The aircraft began its descent toward São Paulo's international airport as the sprawling metropolis came into view below us. Even from altitude, I could see the haze of pollution hanging over parts of the city, a visible reminder of the environmental challenges we had come to address. The flight had been long but productive, giving us time to review detailed reports about Brazil's ecological situation and discuss potential approaches to the problems we would encounter.
What I hadn't expected was the crowd waiting for us at the airport.
As we moved towards the private terminal, I could see hundreds of people gathered behind security barriers, holding signs and Brazilian flags while what appeared to be a full media contingent documented our arrival. The energy was palpable even from inside the aircraft, and I could hear chanting and cheering that suggested the reception would be significantly more enthusiastic than the political theater we had left behind.
