Global Citizen NOW: Rio de Janeiro, an action summit hosted by Global Citizen and the 2024 G20 Presidency, and supported by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, convened over 450 world leaders, innovators, and advocates on the eve of the G20 Summit for one primary reason: to drive urgent action to defeat poverty and address the climate crisis.

The top highlight? During the event, we were thrilled to kick off an ambitious year-long campaign of global action to protect the Amazon rainforest that will be Global Citizen’s largest effort to defend the planet and safeguard the communities most impacted by climate change.

In collaboration with Banco do Brasil, organizing partner Re:wild, policy partner Open Society Foundations, and supported by Google, Teneo, and FGV, Global Citizen NOW: Rio de Janeiro offered thought-provoking discussions and inspiring moments, charging us up for an incredible year of action ahead. 

Read on for a rundown of everything that happened — and a look at what’s up ahead. 

All About the Amazon

Global Citizen NOW: Rio de Janeiro marked the conference series’ first time ever in Latin America, following dynamic gatherings in New York City and Melbourne earlier this year. 

A central focus of this summit was rainforest conservation. Rainforests are an essential ecosystem, absorbing carbon dioxide and sheltering half of the world’s plant and animal life, making their preservation critical to the planet’s — and our — survival. Deforestation and climate change threaten not only the Amazon, but also the 30 million people who call it home and Indigenous communities that have relied on it for millennia.

Nearly a decade has passed since countries signed the landmark Paris Agreement, a legally binding treaty to limit greenhouse gas emissions and keep global warming below 2° Celsius — but so far, we still have too little action and too many unfulfilled promises. By 2050, 216 million people worldwide may be displaced due to climate-related impacts. We have to find sustainable solutions to protect the planet now, before it’s too late. 

An All-Star Lineup of Speakers

High-level decision makers and thought leaders, as well as performers from Ginga Tropical showcasing Brazil’s heritage and culture, engaged across a series of panels and sessions honing in on the challenges confronting not just the Amazon, but communities worldwide impacted by climate change, poverty, and hunger.

Speakers included Brazil’s First Lady Janja Lula da Silva, President of the Republic of South Africa H.E. Cyril Ramaphosa, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, Prime Minister of Canada and Senior G7 leader Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Norway Jonas Gahr Støre, Banco do Brasil CEO Tarciana Medeiros, Governor of the Brazilian state of Pará Helder Barbalho, European Climate Foundation CEO Laurence Tubiana, and musician and philanthropist ALOK, among many others. For a full list of speakers and the complete program, please see the Global Citizen NOW: Rio de Janeiro website. 

Panels and presentations included:

• Forging the Future: G20 Leadership for a Just and Sustainable World — Leaders and advocates discussed how this year’s G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro can chart an ambitious year of action in the lead up to 2025’s G20 meetings in South Africa and COP30 in Belém. 
• Defending the Amazon: Indigenous Leadership and Global Responsibility — This session explored the Amazon’s role in global climate stability, highlighting Indigenous-led conservation efforts and how to end rampant deforestation within the decade.
• The Missing Puzzle Piece: A Fossil Fuel Treaty — Climate justice advocate Tori Tsui distilled how momentum is growing among the public and world leaders for a new global framework to manage a just energy transition.
• Rethinking Resources: Financing a Climate-Resilient World — Limiting global warming hinges on dramatically scaling up climate financing. This panel discussed urgent actions needed from governments, industry, and financial institutions to best fund climate-resilient communities worldwide.
• Countdown to COP30: The Road to Belém — This discussion focused on how a decade after the Paris Agreement was signed, public and private sector leaders can create the next historic climate accord at COP30 to help safeguard the planet for generations.
• Feeding the Future: Global Collaboration for a Hunger-Free World — Climate change is driving a surge in global food insecurity. This panel examined how we can transform agricultural systems so that reliable, nutritious food remains equitable and available to all. 
• Leveraging the Potential of Renewables: The Road to Johannesburg — This session explored how African countries can transition towards renewables and meet their climate targets, all while ensuring energy remains accessible for the continent’s growing population. 
• The Power of Music and Culture to Uplift Indigenous Voices — Led by superstar musician Alok and Indigenous activist Txai Suruí, this session explored how Brazil's creative industry and artists can catalyze meaningful action for people and the planet.
• Shaping a Policy Agenda for People and the Planet – Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre dove into how Norway’s leadership can better advance global climate action amidst challenges across biodiversity, clean energy, and adaptation measures. 
• On the Eve of Canada’s G7 Presidency — As Canada prepares to host the G7 Summit next year, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau discussed how Canadian leadership is positioned to influence the course and scale of global climate action.

