To Latin American leaders,

The Amazon rainforest is one of the most precious areas in the world – it’s the key to fighting the climate crisis as it is one of the very few areas that store carbon to reduce global heating.

The Colombian government made a historical move to give Indigenous communities the right to manage their own land.^[1] This makes them an equal partner in environmental regulations and allows these communities to better steward the land.

The Amazon rainforest is home to many other Indigenous communities, and many of them don’t have a seat at the decision-making table.

This year, Indigenous communities suffered from devastating fires in the Amazon. The wildfires were made worse by the climate crisis, ongoing drought in the region, and deforestation.^[2] Ancestral knowledge and wisdom could have better protected this crucial forest.

A fair, just energy transition must meaningfully include and be led by grassroots and Indigenous communities. Principles of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent must be followed.

So please, follow Colombia’s lead and give Indigenous communities the legal right to protect their own land!

Sources:

[1] Extreme drought wrecks rivers and daily life in Amazon’s most burnt Indigenous land, Mongabay News (18 Oct 2024)
[2] Worst drought on record is drying up Amazon rivers as wildfires rage on, The Independent (18 Sept 2024)