November 10, 2022

09:11

Ívina Garcia – From Amazon Agency

MANAUS – Tainara da Costa Cruz, 18, from the Kambeba people, is one of the guests of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to participate in the panel on climate change during the 27th United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP27).

The young indigenous woman is part of the Três Unidos Community, located in the Environmental Protection Area (APA) of the Negro River, 1h30 away from Manaus by speedboat. The Kambeba ethnic group is originally from the borders of Brazil and the Andean countries.

Tainara is part of a group that includes two other Brazilians, Maria Eduarda Silva, 19, from Bonito, in Pernambuco; and Victor Medeiros, 18, from the southern coast of São Paulo, who will join other 40 young people from social groups and organizations that will represent Brazilian adolescents and youth in the conference.

“If we don’t fight for climate justice, we will be more and more affected by it. So, the change starts from us. Our grandparents didn’t have internet and they were already fighting for this. This is a line from a young indigenous woman who lives in the village. I think I will represent Brazil, my people and the Amazon very well. This is my role as a leader”, says Tainara.

Environmental Report

Unicef presented a report this morning, Wednesday, 9, warning that children and adolescents are the ones who suffer most from climate change and should be treated as a priority by world leaders.

According to the report, 40 million children and adolescents in Brazil are already impacted due to climate change, especially those living in more vulnerable regions, compromising the guarantee of rights for these children.

Changes in rainfall and temperature patterns increase the risk of diseases such as malaria and dengue, compromising the health of children. In addition, misinformation about vaccines has resulted in the return of diseases already eradicated in Brazil.

The report also points out that the rates of sexual violence against girls are higher in areas of environmental degradation. Danilo Moura, a member of UNICEF’s monitoring and evaluation in Brazil, also warns of threats from environmental disasters.

“Governments need to guarantee that the services aimed at this public continue to function even with the pressure of difficulties created by the climate issue”, says the monitoring officer.