As COP30 enters its second week of negotiations, Amazonian Indigenous leaders arrive in Belém after leading powerful and courageous actions.
Colombia
Major River Mobilization from the Amazon Arrives at COP30
More than 200 boats carrying Indigenous, riverine, and social movement leaders occupied Guajará Bay in a historic act for the Amazon and climate justice. Chief Raoni Metuktire reminded the world of a simple truth: “The forest lives because we are here. If they remove the people, the forest will die with them.”
“The presence of Indigenous Peoples at COP30 is very important, but the struggle doesn’t end here."
Global Artists and Cultural Influencers Support Historic Indigenous Declaration
The peaceful protest was a powerful statement from Indigenous and traditional communities about the impacts of Brazil’s grain export corridors on rivers, fisheries, territories, and local livelihoods.
Indigenous Peoples Intercept Soy Barges on the Tapajós River
“There can be no real climate solution while Amazonian rivers are treated merely as grain corridors and the peoples of the Tapajós continue to be denied their right to free, prior, and informed consent.”
The peaceful protest was a powerful statement from Indigenous and traditional communities about the impacts of Brazil’s grain export corridors on rivers, fisheries, territories, and local livelihoods.
Exposing The Money Trail Behind Fossil Fuels in Latin America and the Caribbean
Investigation exposes financiers driving oil expansion in Latin America and the Amazon – and sheds light on ongoing Indigenous resistance stopping it in its tracks
In a few days the 30th United Nations Climate Conference will take place – in the Amazon!
Amazon Watch is building on more than 28 years of radical and effective solidarity with Indigenous peoples across the Amazon Basin.
Amazon Watch and Allies at COP30 in Belém, Brazil
“COP30 must mark a turning point, from promises to action, from extraction to regeneration, and from political speeches to Indigenous sovereignty.”
COP30 at the Crossroads: Indigenous Sovereignty or Climate Collapse
In a few days the 30th United Nations Climate Conference will take place – in the Amazon!
The Rainforest Spoke. Amazonian Legislators Listened.
The Parliamentarians for a Fossil-Free Amazon call for a moratorium on new oil and mining projects – starting with Indigenous territories.
In the face of inaction and paralysis of countries in making significant progress to address the climate crisis and its principal driver – fossil fuels – a worldwide coalition of legislative leaders has taken matters into their own hands, demonstrating what true climate leadership can look like.
Defending Mocoa in Southern Colombia
Art, culture, and children’s resistance against Giant Copper mining threat
“Mocoa is the most conserved territory, where the mountains hold the winds of the ancestors, which descend to embrace the Amazon.”
When Criminals Rule the Amazon Jungle and Time Runs Out
The crisis of public security, environmental crime, and human rights must be on the agenda of the Summit of Amazonian Countries
El País | Without coordinated action and meaningful inclusion of local voices, the region faces escalating violence and irreversible damage to one of the world’s most critical ecosystems.
In the Shadows of the State
Illicit Economies and Armed Control in the Triple Border Region of Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru
This report calls for a regional strategy centered on environmental protection, state-building, and community governance.
2024-2025 Annual Report
In a world increasingly in denial about the consequences of climate change and fossil fuel extraction, Amazon Watch is doubling down on our grassroots partnerships.
Amazon Crime Crisis: U.N. Backs Indigenous Demands
U.N. Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues: governments and UNODC must include Indigenous Peoples in anti-crime and environmental policies
Amazonian Indigenous leaders delivered a clear and urgent message: organized crime and illegal economies are devastating the Amazon and threatening the survival of Indigenous Peoples.
Truth, Justice, and Reparations: Traveling into the Heart of the Colombian Amazon
Thanks to the courageous leadership of Indigenous women like Yarley and Lucila, and the continued pressure from Colombian and international allies, Lower Remanso is advancing its vision of justice and self-determination. But the path remains difficult.
