Press Releases

Investor Alert: Belo Sun Discloses Misleading Information to Investors Regarding Controversial Gold Mining Project in the Brazilian Amazon

Oakland, CA – In a complaint to the Ontario Securities Commission, an international coalition of civil society organizations calls attention to the repeated dissemination of misleading information by Belo Sun Mining Corp (TSXV:BSX), including statements by CEO Peter Tagliamonte, downplaying socio-environmental, legal, and financial risks of the company’s “Volta Grande” project along the Xingu River.

Victory: Anglo American Agrees to Withdraw 27 Mining Research Applications in Territories Following Sustained Pressure By Indigenous Movement

The campaign demanding Anglo American, one of the world’s biggest mining companies, end its plans to exploit indigenous territories, followed the October 2020 Complicity in Destruction III report. The company still has 86 active mining interests in the Brazilian National Mining Agency (ANM) database that impact indigenous territories

Pará, Brazil – British mining company Anglo American has formally committed to withdraw 27 approved applications to research minerals inside Indigenous territories located in the states of Mato Grosso and Pará from the Brazilian National Mining Agency (ANM). The commitment was announced on May 24, after pressure from the Munduruku people, the Association of Brazil's Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB), the Coordinating Body of Indigenous Organizations of the Brazilian Amazon (COIAB), and Amazon Watch.

Report: Global Banks Fail for Financing, Investment in Oil and Gas in the Amazon Rainforest

Banks remain highly exposed to risk of fueling corruption, human rights violations, and environmental harms despite commitments; advocacy groups call for end to new financing by 2022, existing financing by 2025

San Francisco, CA – A new scorecard and report released today by environmental advocacy groups Stand.earth and Amazon Watch fails global banks for their financing and investment in the oil and gas industry in the Amazon rainforest, revealing that despite sustainability commitments and risk management screening processes, banks remain highly exposed to the risk of funding corruption, human rights violations, environmental harms – and ultimately, climate chaos – due to their ongoing relationships with companies and traders operating in the region.

Brazilian Meat Company JBS Issues "Sustainability-linked" Bonds and the Forests and Finance Coalition Responds

Moira Birss, Climate and Finance Director at Amazon Watch, said, "After giving itself an extension on its previous commitment to end Amazon deforestation a decade ago, JBS is now trying to hoodwink investors with a 'sustainability-linked' bond that isn't even tied to emissions from its supply chains. JBS has zero credibility when it comes to forest protection and respect for Indigenous land rights, and investors who truly want to ensure the Amazon remains standing should stay far away from this greenwash."

Peaceful Indigenous Protest in Brasilia Met With Tear Gas, Rubber Bullets, and Police in Riot Gear

Brasilia, Brazil – Today, a group of Indigenous peoples, assembled in Brasilia as part of the "Rise for the Earth Camp," were attacked by "shock troop" police as they peacefully protested bill 490, a new proposed law that if enacted would definitively strip Indigenous land rights. The protest, including children and elders, to the Constitutional, Justice, and Citizenship Commission congressional building, was proceeding without conflict when heavily armed police emerged from the building, indiscriminately firing tear gas and rubber bullets into the crowd. Two protesters were rushed to the hospital with serious injuries, while at least a dozen others with minor wounds were treated at the health tent of the Rise for the Earth Camp.

New Report by Human Rights Coalition in Ecuador Exposes Mounting Threats Against Rights Defenders

Research reveals government and industry complicity in systemic rights violations against defenders and provides recommendations for urgent action

Quito, Ecuador – Today, Ecuador's Alliance for Human Rights delivered a hard-hitting new report to government authorities and the Ombudsman's Office on the critical situation of rights defenders in the country. The report, entitled "Rights Defenders Under Threat in Ecuador: How Government Protection is Insufficient and Favors Industry Interests," reveals the intensifying dangers that rights defenders face as part of their struggles to protect and defend their territories, autonomy, and identity, and puts the spotlight on government and industry complicity to undermine their vital work.

Civil Society to the United Nations Development Programme: Sever Ties to the Oil Industry

UNDP Executive Board must exclude all fossil fuels from current and future alliances to protect Indigenous and traditional communities, the environment, and our climate

New York, NY – Prompted by the recent alliance in Colombia between the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and GeoPark, an oil company credibly accused of human rights and environmental malfeasance in the Amazon rainforest, an international group of more than forty organizations wrote to the UNDP Executive Board on Friday, June 4. The letter called on it to sever all ties with the fossil fuel industry and to use this week's annual meeting to stop any ongoing and future collaboration with the fossil fuel industry.

BlackRock, Vanguard, and State Street Invested $46 Billion in Amazon Oil Companies Tied to Indigenous Rights Violations and Rainforest Destruction

New report by environmental and human rights organization, Amazon Watch, highlights case studies on billions in amazon oil investments by the "Big Three" asset managers

"As long as the world's largest investors choose to place profits over people by continuing to pour money into the fossil fuel industry in the Amazon, our entire planet is at risk. BlackRock, State Street, and Vanguard must end their complicity in Indigenous rights abuses, forest destruction, and climate chaos," said Moira Birss, Climate and Finance Director at Amazon Watch.