Protect the Amazon: Take Action Now

The climate crisis affects all of us, but it affects the world’s most fragile and vulnerable communities the most. 

That’s why this year, Global Citizen will launch a year of action for the planet — because the time to address the most pressing effects of the climate crisis is NOW. Protect the Amazon: Take Action Now will be one of Global Citizen’s largest, most comprehensive climate campaigns, designed for global impact, and with events around the world.

We are demanding action on three essential fronts:

• End Deforestation — The world's tropical rainforests are the lungs of our planet — but they’re being pushed to the point of no return. So we’re asking for governments, organizations, and the private sector to come together and commit to halting deforestation by 2030, including $1 billion to protect the Amazon rainforest.
• Accelerate a Just Energy Transition — We’ll campaign to end the era of coal, oil, and gas and demand that countries set concrete steps to phase out fossil fuels and subsidies through initiatives like the Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance and the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty.
• Support Communities on the Frontlines of Climate Impacts — Climate justice requires that those responsible for the crisis support the hardest-hit communities. We’ll fight to “make polluters pay” by demanding they contribute more to ensure communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis get the resources they need.

Protect the Amazon will include a series of initiatives and live events spanning continents, engaging global audiences, and advocating for bold action. Key future events will include thought leadership moments at Davos in Switzerland and at Global Citizen NOW summits in New York and Belém, Brazil, as well as the iconic Global Citizen Festival in New York. 

We’ll close out this year of global action for the planet with Global Citizen Festival: Amazonia, Global Citizen’s first large-scale event in Latin America, which will take place at the Estádio Olímpico do Pará, known as Mangueirão, in November 2025. Free and accessible to the public and broadcast worldwide, this historic event in Belém, Brazil during COP30 — headlined by global and local artists — will serve as a defining moment to celebrate major COP commitments and spotlight Indigenous communities leading the fight to protect nature. The concert will galvanize global attention on the Amazon, drive millions of citizens to action, and provide a platform for historic commitments from governments and the private sector for nature and the planet, as well as to civil society campaigns driving impact.

Further details about Global Citizen Festival: Amazonia, including performers, the Festival’s industry-leading sustainability efforts, show date and ticketing information, and more, will be announced in the coming months.

The Protect the Amazon campaign is endorsed by Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, President of Brazil, with organizing partner Re:wild, policy partners Open Society Foundations and Bezos Earth Fund, supported by Teneo, as well as a coalition of more than 120 civil society organizations. The campaign and associated events in Brazil are presented by Banco do Brasil.

During Global Citizen NOW: Rio de Janeiro, two-time Latin GRAMMY nominated musician and philanthropist ALOK was announced as an official Global Citizen Advocate for the Protect the Amazon campaign and beyond.

President of Brazil Luiz Inácio Lula Da Silva said, “One year from now, Brazil will proudly host COP30 in the Amazon rainforest — a defining moment in our collective fight to protect our planet and ensure a sustainable future for all.”

Global Citizen NOW: Rio de Janeiro brought together some of the brightest minds and leaders across disparate industries, sectors, and fields of expertise to create new momentum against climate change. The resounding takeaway? The climate crisis is only building, disproportionately impacting the world’s most vulnerable communities. There’s no time left to waste. We have to act, and act now. 

That’s why launching Protect the Amazon and focusing on concrete actions rather than empty words has never been more essential. Our goals are clear, starting with ending deforestation, accelerating a just energy transition, and supporting communities on the frontlines of climate change. 

There’s so much to look forward to — from Rio to Belém and every stop along the way over the next year. We can’t wait to have you join us.