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Sustainable tourism can be part of the solution to the climate crisis. Learn how ecotourism, especially community-based models, is playing a role in the COP30 agenda.

Taking place from 10 to 21 November 2025 in Belém, Pará, COP30 Brazil is expected to mark a turning point in global climate discussions and in how we think about travel. Beyond negotiations, the event is also a chance to experience nature-based solutions already in motion. Tourism at COP30 Brazil is not a side note: ecotourism is now a key topic, showing how conscious travel can support climate action.

Did you know that tourism accounts for about 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions, mainly due to air travel and large-scale operations? Shocking, isn’t it? Ecotourism, on the other hand, operates on a smaller scale, with less environmental impact and provides local benefits.

We are talking about one of the most practical ways to combat climate change. Sustainable tourism offers tools for both climate adaptation and environmental preservation, not just in Brazil or the Amazon Rainforest, but globally.

In this context, PlanetaEXO curates responsible travel experiences in nature, with a strong focus on the Amazon and community-led ecotourism. It’s a real example of how tourism can drive conservation and local development.

If you’re curious about how COP30 Brazil connects with your travel choices, keep reading. Below, we explore how ecotourism fits into the climate agenda and why it matters more than ever.

How Ecotourism Helps Fight Global Warming

Sustainable tourism has gained increasing recognition in the United Nations (UN) climate summits as a viable and scalable solution for both mitigation and adaptation. It doesn’t replace public policy or systemic change, but it does strengthen what experts call nature-based solutions: strategies that combine environmental protection with community well-being.

The concept of using tourism as a climate solution has evolved considerably since it was first mentioned in 2005. Over the years, major declarations and reports have helped to formalise the role of tourism in sustainable development and environmental resilience. Take a look at them:

Sustainable Tourism Joins the Climate Agenda

This discussion began formally at COP11 in Montreal, when tourism was officially acknowledged as a relevant sector in the climate agenda. The conference emphasized its role in biodiversity conservation and poverty reduction, stating that: “tourism can support natural resource conservation and provide biodiversity-friendly livelihoods for Indigenous and local communities.”

The Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development

Some years later, in 2017, the UN declared it the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development. As a result, tourism was officially linked to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, with increasing recognition of its role in climate resilience.

The year emphasized how tourism could contribute to 12 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially in areas like inclusive economic growth, sustainable resource use, and cultural preservation. It also called on governments and industry to promote low-impact travel models and strengthen community-led tourism as a tool for sustainable development.

Sustainable Tourism pillars 

At COP26 in Glasgow (2021), the conversation advanced with the launch of the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism, signed by governments, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), and travel companies. This declaration committed the tourism industry to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, with five main action pillars:

• Measure and reduce carbon emissions from travel and hospitality;
• Regenerate ecosystems through responsible tourism;
• Support local economies and community-led conservation;
• Secure climate financing for sustainable travel initiatives;
• Share transparent progress and best practices.

As mentioned earlier, most of tourism’s emissions come from air travel, large resorts, and mass-market cruises. This is confirmed by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) report “Transport-related CO₂ Emissions of the Tourism Sector” (2019), which outlines how these segments dominate the sector’s carbon footprint.

Ecotourism, in contrast, operates on a smaller, lower-impact scale, often involving local travel, small-scale infrastructure, and environmentally conscious operations.

In practice, ecotourism contributes to the fight against global warming in five key ways:

• Lowering carbon emissions: It encourages slower, more local travel and reduces reliance on high-emission transportation and infrastructure.
• Protecting carbon sinks: By conserving rainforests, wetlands, and other ecosystems, ecotourism helps preserve the planet’s natural climate regulators.
• Offering sustainable income for local people: It provides alternatives to destructive industries like logging, mining, and industrial agriculture.
• Building resilience: It diversifies local economies and strengthens communities against climate-related disruptions.
• Raising awareness: It fosters education and engagement, allowing travelers to better understand biodiversity, traditional knowledge, and the urgency of climate action.

Change Has Started, But It Must Go Global

Around the world, sustainable tourism initiatives have already begun to emerge and show positive results. One example comes from the Maya Biosphere Reserve in Guatemala, where former logging areas have been converted into community-managed ecotourism zones, helping to protect vast forest areas while generating income for local residents.

In Brazil, the potential is immense. Destinations like the Amazon Rainforest, Pantanal, and Cerrado are vital for carbon capture and biodiversity, but also face high socio-environmental vulnerability. 

Including ecotourism as a tool in Brazil’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and climate action plans would provide a measurable impact, a topic that is set to gain relevance during COP30 in Belém.

Now, at COP30 Brazil, the focus is on turning these declarations into action. Ecotourism offers a real-world model already working on the ground: scalable, inclusive, and adaptable.

The Amazon Rainforest at the Center of Climate Change

While ecotourism is a global solution, Brazil (and particularly the Amazon Rainforest) plays a central role in the climate crisis. The forest stretches across nine Brazilian states, including Pará, where it covers more than 60% of the state’s territory. This makes its capital, Belém, a symbolic and strategic host city for COP30.

