The leaders of eight South American countries that share the amazon, have gathered in the city of belem. The summit� s host brazilian president Lula Da Silva has urged leaders to agree on common policies to protect the environment and boost sustainable development. Scientists are concerned that, deforestation in the amazon may be approaching an irreversible Tipping Point. President lula is hoping for a co ordinated regional approach, to tackle illegal mining and logging as well as other environmental crimes. Hes promised to end deforestation in brazil by 2030. Our South America Correspondent Katy Watson reports from para, the most deforested state in brazil. Virgin forest still exists here in the amazon, but every day the illegal loggers get closer. From up high you can see the damage done, the large patches of land totally cleared. This part of brazil has the highest rate of deforestation in the country. President lula has promised to fix the problem, telling the bbc that this summit would be a game changers. The world needs to look at the meeting here in belem is a milestone, the most important ever held to discuss the Climate Issue so its a great opportunity for us to show the people of the world what we want to do. We have returned to govern brazil to try and make a difference. For those living under the rainforest canopy, like hobson, its been a difficult few years. Translation you have no idea how much pressure there was in our community under the bolsonaro government. Landowners circling planes, soya farmers wanting to buy the land to deforest it. But hobson and his trees stood firm. He is growing sustainable crops instead. Hes buying into a booming carbon credit industry, taking part in Sustainable Farming projects that sell Carbon Credits to companies wanting to offset their emissions. But not everyone is convinced. Bianca and herfamily, like many in the region, want Better Services like schools and health centers. But they are suspicious of carbon Credit Card Companies offering to help them. Translation it is not that transparent. We cannot see how it would give us a secure life. We are always on the back foot and fear the consequences. Because of the stories we heard, we decided not to sign a contract. How to ensure the future of the amazon improve the lives of the more than 30,000 people is the biggest challenge facing the group of leaders in belem. Just to get to this part of the amazon, it took 13 hours overnight on a riverboat and now this smaller boat to get to the communities here. But if you look on a map, it all looks so close together and itjust goes to show how vast the amazon is, but also how difficult it is to navigate and ultimately, also how difficult it will be for lula to achieve his zero deforestation by 2030. Which is why he needs the backing of all of the countries that share the amazon. Leaders are expected to offer solutions to illegal logging and mining, moving away from big Infrastructure Projects and trying to provide basic services to those most in need. Money talks, and without offering a better life for those who live in the forest, any discussion of conservation is pointless. Katie watson, bbc news in para. Lets hearfrom Michael Sheldrick from the Organisation Global citizen which campaigns on environmental and poverty issues. This is such a Monumental Task for the leaders who have gathered here at the summit and certainly for president dasilva because people do take to his leadership on this. Thanks for having it on the programme that i think youre right. President has charted a course for illegal deforestation here in brazil and he is a summit to bring the countries together and we have to chart a course to do this to avoid the Tipping Point in the amazon in the Tipping Point in the amazon in the message i been hearing from this extraordinary dialogue that the activists of government and extraordinary philanthropy is that we cannot do this without offering a pathway out of poverty and vulnerability for the more than 30 Million People who live between the trees in the land here in the amazon. We cannot be the ones saying stop producing fossil fuels and stop illegal for stop producing fossil fuels and stop illegalfor a stop producing fossil fuels and stop illegal for a station stop producing fossil fuels and stop illegalfor a station and stop producing fossil fuels and stop illegal for a station and without those incentives and without that road map. Those incentives and without that road ma. ,. , those incentives and without that roadma. ,. , road map. There is so much money in the industries road map. There is so much money in the industries who road map. There is so much money in the industries who are the industries who are exploiting the industries who are exploiting the amazon. Are they willing to step away from that . Because this is a dangerous and uphill task to try to stop them. I dangerous and uphill task to try to sto them. ,. ,. , stop them. I heard a lot about Carbon Credits stop them. I heard a lot about Carbon Credits and stop them. I heard a lot about Carbon Credits and a stop them. I heard a lot about Carbon Credits and a lot stop them. I heard a lot about Carbon Credits and a lot about| Carbon Credits and a lot about Carbon Credits and a lot about Carbon Markets but the reality is, how do you actually get the money into the hands of those are the guardians and protectors were actually doing the work to provide this Global Public benefit we need clear Rules Of The Road and standards endorsed by government to ensure that there is regulation we need