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Ecuador
Shuar Arutam People Notch Major Wins Against Amazon Mining in March
In a span of only three weeks, the PSHA launch a series of successful actions at a local, national, and international level to reaffirm their opposition against Solaris Resources’ Warintza project
The past month saw significant victories for the Shuar, turning the tide against Canadian mining company Solaris Resources.
Latest Blow for Solaris Resources: ILO Finds Shuar Arutam People Were Not Consulted on Warintza and Panantza Mining Projects
“Today’s decision affirms what we’ve been saying all along. We have not been consulted. We have not provided our consent. Our land is not for sale. We will defend our territory, our forests, our rivers, and our culture."
Activists Crash Canadian Mining Conference to Denounce Amazon Destruction
Amazon Watch needed to show up at PDAC because another narrative is needed - one that doesn’t accept the destruction of the world’s largest forest as a necessary byproduct of advancing modern society.
Ecuador’s Indigenous Organizations Unanimously Reject Canadian Mining
"We know the government is in Canada trying to sign agreements with mining companies, but there has been no consultation for the Warintza project. The project violates the Ecuadorian constitution and our rights. Let it be known that we have not given our consent."
Amazon Watch is building on more than 25 years of radical and effective solidarity with Indigenous peoples across the Amazon Basin.
Ecuador’s President Ignores Indigenous Opposition to Mining at PDAC
Official leader of Shuar-Artuam People of Ecuador rejects statements alleging community support for Solaris Warintza mining project
"The rosy picture painted today by the government and mining sector is misleading to investors. The reality is that the mining industry is reeling from local resistance to its projects and adverse decisions from its highest court."
Ecuadorian Indigenous Nation Asks British Columbia Securities Commission to Investigate Solaris
Indigenous organizations unite against controversial Amazon copper mining project
"The Shuar Arutam people have rejected the Warintza project for many years. Despite this, the company insists on promoting the project by dividing the communities and trying to reach agreements with other Indigenous organizations."
Despite Victory in a Historic Referendum, Yasuní National Park Is Again at Risk
Ecuador's president announces plans to ignore the popular vote and continue drilling for oil in one of the most biodiverse places on the planet, home to Indigenous peoples living in voluntary isolation
The government seeks to upend the will of voters and continue drilling in Yasuní under the pretense of funding the country’s escalating conflict with organized crime.
Internal Conflict in Ecuador Brings Significant Risks for Indigenous Peoples
Ecuador has captured international attention with the recent declaration of an “internal armed conflict" in response to elevated violence. This declaration entails significant risks for human rights and Indigenous territories.
Historic Legal Victory Achieved by the Kichwa Indigenous People of Sarayaku
The Kichwa People of Sarayaku celebrate this recent triumph in support of their Kawsak Sacha (living and conscious being) territory, which has been marred by oil activities and requires restoration.
Solidarity, Advocacy, and Resistance in the Amazon and Beyond
This solidarity grantmaking is built upon a multi-decade track record as a trusted partner among Indigenous nations and local organizations and guided by the principles and cosmology of Indigenous peoples.
We Stand in Solidarity With the Victims of the Violence Unleashed in Ecuador and Demand That the Government Effectively Address Organized Crime
"We express solidarity with the victims of the violence unleashed in Ecuador and demand that the government effectively address the issue of organized crime. Inflammatory statements and reckless measures are not effective and exacerbate the situation."
Investors Must Respect Indigenous Rights to Protect the Amazon
Respecting Indigenous Rights: An Actionable Toolkit for Institutional Investors provides investors with a starting point to educate themselves and others about Indigenous rights, as well as practical tools to develop policies, case studies, and data sources to identify and address Indigenous rights abuses.
Achievements in 2023 Could Signify the Turning Point for the Amazon in 2024
As 2023 closes, it’s time to look back over the many inspiring achievements of the year. Hope and progress for the future of the Amazon and climate have been restored.
“The Amazon Emergency Is a Climate Emergency”
Indigenous leaders at COP 28 call for urgent action to respect Indigenous land rights to protect the Amazon and climate on the path to COP 30 in Brazil
Dubai, United Arab Emirates – As over 70,000 people convene in Dubai for the 28th UNFCCC Conference of Parties (COP 28), the Amazon rainforest is on fire and in a severe drought due to deforestation, extractive industries, industrial agriculture, climate change, and other threats.