The Amazon regulates rainfall across South America, stabilizes global temperatures, and holds more biodiversity than any other ecosystem on the planet. But it’s also under extreme pressure.

In 2023, the Rio Negro in Manaus reached its lowest level in a century, and satellite data from MapBiomas shows that the region lost over 50 million hectares of forest cover between 1985 and 2023. 

Droughts are becoming more frequent and intense, threatening the forest’s regeneration capacity and the livelihoods of its people. This context reinforces the importance of low-impact, community-driven alternatives. Ecotourism is not the only answer, but it is a promising one, and one that can be implemented immediately.

👉 Want to learn more about those who are actively working to protect the Amazon Rainforest? Discover the inspiring stories of the guardians of the forest.

Conscious Travel in the Amazon

Given the grandeur of the Amazon, it’s clear why it is one of PlanetaEXO’s flagship destinations. We connect travelers with immersive experiences that respect the forest, support local communities, and contribute to long-term conservation. 

During COP30, visitors will have the chance to go beyond the conference walls and experience real-life examples of nature-based solutions: from ecolodges and tours led by local communities to forest conservation projects. 

Tourism at COP30 Brazil : The Future is Sustainable

COP30 Brazil is a chance for the country to position itself as a global reference in sustainable tourism. However, this requires real action. Supporting small-scale entrepreneurs, investing in training, and developing respectful travel experiences are essential steps.

Beyond the Amazon Rainforest, other well-known natural destinations such as Chapada Diamantina and Lençóis Maranhenses also offer significant opportunities for ecotourism. The visibility of the conference could help attract investment and attention to these unique, yet often not fully explored, sustainable travel models.

Travel with PlanetaEXO and Be Part of the Climate Solution

Now, we understand how ecotourism can be part of the climate solution. In the face of the challenges humanity is up against, every action counts.

👉 Explore our sustainable destinations across Brazil and find experiences that generate a positive impact on nature and local communities.

In celebration of the date, find out more about those who work directly to preserve the Amazon, the planet’s greatest biodiversity refuge.

Have you ever stopped to think about the vital role that forests play in the balance of our planet? Like great green lungs, they regulate the climate, produce oxygen and sustain the lives of millions of species, including our own. But if they are so essential, why are they still not at the centre of global priorities?

In Brazil, the Forest Protection Day, celebrated on 17 July, reinforces the urgency of preserving this natural heritage, after all, protecting our forests is protecting the future. The date honours Curupira, the guardian of the forests in Brazilian folklore, and draws attention to the grandeur of the Amazon Rainforest, which is home to around 20 percent of the world’s fauna, more than 50,000 species of plants and various traditional communities that live in balance with the forest.

But who are the real guardians of this territory? What are the stories behind the defence of the world’s largest rainforest? In this article, you’ll meet some of the leaders who are at the forefront of the fight for the Amazon. Find out who the Guardians of the Amazon Rainforest are and how community-based tourism can help keep this mission alive:

Roberto Brito

From logger to leader of the Tumbira riverside community

In the old days, when Roberto looked at a tree, the first thing that came to mind was the price he could sell that wood for on the market. Each tree was labelled with different numbers. Today, the scenario is different: the tree, the rivers, the animals are all part of an environment in which he is also a living and active participant.

At 50, Roberto Brito is one of the leaders of the Tumbira community, located in the Rio Negro Sustainable Development Reserve (RDS) in Amazonas. He runs lodges that welcome visitors interested in authentic experiences in the Amazon and guides other tourist activities in the community.

“Before, I saw a price on trees, on everything. Now I understand the meaning of value, the value that the forest has in my life”, he told PlanetaEXO. Roberto has organised the community so that everyone participates in the itineraries, from craft production to cooking and driving on the trails. He emphasises that community-based tourism isn’t just something that should make sense to those who live there: it’s everyone’s priority. After all, the river dwellers are not just hosts, but also part of the very nature that we want to protect.

Nilde Silva

Leading an ecolodge in the heart of the forest

Nilde Silva is a river dweller born and raised in Acajatuba, in the Amazon, and founder of Caboclos House Ecolodge, a sustainable lodge built with materials from the forest and operated by local residents. At the head of the enterprise, she offers immersive experiences that connect travellers to the culture, gastronomy and daily life of the riverside responsibly.

Recognised for her leading role, Nilde won the traditional Prova da Farinha in 2021 and was awarded by Sebrae as a Business Woman. Ecotourism was essential for her to gain independence and, above all, to show that it is possible to undertake in the forest with identity and respect. Because of her work, Nilde is an example of female leadership and an inspiration to other Amazonian women, especially for her fight for the environmental preservation of the Amazon.

