Through much of the past climate change negotiations, there has been little interaction between the Brazilian government and non-governmental organisations. In 2002 however, Brazilian NGOs formed a network because they were not satisfied with how the government dealt with important climate concerns, especially the link between deforestation and global warming.

The network, called the Climate Observatory, aims to become a vehicle for influencing government views and policies on climate change. A first priority was to direct more attention to deforestation, an important yet controversial issue, both in Brazil and the international arena. In 2002, the network had 26 members from all over Brazil, and the effects of the network have included a broader participation of NGOs in the climate change debate in Brazil.

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