Press Releases

Urgent Action Needed to Protect Indigenous Peoples from COVID-19 in Ecuador

Quito, Ecuador – In response to the global health crisis related to the coronavirus pandemic, yesterday indigenous and human rights organizations in Ecuador sent a letter of concern urging the government to implement concrete, culturally-adequate, and effective protection measures in order to guarantee the fulfillment of indigenous peoples' rights to life, integrity, access to health, and self-determination during this health emergency, as well as for rural communities.

Amazon Watch Joins Indigenous Partners' Demand That Outsiders Cease All Travel to Indigenous Territories Due to COVID-19 Threat

In a series of statements, PSA's, and social media outreach, indigenous peoples of the Brazilian, Peruvian, and Ecuadorian Amazon prepare to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus into their territories

"As humanity faces a global pandemic, indigenous peoples of the Amazon are among the planet's most vulnerable to the COVID-19 virus. We call on allies around the world to amplify the messages from indigenous peoples across the Amazon basin who are, once again, fighting for survival. We must mobilize to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus in all indigenous territories and communities."

Amazonian Indigenous Peoples Condemn Attempts to Forge Support for Ecuador Mining Project at Toronto Conference

The "consultation process" that was presented at the recent conference does not comply with international standards which guarantee that any such process be prior, free and informed. Moreover, the process itself has been carried forward without the prior consent of the affected communities.

Report: The Five Biggest Financiers of New Amazon Oil Boom

BlackRock, Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, HSBC, and JP Morgan Chase defy their own commitments by backing dangerous oil and gas extraction in the western Amazon

Oakland, CA – A report released today by Amazon Watch shows how five American and British financial institutions are actively accelerating climate change and human rights abuses by providing billions of dollars in debt and equity financing for crude oil extraction projects in the western Amazon. Already, millions of acres of the western Amazon have been auctioned for oil extraction, with tens of millions more slated by the Peruvian, Ecuadorian, and Colombian governments.

Haaland, Omar, and a Delegation of Brazilian Congresswomen Call for Global Solidarity in Support of Human Rights and Climate Justice

"We, indigenous peoples, are the main target of Bolsonaro’s government. The Amazon is on fire. Laws and policies to protect the environment and uphold our rights are being dismantled. Our institutions are being gutted. The President has taken action against demarcation of our lands, threatening our existence. This puts lives at risk, especially in the Amazon, where I come from," said Joênia Wapichana, the first indigenous congresswoman in Brazil.

BlackRock's Agribusiness Engagement Guidelines Draw Scrutiny from Environmental Groups

Amazon Watch and Friends of the Earth demand real action on deforestation and human rights

"BlackRock is clearly feeling the pressure from the climate and indigenous rights movement to align its investment practices with a sustainable world, which includes how it engages with and invests in agribusiness," said Moira Birss, Climate and Finance Director at Amazon Watch. "Its new statement identifies many of the key risk factors of the industry but does not include any actual commitments."

Joaquin Phoenix Makes Film with Extinction Rebellion and Amazon Watch

Sônia Guajajara, Executive Coordinator of the Association of Brazil's Indigenous Peoples said: "This film is very important for us at this moment. It demonstrates the artists' engagement in Amazon protection by showing the key role indigenous peoples play in defending the forests, the planet, and life itself."

Illegal Bill to Permit Mining on Indigenous Territories Proposed by Bolsonaro to Brazil's Congress

"Illegal mining and illegal prospecting go beyond environmental degradation and deforestation," said Christian Poirier, Amazon Watch's Program Director. "These activities provoke a breakdown of the social and cultural balance, which is already occurring in indigenous territories."

BlackRock Issues Investment Stewardship Statement on Agribusiness

"BlackRock is clearly feeling the pressure from the climate and indigenous rights movement to align its investment practices with a sustainable world, which includes how it engages with and invests in agribusiness," said Moira Birss, Climate and Finance Director at Amazon Watch.