Juma Xipaya

First woman chief among the peoples of the middle Xingu

Often, when we think of a chief, the male figure is the first association with the name due to years of tradition in the popular imagination. Juma Xipaia changed that. An indigenous leader of the Xipaya people, she was the first woman to become chief of her village in Pará. She gained international prominence by publicly denouncing the presence of illegal mining in her territory and has become one of the main indigenous voices in defence of the Amazon.

The leader is also the coordinator of the Juma Xipaia Institute and a communicator, participating in events in Brazil and around the world as an indigenous woman and guardian of the Xingu. She recently released the documentary “Yanuni”, by director Richard Ladkani, in partnership with actor Leonardo DiCaprio. The production tells the story of the Juma and their fight against illegal mining. For Xipaya, protecting the territory means preserving their culture, their history and their future.

Txai Suruí

Amazonian roots, resistance and global leadership

Raised in the middle of the forest, Txai Suruí grew up among the songs, rituals and teachings of the Paiter Suruí people, in the Sete de Setembro Indigenous Land in Rondônia. The daughter of Almir Suruí, a recognised indigenous leader, she has carried the legacy of struggle and connection with nature from an early age. With her serene presence and firm speech, Txai has stood out as one of the main voices of Brazil’s indigenous youth. Her work goes beyond the borders of the village, uniting tradition, spirituality and political mobilisation.

An environmental activist and defender of the rights of indigenous peoples, Txai became the best-known Brazilian indigenous woman in the world after giving a speech at the opening of COP26 in Glasgow. She was the only Brazilian to occupy the stage, where she denounced the violence against the peoples of the forest and the advance of deforestation in the Amazon.

In Rondônia, she works on territorial protection initiatives and strengthening young leaders. In this way, Txai represents a generation that resists with wisdom and, at the same time, talks to the world without losing its roots.

Izolena Garrido

Transformation and preservation through art

A teacher, Izolena Garrido founded a workshop in the Tumbira community because she believed in the power of art and traditional knowledge to generate opportunities for transformation. In her home, she created a space where she produces bio-jewellery and handicrafts with seeds and natural pigments, taking in girls and boys in vulnerable situations. For her, protecting her people is also protecting the forest.

There, nature talks to each other and all the facts are connected, from the rain falling to the travellers who pass through the workshop and learn about Izolena’s work. “Everything is a cycle. For us to have the seeds we use in our crafts, we need rain, river water, the earth. If one thing stops, it doesn’t happen. We need to keep it going”, she explains.

Today, Izolena is one of the community’s leaders and also a reference in initiatives that unite art, education and preservation in the riverside context. Her pieces have already been exhibited at São Paulo Fashion Week, Brazil’s biggest fashion week, and the project receives support from brands such as Louis Vuitton. For Izolena, art can act as a healer of trauma, strengthening self-esteem and the bond with the territory.

José Pancrácio

Chief of the Nova Esperança community

José Pancrácio is the chief of the Nova Esperança indigenous community, located in the Puranga Conquista Sustainable Development Reserve (RDS), Amazonas, and one of the main leaders of the Baré people. He is at the forefront of actions that unite environmental preservation, community-based tourism and education. Under his leadership, the community carries out projects such as the release of Amazonian turtle hatchlings, strengthening the collective commitment to environmental preservation.

From a young age, José understood that there was no other way to change and maintain the cultural legacy of his people but through the education of children. Among the most symbolic achievements is the construction of the community’s school, made possible with funds raised through ecotourism. The income generated by the visits was essential to guarantee the structure of the building, with classrooms and basic materials.

For Pancrácio, ecotourism contributes directly to improving the lives of those who look after the forest every day. Above all, he explains the importance of cultural exchange: when tourists arrive in the community, it’s always a great pleasure to show them the history and traditions of the Baré people.

Daniel Gutierrez Govino

A forest brigade to protect the forest

Daniel Gutierrez Govino is the founder of the Alter do Chão Community Forest Brigade in Pará. Since 2017, he has been mobilising local residents to prevent and fight forest fires, with the support of firefighters, Civil Defence and partners such as the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). The brigade works with mixed techniques, drones and network communication, and is a reference in community action against fires in the Amazon.

In addition to emergency response, Daniel is committed to training firefighters and environmental education as ways to strengthen local protagonism. For him, protecting the forest starts with those who live in it. Because of this, his work has also gained international visibility, with participation in COP26 and support from human rights and environmental organisations.

How can we help protect the forest?

At PlanetaEXO, we believe that every trip can generate positive impact and preserve the environment where we live. Our mission is to connect you to authentic and sustainable experiences, promoting community-based ecotourism in the Amazon and other natural destinations in Brazil. We have selected adventures that respect the environment and empower those who live in these regions, including the guardians of the Amazon Rainforest.

One way of also supporting this cause is through conservation projects in the Amazon, promoted by organisations such as the Instituto Socioambiental (ISA) and the Fundação Amazônia Sustentável (FAS). Both have been working for decades to protect the forest and traditional peoples, and receive donations to continue this essential work. The Amazon sustains the climate, is home to millions of lives and holds the history of indigenous peoples: defending it is a collective commitment.