"ORIGINAL PROTAGONISM: at the ATL, indigenous people from different countries demand the same weight as heads of state at COP 30", 08 April 2025

...[A]round 8 indigenous people from the Amazon and Oceania, together with delegations from Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, French Guiana, Suriname and Venezuela, as well as representatives from Australia, Fiji and other Pacific nations, met at the Acampamento Terra Livre (ATL) in Brasília, Distrito Federal. At the annual meeting of Brazilian indigenous peoples, they are demanding that indigenous leaders have “equal voice and power” to heads of state at COP 30, the United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference, which will take place in November of this year in Belém do Pará. Among the main reasons for demanding indigenous leadership in decisions about climate and the environment are the exploitation of fossil fuels, forest fires, drought, rising sea levels and deforestation, factors that directly affect indigenous communities around the world.

In addition to demonstrating against the time frame, the indigenous people participating in the 21st edition of the Free Land Camp are also seeking to articulate ideas to convince the countries coming to Brazil in November this year for COP 30, in Belém, Pará, that the demarcation of indigenous territories is part of the fight against global warming. Indigenous representatives from different countries are present at the ATL with a common goal: to fight for a leading role in decisions about climate change at COP 30 in Brazil. They want to have the same relevance as the heads of state in the discussion...

Furthermore, indigenous peoples have been taking a stand against the exploitation of fossil fuels, pointing to their burning as the main cause of global warming. Although COP 28 approved a transition principle for the abandonment of these fuels, the Brazilian presidency has not yet defined a clear position on the issue. The country, the largest oil producer in Latin America, has plans to drill new maritime areas near the mouth of the Amazon River, a proposal criticized by indigenous leaders and environmentalists...