Indigenous Women Leaders Took Center Stage at COP28

Without Indigenous peoples, there are no solutions to the climate crisis!

Sonia Guajajara at COP28

COP28 in Dubai was a lesson in contradiction. On one hand, there were unprecedented and powerful advances – not the least of which was the level of participation by Indigenous people, especially Indigenous women. On the other hand, the presence of the fossil fuel industry overwhelmed that of civil society, as it had close to 2,500 representatives weaving their oily way through the delegates – almost four times as many as the previous COP. Time is running out and the road to COP30 in Brazil must include real efforts to keep the fossil fuel industry from dominating – or even participating in the meetings.

As a result, the final draft of a COP28 agreement failed to include a “phase out” of fossil fuels and sets us on a path to surpass 1.5 degrees, which is a death sentence for island nations and communities on the front lines of extraction. It does contain, however, eight emission-reducing options, including: “reducing both consumption and production of fossil fuels, in a just, orderly and equitable manner so as to achieve net zero by, before, or around 2050.” We must continue to demand climate justice and human rights, as the youth, women, Indigenous, and most affected peoples called for throughout COP28. 

Amazon Watch staff was at COP28 to amplify the Amazon and climate emergency and provide accompaniment, press and logistical support, and solidarity with allies from Brazil – specifically APIB and ANMIGA – carrying the message that climate justice and effective climate action demand that Indigenous rights and territories be respected, in Brazil, across the Amazon, and globally.

COP28 saw the participation of the first-ever Indigenous minister – Sonia Guajajara – leading the largest Indigenous delegation in the history of the COP. In fact, close to 60 of the 100+ delegates there from Brazil were Indigenous peoples advancing the message that land demarcation is the most effective way to achieve climate justice and protect the Amazon. They also advocated emphatically for the need to provide direct funds and support to Indigenous peoples on the front lines of the climate crisis.

Sonia remarked that in years past it was rare to see a single Indigenous person at COP, but at COP28 she saw many headdresses – including from numerous Indigenous women. Amazon Watch assisted with a variety of events at COP intended to deliver the message from the Indigenous movement to delegates, civil society, and the global press.

At COP28, Sonia Guajajara announced the idea of creating a technical committee on climate change, with the permanent representation of Indigenous populations. The initiative aims to integrate the perspective of traditional peoples into the proposal that Brazil will bring to COP30 in Belém. Sonia’s intention is for the group to prepare Indigenous peoples for the “Amazon COP” in 2025.

“We conclude the participation of the headdress caucus at COP28, where we engaged in significant political advocacy, participating in over 30 meetings with parliamentarians from around the world and various organizations. During COP28, we launched the Caucus for the Planet, aiming to seek solutions and actions to combat the climate crisis in preparation for COP in Brazil. Returning to Brazil, I am tasked with sustaining the vetoes of PL2903, which will be addressed in the session of the National Congress. The number one solution to combat the climate crisis is the demarcation of indigenous territories; we cannot squander this opportunity.”

Brazilian Federal Deputy Celia Xakriabá

The presence of civil society organizations representing the climate justice movement was powerful and active throughout the COP. Amazon Watch supported a variety of important side-events including:

COP28 was also an opportunity for the world to gauge Brazil’s commitment to addressing climate change. There is great hope in the fact that President Lula de Silva has made a great deal of progress, is supporting Indigenous rights, and has successfully fought back against right-wing attempts to undermine those rights – like “Marco Temporal”. As a result, deforestation in the Amazon has decreased for the last eight consecutive months – an almost 50% reduction from 2022.

And while Brazil was part of an agreement at COP to triple the capacity of renewable energy, it was extremely disheartening, and a stark contradiction, when Brazil announced its participation in OPEC+ (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and Allies). According to Lula, Brazil’s entry is strategic to “convince the countries that produce oil that they need to prepare for the end of fossil fuels,” but Brazil simply can not be a climate leader committed to phasing out fossil fuels by being allied and walking hand in hand with the world’s biggest oil producers.

As Sonia reminded the entire movement at the end of COP28: “There is still much work ahead of us, my people! We remain steadfast!”

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