Underneath the towering canopy of the Amazon jungle, Brazilian Indians and officials appealed to U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday to garner international support in safeguarding the world's largest rainforest. Brazilian Environment Minister Marina Silva emphasized the need for concrete mechanisms to benefit the residents of the Amazon during a meeting with Ban under a centuries-old Samauma tree, located 30 minutes upriver from Belem, the largest city in the region. Ban, who was concluding a South American tour focusing on the potential impacts of global warming, including a recent visit to Antarctica, was urged by Amazon Indian Marcos Apurina to assist in creating incentives for forest dwellers to make a living. Ban, who also received a native plant seed necklace and viewed various forest products during his visit, expressed the United Nations' support for the cause. This is a shared resource for all people on Earth. Earlier, Ban interacted with a three-toed sloth and planted two native trees at a botanical garden in Belem. Ban is getting ready for a UN climate change conference in Bali, Indonesia, in December, where discussions will begin on reducing carbon emissions once the Kyoto Protocol ends in 2012. Brazil is a significant contributor to carbon emissions, mainly because of deforestation in the Amazon rainforest, as reported by environmental organizations. Ban did not address Brazil's decision not to set targets for decreasing deforestation and carbon emissions. He praised Brazil for reducing forest destruction by 50% in two years, despite the rate increasing again recently. The Amazon's carbon dioxide emissions contribute to global warming when trees are burned or decompose. Farmers and loggers clear large portions of the forest annually, with the amount depending on market prices. Silva, a former activist, asked Ban to support a proposal in the Convention on Biodiversity that would require pharmaceutical companies to pay for drugs made from Amazon plants. Ban agreed to study the proposal after meeting with Silva on Monday. Researchers warn that global warming may transform a section of the Amazon into a semi-arid savanna in the near future. Severe weather patterns, including droughts and floods, have already been observed in various regions. A planned trip by Ban along an Amazon tributary near Santarem had to be called off due to the river being too shallow. Ban commended Brazil for its efforts in developing low-emission biofuels, but emphasized the importance of further international research to assess the potential impact of large-scale production on food supplies. Over the weekend, he visited a plant in Sao Paulo state, which contributes to Brazil's status as one of the largest and most cost-effective ethanol producers. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's administration has escalated police operations against illegal loggers and enlarged protected regions. However, there are concerns among conservationists that the construction of roads and hydroelectric facilities could potentially lead to higher rates of deforestation in the future.