The Wisdom That Panduro Took With Him
Three years after the army perpetrated the Alto Remanso massacre, in which several civilians were killed, a community that almost disappeared is trying to recover from the absence of the leader who healed them and taught them their language
Voragine | Pablo Panduro was killed on March 28, 2022 during an army operation in which 11 people were killed, and which was carried out against the Border Command, a FARC dissident group that controls most of Putumayo.
2023-2024 Amazon Defenders Fund Report
Stories of Solidarity
The Amazon Defenders Fund (ADF) is an activist-led solidarity fund built upon Amazon Watch’s multi-decade track record as a trusted partner to Indigenous nations and local organizations.
Survivors of Alto Remanso Massacre in Colombia Commemorate Their Dead
This past Friday, in Bajo Putumayo, another anniversary was held to remember the military operation that killed at least eight civilians. At the time, authorities tried to pass the victims off as guerrillas killed in combat
El País | On March 28, 2022, the Military Forces of Colombia carried out an operation by air, water and land. Eleven people died, four were wounded and around 350 were displaced.
Raúl Grijalva: Rest in Power
We at Amazon Watch express our heartfelt condolences to Rep. Grijalva’s family, community, and constituents. He wasn’t just a passive ally of Amazonian peoples but a proactive champion – dedicating time and resources to listen to grassroots leaders and using his influence to stand in solidarity at crucial moments.
Illegal Mining in the Amazon: “Criminal Governance Is Expanding and Becoming Increasingly Violent”
Mongabay | Raphael Hoetmer, director of Amazon Watch's Western Amazon Program, spoke with Mongabay Latam about the advance of mining in the Amazonian territory of Peru, Colombia, Bolivia, Ecuador and Venezuela.
Amazon Watch Condemns Trump Administration’s Reckless Attack on USAID
The freeze on U.S. foreign assistance, implemented by the Trump administration, is already causing severe harm to vulnerable communities in the Amazon.
Bracing Ourselves for the Fight Ahead: Trump’s Potential Impact on the Amazon
The road ahead will be extremely difficult on multiple fronts, yet Amazonian Indigenous peoples will be undeterred in their indefatigable effort to protect their ancestral territories and livelihoods.
The Climate Crises in Los Angeles and the Amazon Rainforest Are Inextricably Linked
The Sacramento Bee | To address the root cause of these interconnected crises, we must unite our calls to keep oil in the ground, from California to the Amazon.
Amazon’s Advocates Fear Trump’s Return Means Little U.S. Help to Protect Rainforest
Associated Press | “Trump 2.0 will offer Amazonian governments a permission structure to ignore or walk back climate commitments, precisely at the moment when protection of the rainforest demands greater ambition and regional coordination.”
We Will Not Back Down: Affirming Our Commitment to Global Climate Justice
Now is the time to channel our collective energy toward the people-powered struggles advancing climate justice worldwide.
Inspired by the Amazon Pearl
Amidst threats against community leaders, Amazon Watch returned to the Colombian Amazon as a show of solidarity with courageous environmental defenders like Jani Silva
“This accompaniment has allowed our process to continue. Believe me, when the violent actors see that our processes are accompanied, they respect us a little more.”
Reaction to Inter-American Court of Human Rights Sentence in U’wa Case
Statement by U.S.-based human rights organization Amazon Watch, which has accompanied the U'wa people since 1997
Today, the Inter-American Court on Human Rights issued a decisive and favorable sentence to the U’wa Indigenous people of Colombia
Munduruku People Rejoice in Celebration of Landmark Win for the Brazilian Amazon
Munduruku ancestral territory Sawré Muybu advanced to the final stage of demarcation, a crucial step in a decades-long struggle.
Indigenous Guardians of Global Biodiversity and Climate at COP16
“Right now the Amazonian peoples are fighting back against organized crime and protecting our common future."
2023-2024 Annual Report
For 28 years, Amazon Watch has worked tirelessly to defend the Amazon rainforest in solidarity with Indigenous peoples. Reflecting on the past year, I am deeply moved by the courage of our Indigenous partners, and I am profoundly honored by the trust they continue to place in us.
