Brazil's President Faces Defining Decision Over Forest Bill

May 16, 2012 | The New York Times

Rio de Janeiro – President Dilma Rousseff is facing one of the defining moments of her presidency as pressure builds on her to veto a bill that would open vast protected areas of forests to ranching and farming, potentially reversing Brazil's major gains in slowing Amazon deforestation.More »

Dam Project Threatens a Way of Life in Peru

May 15, 2012 | The New York Times

Boca Sanibeni, Peru – With encroachment from settlers and speculators, and after a devastating war against Shining Path rebels a decade ago, the indigenous Ashaninkas' hold is precarious. And they are now facing a new peril, the proposed 2,200-megawatt Pakitzapango hydroelectric dam, which would flood much of the Ene River valley.More »

Talisman Energy Stirs Resistance

Indigenous Peruvians accuse company of creating tension for access to jungle

May 10, 2011 | Fast Forward Weekly

"This is the fourth time a commission of Achuar leaders are coming here to Calgary to speak about the same thing. The Achuar people affiliated with FENAP are reclaiming their territorial rights. There is no space for Talisman Energy to enter."More »

Indigenous Peruvian Community Locked in Dispute with Oil Company

May 8, 2011 | IPS

Toronto, Canada – An indigenous group in the Amazon rain forest took its anti-oil message to Canada in a case rife with accusations of social and environmental damage that highlights the issue of securing consent prior to commencing exploration operations.More »

Amid Brazil's Rush to Develop, Workers Resist

May 5, 2012 | The New York Times

Jaci Paraná, Brazil – The revolt here on the banks of the Madeira River, the Amazon's largest tributary, flared after sunset. At the simmering end of a 26-day strike by 17,000 workers last month, a faction of laborers who were furious over wages and living conditions began setting fire to the construction site at the Jirau Dam.More »

The Battle for Brazil's Rainforest

Will proposed changes to Brazil's forest code set the Amazon on a path to speedier deforestation, as feared by many?

May 4, 2012 | Al Jazeera

A new bill in Brazil seeks to relax the rules governing forest preservation in the Amazon. Joining the discussion are guests: Andrew Miller of Amazon Watch; Joao Augusto de Castro Neves, a Latin America analyst at Eurasia Group focusing on Brazil; and Mark London, a filmmaker and author who has extensively documented the changes in the Amazon region.More »

Ecuador Asks World to Pay to Keep Yasuni Oil Underground

International climate funds might be one way for the world to convince Ecuador to not pump oil from underneath a biologically rich rainforest region

May 1, 2011 | Scientific American

Ecuador is eyeing the international Green Climate Fund as a way to help pay for its plan to trade oil for forests.More »

An Amazon Precedent

The Sarayacu case may significantly increase indigenous rights over resources

April 27, 2011 | Analytica

Sarayacu today is a postcard-pretty rain forest village strung along the banks of the Bobonaza River, with a sandy main square on a bluff high above the waters. A decade ago, the 1,200-resident village nearly became a battleground as Ecuadorian troops sought to impose the rights of an Argentine-US consortium to explore the area for crude oil.More »

They've Come a Long Way to Protect Their Amazon Home

April 26, 2011 | Ottawa Citizen

Dressed in brightly coloured headgear and clothing, these indigenous leaders from another world might not look like they represent a real threat to one of Canada's international energy giants. But looks can be deceiving.More »

Rousseff Pressed to Veto Brazil Forestry Law

The legislation would allow landowners to cultivate riverbanks that were previously protected, and would provide an amnesty from fines for illegal logging.

April 26, 2012 | AFP

Brasilia, Brazil – Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff came under enormous pressure from environmentalists to veto a new forestry bill they fear will speed up deforestation of the Amazon rainforest. Carlos Rittl, a WWF climate expert, called it the "biggest environmental retreat in Brazil in decades."More »