The Amazon is truly a global asset in regulating the climate, conserving biodiversity and securing a healthy and sustainable future for all. Urgent actions by all actors in society are desperately needed to avoid the ‘point of no return’ (commonly termed the ‘tipping point’) in which the vital biome loses its ability to store carbon. Such efforts will need to be coordinated, cross-cutting and radically inclusive in design and scope if they are to meet the challenge’s demands, especially as the region’s economies look to bounce back in the wake of COVID-19. This plenary spotlights successes in regional and local cooperation for effective, efficient, and inclusive implementation of policies and actions to ensure a sustainable, and equitable future for the Amazon.