most urgent and underrepresented challenges in the climate agenda: wildfires induced by climate change and their devastating impacts on people, ecosystems, and economies across the Amazon and the Pantanal.

In 2024, anthropogenic climate change made burned areas 20 times larger in the Amazon and 50 times larger in the Pantanal. Volunteer and community brigades stood on the frontlines, often without stable resources, insurance, or recognition. The BASE Initiative, through its work on Loss and Damage, calls for integrated fire management that places communities at the center and ensures direct, flexible, and dignified funding for those protecting our forests.

If you are at COP30, we will be glad you join us at these 4 events:

November 13 | 15:00–16:30

Negócios pela resiliência: contribuições do setor privado na prevenção e resposta aos incêndios
By registration only

This closed meeting will bring together representatives from the private sector, funds, civil society, academia, and government to discuss how companies can contribute to wildfire prevention and response. The event will:

  • Present the preliminary findings of a mapping study on private-sector engagement in wildfire resilience.

  • Gather feedback and perspectives to refine the final strategy.

  • Identify concrete collaboration and investment opportunities in prevention and emergency response.

  • Strengthen connections within the ecosystem linking climate finance, wildfires, and Loss & Damage.

November 13 | 16:00–17:30

Adaptación en la PanAmazonía: Apoyando respuestas a emergencias climáticas desde las comunidades
📍 Casa Sul Global – Canto Coworking – Av. Serzedelo Corrêa, Nazaré
🎥 Live stream via Global Casa Sul Channel

Organized by Fondo Ñeque, Fondo Casa Socioambiental, and Fundación Semilla, this session will highlight how socio-environmental funds are providing agile and innovative responses to climate emergencies in the Pan-Amazon region. Participants include Fundación Avina, the Central de Mujeres Indígenas Chiquitanas (Bolivia), and the Brigada Guardiões Kumaruara. Together, they will explore how community-led mechanisms can channel resources rapidly and effectively to those most affected by climate-driven disasters, showcasing practical experiences of adaptation and resilience.

November 17 | 12:30–14:00

Wildfires: Science, Stories, and Strategies for Resilience in Amazonia
📍 UK Pavilion, Blue Zone

Extreme wildfires have destroyed homes, crops, and forest resources essential for livelihoods across the Amazon. Smoke exposure has worsened air quality, increasing health risks and compounding the effects of drought and heatwaves. This interactive session will combine scientific insights with the lived experiences of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities, aiming to co-develop strategies for resilience and response.

The big question:
How can we close the gaps between communities, practitioners, policymakers, and scientists to ensure that advances in climate and fire attribution translate into effective action—from financing to integrated fire management—in an era of climate-driven extreme wildfires?

November 19 | 13:15–14:45

Building Resilience through Integrated Fire Management: Policies, Early Warning & Safeguards
📍 UNFCCC Official Side Event, Room 5

This official side event will explore how Integrated Fire Management policies, early warning systems, attribution science, and local knowledge can help conserve biodiversity, reduce climate risks, and secure equitable access to Loss & Damage funds. Speakers will include representatives from government, science, and civil society, among them: Leonardo Gomes (SOS Pantanal), Christian Berlinck (IMF), André Lima (MMA), Ane Alencar & Jarlene Viana (IPAM), Luciana Leite (EJF), Annalisa Corrado (European Parliament), Maria Lucia Barbosa & Doug Kelley (UKCEH), Matthew Jones (UE), Renata Veiga & Renata Libonati (UFRJ), and Victoria Matusevich (Fundación Avina).

At COP30, the BASE Initiative invites all delegates and organizations committed to climate justice to join these conversations and support the recognition of community and volunteer brigades as essential climate professionals.


Together, we can ensure that the Loss & Damage agenda addresses the human, ecological, and financial costs of wildfires, and that those on the frontlines receive the support they deserve.

🌐 Learn more: www.avina.net/cop-30