The Science Panel for the Amazon announces the IV Conference for The Amazon We Want in Santa Cruz de la Sierra
[Santa Cruz, Bolivia, February 23, 2026]. The Science Panel for the Amazon (SPA), together with the Universidad Privada Boliviana (UPB) and SDSN Bolivia, announces the IV Conference for The Amazon We Want, to be held on Monday, March 2, 2026 in the Auditorium of the Santa Cruz Campus of the UPB.
The conference is a high-level public event that will bring together politicians, scientists, representatives of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities, civil society organizations, youth leaders, the private sector and other key actors to discuss the most urgent challenges facing the Amazon, with special emphasis on Bolivia and its role in the Amazon region.
In this fourth edition, the meeting will focus on Amazonian connectivity, a key concept in the 2025 Amazon Assessment Report (AR2025), as well as the new regional challenges following COP30. Topics to be addressed include:
The Amazon and its proximity to points of no return
Political and environmental dynamics and disruptive activities that affect ecological and social resilience
Regional governance and cross-border cooperation
Interaction between science and public policy
Roadmaps to tackle deforestation and dependence on fossil fuels
Nature-based solutions and sustainable development pathways
Since 2023, the Conference for The Amazon We Want has established itself as an annual forum for high-level dialogue in the countries where the Science Panel for the Amazon (SPA) holds its in-person meetings. Following the editions in Belém (2023), Bogotá (2024), and Quito (2025), this fourth conference in Santa Cruz de la Sierra reaffirms its role as a regional platform for presenting the SPA's findings, strengthening alliances, and gathering strategic input to guide the Panel's scientific agenda.
The conference is part of the SPA's annual meeting and will be followed by a three-day internal workshop in which the Leadership, Science Steering Committee, Secretariat and other Panel members will define the SPA's strategic priorities and 2026–2028 work plan, including scientific outputs, engagement with key stakeholders, communications and proposals to promote nature-based solutions throughout the Amazon.
The Science Panel for the Amazon reaffirms its commitment to the conservation of the Amazon, its biodiversity, cultures, and Indigenous Peoples, as well as to the role of science in shaping informed public policies and sustainable development strategies. The IV Conference for The Amazon We Want seeks to strengthen an inclusive, evidence-based dialogue to address the structural challenges facing the region.
Event Details:
IV Conference for the Amazon We Want
Date: Monday, March 2, 2026 Time: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm (Bolivia time)
Location: Auditorium, Santa Cruz Campus, Universidad Privada Boliviana (UPB)
Registration (including press): https://bit.ly/ivconf_laqq
Live broadcast: https://www.youtube.com/@UniversidadPrivadaBoliviana
About the Science Panel for the Amazon (SPA):
Convened by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) in 2020, the SPA is the first high-level scientific initiative dedicated to the Amazon. With over 300 scientists, including representatives of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities, the SPA develops rigorous assessments and public policy recommendations to address deforestation, climate change, and biodiversity loss, and to advance sustainable development. Dr. Jeffrey Sachs, President of the SDSN, is the convener of the SPA; Ms. Emma Torres is the Strategic Coordinator; and Dr. Carlos Nobre and Dr. Marielos Peña-Claros are the Co-Chairs.
Contact:
Daniel Bernstein | daniel.bernstein@unsdsn.org (Special Assistant and Program Associate, SDSN)
Federico Viscarra | federico.viscarra@unsdsn.org (Scientific Director, SPA)
Gabriela Arnal | gabriela.arnal@unsdsn.org (Communications Manager, SPA)
