Roberto Smeraldi
Journalist, Director of “Amigos da Terra — Amazônia Brasileira” - São Paulo, SP
Neocolonialism or Development? The same dilemma, twenty years later
The time frame discussed by this panel coincides with the lifespan of my organization, which celebrated its 20th anniversary in October. Our original challenge remains the same. Despite major changes in the region, public policies—as well as the private initiatives linked to those policies—continue to neglect the centrality of development. Conventional approaches, as well as newer ones, share a colonial gaze towards the Amazon, and are predicated on the notion that the region is only a warehouse of resources. I propose a provocative approach, openly developmental, with a conditional focus on sustainability, and prioritizing science, industry, technology and innovation.
Download: Paper (PDF) | Slides (PPT)
Roberto Smeraldi is a journalist. Since 1989 he has directed “OSCIP Amigos da Terra — Amazonia Brasileira.” He is the author of numerous studies and books on public policy, sustainable development, the environment, and gastronomy. Mr. Smeraldi is also a frequent op-ed writer in the Brazilian press. He was born in Florence, Italy, in 1960. From 1989 to 1992, he chaired the International NGO Steering Committee for the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development. From 1996 to 2004 he was the president of the Pilot Program for the Protection of Brazilian Forests. He has been a senior assistant for agencies in the United Nations and the World Bank. He also joined the National Committee on Social Determinant Factors of Health. In 2000, he was awarded the Henry Ford Prize for Environmental Conservation. Today, he is the co-president of the Global Dialog on Climate and Forests. He is also a member of the steering committee of Forest Dialog, at Yale University. Finally, Mr. Smeraldi is also a member of the Steering Committee of the Global Roundtable for Biofuels Sustainability, and of the Brazilian Forum on Climate Change.