Only the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change received the religious leaders. The letter was filed with other agencies, such as the Ministry of Mines and Energy, the Civil House, the Office of the President and the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples, but no response has yet been received.
Check out the full text of the letter
Brasilia, September 5th – Religious leaders from Brazil, representing diverse spiritual traditions, have come together to launch an Open Letter addressed to the Federal Government, calling for urgent and more forceful action to address the climate and environmental crisis in the country. The document, signed by representatives of the Catholic Church, evangelical communities, African-origin temples and other religious groups, highlights the need for a more sustainable approach to the management of natural resources and an immediate end to deforestation in key biomes such as the Amazon, Cerrado and Atlantic Forest.
The letter was filed with the Office of the President of the Republic, the Ministry of the Civil House, the Ministry of Mining and Energy, the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples and the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change. The religious leaders requested an audience with each of the ministries, but only the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change received the leaders.
According to the letter, “the increase in forest fires and burning in the Amazon, Pantanal, Cerrado and Atlantic Forest is destroying our biodiversity, degrading soils and water resources, worsening the global climate crisis, corroding our economy and causing disease and suffering among the population.”
Religious leaders acknowledge the government’s recent efforts to reduce deforestation in the Amazon, but emphasize that current policies are still insufficient given the magnitude of the crisis. “The country’s environmental situation remains extremely worrying and requires greater mobilization of all strategic sectors of the government,” they emphasize.
One of the critical points addressed in the document is the need to halt oil and gas exploration in new areas. According to the letter, “There are currently 873 oil and gas blocks under concession in the country. This exploration could double with 769 new blocks currently on offer.” Religious leaders call for an immediate halt to these concessions and for investments to be redirected to renewable energy, in line with international climate mitigation commitments.
Another key aspect of the letter is the importance of protecting indigenous peoples and traditional communities, who are seen as essential guardians of biodiversity. The letter advocates for the “demarcation of Indigenous Lands, titling of Traditional Territories and the suspension of mining operations on indigenous lands, quilombolas and strictly protected conservation units.”
Finally, the letter calls on the government to take concrete measures so that Brazil can fulfill its global leadership role in protecting the environment. “It is unacceptable that Brazil, a country blessed with the greatest biodiversity on the planet and with such international prominence, continues to contribute to the worsening of climate change and the destruction of its most precious ecosystems.”
The interfaith mobilization highlights the spiritual dimension of caring for nature, stating that “protecting nature is not just an environmental issue, but a spiritual and moral duty.”
The document is signed by religious leaders from all over Brazil, such as Pastor Andrea Alechandre (Church of the Foursquare Gospel, Rio Branco/Acre), Dom Roque Paloschi (Archdiocese of Porto Velho/Rondônia), Mother Jô Santos (Terreiro de São Jorge Tumajamacê, Maranhão), among others.
Sign the Letter:
- Pastor Andrea Alechandre (Foursquare Gospel Church) – Rio Branco/Acre
- Dom Roque Paloschi (Archdiocese of Porto Velho) – Porto Velho/Rondônia
- Maria da Rocha (Guardians of Good Living) – Lago Grande, Santarém/Pará
- Mother Jô Santos (Terreiro of Saint George Tumajamacê) – São Luís/Maranhão
- Rayana Burgos (Terreiros Network for the Environment) – Recife/Pernambuco
- Sister Maria Irene Lopes (Pan-Amazonian Ecclesial Network – REPAM)
- Pastor Romi Bencke (National Council of Christian Churches – CONIC)
- Mametu Nangetu (Manso Terreiro Massumbando Who Who Granddaughter)
- Denildo Rodrigues de Moraes (National Coordination for the Articulation of Black Rural Quilombola Communities – CONAQ)
