Analysis-Despite 'weak' accord, Amazon summit bolsters call for rich to pay up

FILE PHOTO: Ecuador's Foreign Minister Gustavo Manrique, Guyana's Prime Minister Mark Phillips, Colombia's President Gustavo Petro, Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Bolivia's President Luis Arce, Peru's President Dina Boluarte, Venezuela's Vice President Delcy Rodriguez and Suriname's Foreign Minister Albert Ramdin pose for a family photo at the summit of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO), in Belem, Brazil August 8, 2023. Cristian Garavito/Colombia Presidency/Handout via REUTERS /File Photo

BELEM, Brazil (Reuters) - Amazon rainforest nations emerged from a summit this week with a stronger hand to play at upcoming United Nations climate talks, despite the meeting's lackluster final agreement, according to environmental groups.

In a joint statement issued on Tuesday, the Amazon countries dashed expectations for a shared 2030 target to eliminate deforestation, with the accord lacking specific plans to tackle illegal gold mining or provisions for ending oil drilling in the region.