to put out the Carbon Cowboys and ensure that the money can go. The Carbon Market with proper regulation and incentives in proper structure can be a source to lift these communities out of poverty and also protect the amazon. Also protect the amazon. There is the will here also protect the amazon. There is the will here because also protect the amazon. There is the will here because the also protect the amazon. There is the will here because the summit| also protect the amazon. There is the will here because the summit has been held in me of a moment to about where brazil was in terms of its approach to Climate Change, it is a win shift here. And its about implementation 180. Its notjust about having the summit and its about having the summit and its about making it happen. Satellite imaue about making it happen. Satellite imagery revealed about making it happen. Satellite imagery revealed that about making it happen. Satellite i imagery revealed that deforestation has been reduced to about 66 in the brazilian amazon. President lula is leading the way in implementing the change but the challenges that we bring all countries together, not just in the amazon where there is taking place in indonesia, the Democratic Republic Of The Congo representative of which were invited here. The point is, we are moving far too slowly and not supporting with the right incentives to communities that actually live in the amazon given the United Kingdom taxpayers there, we need to keep our promises as well. This is a global benefit. ~. , promises as well. This is a global benefit. ~ ,. ,. ,. ,. , benefit. Was discussed how to create those incentives . Benefit. Was discussed how to create those incentives . Will benefit. Was discussed how to create those incentives . Will be benefit. Was discussed how to create those incentives . Will be a benefit. Was discussed how to create those incentives . Will be a set benefit. Was discussed how to create those incentives . Will be a set time | those incentives . Will be a set time and time again those incentives . Will be a set time and time again is those incentives . Will be a set time and time again is that those incentives . Will be a set time and time again is that communities| and time again is that communities here in the amazon, were just now finding opportunities to develop, they stand ready to protect the amazon. The message is that you cannot ask us to take action on Climate Change to save nature without also having an economic livelihood. Living in poverty so the rest of us can enjoy the beauty of the amazon is not the answer. We need to find an answer to both and thatis need to find an answer to both and that is where companies who made these net zero pledges, they should be contributing making sure theyre contributing to the right way to ensure that the benefits are there and we are appealing to them to embrace the right standards for companies to be responsible and how they approach communities on the ground. They approach communities on the round. , ~ , they approach communities on the round. , ~ i. They approach communities on the round. , ~. , ground. Thank you so much for oininu ground. Thank you so much for joining us lets turn to the Major Political emergency unfolding in west africa following the Military Coup in niger. The Regional Bloc Ecowas has said it wants a diplomatic and peaceful resolution to the takeover but that no options are off the table. Diplomatic efforts to find a resolution have stepped up with a warning from washington. Speaking to the bbc the us Secretary Of StateAntony Blinken has voiced his concern that nigers military leaders, might turn to the Russian Mercenary Group wagner for help. The group is active in neighbouring countries theyre seen here in the Central African republic last month and wagners leader has welcomed the takeover. The coup leaders, are currently Standing Firm against calls to restore democratic rule. Heres what mr blinken had to say about wagner a little earlier for sure we have concerns when we see Something Like the wagner group possibly manifesting itself in different parts of the sahel. And here is why we are concerned. Because every single place that this group, wagner group has gone, death, destruction and exploitation have followed. Insecurity has gone up, not down. It has not been a response to the needs of the countries in question for greater security. I think what happened and what continues to happen in niger was not instigated by russia or by wagner but to the extent that they try to take advantage of it and we see a repeat of what has happened in other countries where theyve brought nothing but bad things in their wake, that wouldnt be good. The wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin has released an Audio Message referring to the coup in niger. The recording emerged on telegram, though the date and location cant be independently verified. Mr prigozhin had this message apparently for the coup leaders translation we are always on the side of goodness, justice and on the side of those who fight for sovereignty and for the rights of their people. Call us anytime. Lets hear from west africa analyst, paul ejime. We just heard from jeff kinney for goshen. Yevgeny prigozhin. Yevgeny prigozhin. And the countries Yevgeny Prigozhin. And the countries under Yevgeny Prigozhin. And the countries under military Yevgeny Prigozhin. And the countries under military rule. | Yevgeny Prigozhin. And the countries under military rule. How he does that perhaps, in the sense that other areas have embraced