Eye on the Amazon

Amazon Watch joins Stop the Money Pipeline’s demand to defund climate chaos

July 29, 2021 – The global climate and ecological crises are more alarming than ever. The Amazon rainforest now emits more carbon than it absorbs due to rampant burning and deforestation. As people around the globe suffer through worsening climate catastrophes, financial institutions continue to fund the corporations perpetuating ecological destruction and human rights abuses. In response, the Stop the Money Pipeline Coalition has launched Deadline Glasgow: Defund Climate Chaos, a bold campaign in the lead-up to COP26 demanding an end to financial institutions' funding of climate destruction.

July 21, 2021 – After months of pressure campaigns in solidarity with our partners, British mining company Anglo American finally responded to the demands of Indigenous peoples and took action. It withdrew 27 mining research permits which were slated to overlap Indigenous lands in Brazil, including the Munduruku territory of Sawré Muybu. Now, we need to make sure its words are converted into action. Right now, mining is one of the most significant and growing threats against Indigenous peoples and their lands.

JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, Citi, and HSBC are among the banks exposed for pouring billions into Amazon crude

July 8, 2021 – The Amazon rainforest is at the tipping point – rapidly approaching an ecological point of no return when, if enough deforestation occurs, the forest will no longer be able to sustain itself, triggering a massic dieback of plant and animal species, and deregulating global climate and temperature patterns. We must take immediate action to protect the Amazon right now, and we can start by Ending Amazon Crude.

July 6, 2021 – As nations seek to position themselves as world leaders in the fight against climate change and the transition to renewable energy, some have invested heavily in wind farm construction. China is one of the nations stepping up to act on climate, and in 2020 it added more wind farm capacity than the rest of the world combined. In an ideal scenario, the demand for balsa wood for windmill construction would be excellent news the Amazonian communities where it grows. Instead, increased demand brought an expansion of the black market and its illegal networks.

July 1, 2021 – "We are not terrorists. We are Ecuadorians. But we don't have peace of mind because we are threatened. No Ecuadorian should be persecuted by foreigners and we are being persecuted by these companies. That is our fear," shared Josefina Tunki. Faced with the emerging threats against human rights and land rights defenders, the Ecuadorian government should adopt measures that guarantee defenders the protection and agency to carry out their activities freely, promoting a culture of peace and a safe environment, free from violence, threats, and ultimately requiring the full recognition of their work to defend their rights, territories, and environment.

Client investors have a major role to play in ending Amazon destruction

June 29, 2021 – Together, BlackRock, State Street, and Vanguard hold $46 billion in debt and equity in oil companies currently operating in the Amazon rainforest. While the prospect of moving the world's largest asset managers to divest from climate destruction may seem daunting, it's not impossible. That's where you come in. Client investors have power.