Carlos Nobre

What makes Carlos Nobre a Global Shaker?

Carlos Afonso Nobre is a highly respected Brazilian scientist and leading expert on global warming and the Amazon Rainforest.

Nobre is a member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences. He is chair of the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP) Scientific Committee, Director of the Center for Earth System Science and Senior Scientist at the National Institute for Space Research (INPE) of Brazil, Executive Secretary of the Brazilian Research Network on Global Climate Change (Rede CLIMA), and Scientific Director of the National Institute for Climate Change Research.

For over 40 years, Nobre has studied the Amazon Rainforest and its vital role in the global climate system. Throughout 2019, Nobre has watched with horror as his country’s nationalist president, Jair Bolsonaro, has allowed for the further development of the Amazon, leading to a huge outbreak of fires from the illegal clearing and burning of the forest.

In light of 2019’s devastating amazon fires, he has been one of the go-to experts for information on the Amazon.

In an interview with e360, he highlighted hope for the future of the Amazon calling for less waste and more responsible agricultural practices.

“The pressure to bring to bear is on agribusiness, and this is happening. And I hope it will continue to happen. If you look at concerns of the major investment funds, which fund every business in Brazil, countries in Europe are threatening not to buy Brazilian products anymore — soy, beef, meat, and also leather. So if that pressure is brought to bear, in terms of sustainable consumption, that’s the most effective way. If companies pressed for a deforestation-free supply chain and are very rigorous about that, I think deforestation will come to zero in less than five years, because there is so much waste. There is so much poor agriculture, poor cattle ranching.”

He also emphasised the responsibility of the consumer:

“The effectiveness of any measure has to come from the consumers — responsible, sustainable consumption is the best strategy to take the lead to zero deforestation.”

From 1991-2003, Mr Nobre was Director of the Brazilian Center for Weather Forecasting and Climate Studies (CPTEC-INPE) and, from 1996-2006, Program Scientist for the Large Scale Biosphere-Atmosphere Experiment in Amazonia (LBA).

Mr Nobre is a Member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences and of the Academy of Sciences for the Developing Countries (TWAS), and Professor of Earth System Science at INPE’s doctoral program.

He currently works as the Director of CEMADEN, Brazil’s national natural disaster monitoring and alert agency (Centro Nacional de Monitoramento e Alertas de Destastres Naturais).

Last updated: September 5, 2019

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