russia, they also, wagner group is active there. There have, perhaps there inviting them but it is not clear. ,. ,. There inviting them but it is not clear. ,. ,. , there inviting them but it is not clear. ,. ,. , ~ clear. How problematic do you think it is that ecowas clear. How problematic do you think it is that ecowas put clear. How problematic do you think it is that ecowas put this clear. How problematic do you think it is that ecowas put this deadline | it is that ecowas put this deadline at seven days that came and went in the call was the regional block was reinstated the president of this and bring democracy back to her house and we did not know what the orioles was niger. Or else was. The and we did not know what the orioles was niger. Or else was. The un and the eu. Was niger. Or else was. The un and the eu. And was niger. Or else was. The un and the eu, and russia was niger. Or else was. The un and the eu, and russia and was niger. Or else was. The un and the eu, and russia and france i and the eu, and russia and france and the eu, and russia and france and colonial power there. It was a frenzy at that moment of outrage that ecowas, i talked to and i realise that it was precipitated action and pull back to give them diplomacy and the leaders are beginning and there was a diplomatic message that ecowas in the eu in the un were leading a joint mission on wednesday but, they said they would not have any of that. Not have any of that. Gives to a sense of how not have any of that. Gives to a sense of how much not have any of that. Gives to a sense of how much the relationships of broken down because they were happy to have the leader of chad there and took calls from molly, but ecowas are more suspicious of. I do believe this will end . Believe this will end . Ecowas is been there believe this will end . Ecowas is been there before believe this will end . Ecowas is been there before and believe this will end . Ecowas is been there before and they believe this will end . Ecowas is. Been there before and they are no strangers to cool but ecowas appears to have dropped the ball some years ago and allowing soldiers to take power and now, they want to stop it and this is very complex, if you bring them, the countries appear to be bonding together to fight and invasion. That is why ecowas is now saying we were able to stop the war in liberia and syria and its not a bad strategy that they been using that have allowed and again, because of the fact that they some of them, they been turning up political coup and rigging collection, corruption in the not actually leading in a bank that is what is giving them the and and sensing the population and theyre trying to cash in on that. Fascinating to hear your thoughts on this and thank you very much for joining us. Around the world and across the uk. This is bbc news. Lets look at some other stories making news. Nhs flu jabs and covid boosters, will be scrapped for under 65s this winter. 12 Million People aged 50 to 64 who were eligible during the pandemic can no longer get the free jabs. The rollout of boosters, is expected to start in october, a full month later than usual. A man has been arrested, after a stabbing close to the british museum. The Metropoliton Police stress the incident is not terror related with no outstanding risk to the public. The man who was stabbed in the arm has been taken to hospital. Civil servants in the scottish government, spent Tens Of Thousands of taxpayers money, including nearly 10 thousand pounds, on vip airport services. Formerfirst minister nicola sturgeon, and her staff were given fast track security and access to lounges at airports. The current first minister Humza Yousaf Has ordered a review to ensure spending guidelines are sufficiently robust. Youre live with bbc news. The chair of the uns Climate Change panel has described julys record Global Temperatures as extraordinary. One of the countries that experienced extreme heat and forest fires last month was portugal. And august has seen no let up, fires, like these shown here, are raging in the centre and south of the country, and monday saw the hottest temperature of the year, 46 point 1t degrees celsius, in santar m, north of the capital lisbon. Straight to lisbon our correspondent Alison Roberts is there. The temperatures are increasing in recent firefighters out there pretty good hundreds of places. Portugal is not where the countries that was worst affected last month but if you cheat with. The worst affected last month but if you cheat with. , worst affected last month but if you cheat with. ,. , cheat with. The last few days, temperatures cheat with. The last few days, temperatures of cheat with. The last few days, temperatures of sword cheat with. The last few days, temperatures of sword and i cheat with. The last few days, i temperatures of sword and along cheat with. The last few days, temperatures of sword and along with the effects of months of drought, thatis the effects of months of drought, that is greatly increased the risk of fire and almost left the country is at maximum risk of fire at the moment and that is not likely to decrease greatly and its down to the southwest of the country in the municipality that fire is blazing but is of most concerned with about a thousand firefighters in action there today and fire chief said that although they think the Fire Perimeter is under control now, having worked very hard overnight, there are critical points they could to consider break outs in any time. And while we are in wildfires season and last month, portugal w