From deforestation to regeneration: what agriculture can teach (and learn) from scientist Antônio Nobre.
- Equipe ESGpec
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
In an interview with Folha de S. Paulo , scientist Antônio Nobre warns about the " elephant in the room " of climate action: the destruction of tropical forests. On the eve of COP30, his message resonates in another area, that of regenerative farms, where the countryside is beginning to reconnect productivity and ecological balance.
The “elephant in the room” of climate action
Climatologist Antônio Nobre , an international authority on studies of the Amazon and the forest's hydrological cycle, is preparing to deliver a direct message at COP30: there will be no possible climate future if humanity continues to ignore the vital role of forests in the functioning of the planet.
In his interview with Folha de S. Paulo , Nobre states that deforestation is the " elephant in the room " of climate action, the central problem that many prefer not to see. He reminds us that the forest is a complex biological machine that " creates its own climate , " transforming solar energy into humidity and atmospheric stability. Trees function as natural pumps, drawing water from the soil and returning it to the atmosphere in the form of vapor. This process, known as the biotic moisture pump , is what maintains the rainfall cycle on the continent and feeds the "flying rivers" that distribute Amazonian moisture throughout South America.
When this mechanism breaks down, the collapse spreads: droughts, floods, and loss of soil fertility become symptoms of an unbalanced climate system .
From forest to field: one single living system.
For Nobre, restoring the forest is a way to rebuild the planet's climate infrastructure. He speaks of " forests as next-generation biological technology , " a concept that reverses the logic of exploitation and can also inspire agribusiness.
Ultimately, agricultural and livestock systems are not outside of nature, but within it. In livestock farming, regenerative practices, such as the management of biodiverse pastures, crop-livestock-forestry integration, and the use of bio-inputs, have shown that it is possible to produce food and restore ecological functions at the same time .
The same principle that applies to forests—capturing carbon, recycling nutrients, and generating life—can be applied to agricultural soil. In this sense, the countryside and the forest are two sides of the same climate system : one cannot thrive without the other.
Regenerative livestock farming and the role of carbon in the soil.
While Nobre advocates for large-scale reforestation, regenerative agriculture focuses on soil biology . The logic is similar: reactivating natural processes. Viewing the farm as part of Nature.
Tools like PEC Calc, developed by ESGpec, help producers estimate greenhouse gas emissions from milk production, while indicators such as the ESG Farm Score and the BEA Score assess farms' engagement in sustainable practices, including economic, social (well-being), and governance aspects.
These technologies apply scientific methodologies, such as IPCC guidelines and the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method, to translate field data into sustainability indicators, strengthening the connection between science and rural management.
COP30 and the reunion between science and the field.
COP30 , which will be held in Belém, symbolizes the reunion between traditional forest knowledge and technological innovation in the field. Bruna Silper , co-founder of ESGpec, will be present at the event , bringing the agenda of regenerative livestock farming in Brazil .
Your participation reinforces the view that Regeneration involves protecting the forest and maintaining healthy and productive soil, keeping the system integrated, balanced, and biodiverse .
“Measuring, reducing, and regenerating are steps on the same agenda ,” explains Bruna. “The producer who improves the feed efficiency of the herd and conserves biodiversity is contributing to the same balance that Antônio Nobre advocates: that of a functional planet.”
To regenerate is to reconcile.
Nobre's ideas and the actions in the field converge on one point: regeneration is more than reducing emissions; it's about rebuilding relationships between nature, the economy, and society . Just as the forest generates its own climate, regenerative agriculture can generate its own resilience.
The " elephant in the room ," after all, is not just deforestation. It is also the false separation between production and conservation. COP30 will be the stage to show that Brazil has a strategic advantage, and a historical responsibility, to prove that the forest and the countryside can coexist.
Source: Interview “Scientist Antônio Nobre intends to show the 'elephant in the room' of climate action at COP30”, Folha de S. Paulo , 2025.