Indigenous Organization Opposes Sale of Controversial Warintza Mining Project on Their Territory in the Ecuadorian Amazon
“We oppose any entity providing additional investment for this project in our territory or any attempt to sell the project to another company using and promoting the name of the Shuar people.”
New Policy Paper Provides Roadmap to Tackle Organized Crime in the Amazon
Lima, Peru – A new policy paper by Amazon Underworld, Amazon Watch, the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, and InfoAmazonia details a roadmap for governments across the region to tackle the ruthless expansion of crime organizations and illicit markets in the most biodiverse region of the world.
Amazon Underworld
Criminal Economies in the World's Largest Rainforest
This report shows how criminal organizations and armed groups have expanded their presence, increased their political control, and diversified their economies in the Amazon with disastrous impacts on Indigenous peoples.
The Growing Threat of Organized Crime in the Amazon
Supporting Indigenous rights and territories is an essential element of any strategy
Organized crime has been present in the region for many years, and it has recently become a major threat to the Amazon and Indigenous rights and territories.
Amazon in Focus 2023
Over the last year, hope and progress for the future of the Amazon and climate has been restored. With immense joy and pride, we celebrate recent victories to protect Indigenous land rights with the civil society consultation to keep oil in the ground in the Yasuní National Park in Ecuador and the Brazilian Supreme Court ruling declaring “Marco...
Unmasking Canada’s Extractive Industry Violations at the UN Human Rights Council
Pressure mounts in Geneva against Canada as civil society demands Indigenous and socio-environmental rights commitments
Civil society organizations also urge Canada to enact regulations ensuring gold's origin traceability, especially when mining occurs in Amazonian countries. They call for a comprehensive energy transition plan that respects human rights and promotes the gradual abandonment of extractive industries that jeopardize the Amazon's ecological balance.
Abandoned Oil Mess Still Plagues Communities in the Ecuadorian Amazon
Mongabay | “For us, oil has been a curse because we haven’t seen any [benefits from] oil. The plans are always made in Quito and Guayaquil, in the big cities, but they seem to be unaware of the real damage; by producing a barrel of oil, they’re killing people or animals that should be able to subsist in the Amazon.”
Seven Challenges for the New Ecuadorian Government
Ecuador’s powerful business class is in power yet again following the election of Daniel Noboa
We question whether he will prioritize the protection of nature and the rights of Indigenous peoples as he promised during his campaign or – more likely – carry on with the extractivist agenda of prior administrations and continue to disregard Indigenous rights.
Uniting for Climate Justice: Amazon Watch at New York Climate Week
The urgency of this year's Climate Week cannot be overstated. The Amazon is at a tipping point, and the effects of climate change are not some distant future threat – they are here, and they are now.
Canada Emerges As Key Culprit in Amazon Destruction
Despite its “climate forward” image, Canada is linked to corporate abuses and rights violations across mining and oil extractive projects in the Amazon
The rights violations discovered in the operations of Canadian companies in the Amazon rainforest are deeply troubling, particularly considering Canada's efforts to present itself as a human rights leader in the world.
Unmasking Canada: Rights Violations Across Latin America
Amazon Watch was joined by more than 50 civil society organizations to compile three critical reports - covering Regional, Amazonian, and Oil and Gas - under the campaign Unmasking Canada: Rights Violations Across Latin America.
Yasuní Victory Shows Us the Way to End Amazon Crude
In a historic vote, Ecuadorians have shown the world what true climate leadership looks like. Their vote is a step toward a fossil fuel-free future that protects biodiversity and the rights of isolated Indigenous peoples.
The Shuar Arutam People Continue Their Resistance Against Mining
The movement against mining in Ecuador is gaining momentum
This is an important moment for celebration. It is monumental that the PSHA ratified its resistance to mining activity in its territory because the community has faced divide-and-conquer strategies from the mining industry and the Ecuadorian government.
Ecuadorians Reject Oil Drilling in the Amazon, Ending Operations in a Protected Area
Associated Press | “Ecuadorians have come together for this cause to provide a life opportunity for our Indigenous brothers and sisters and also to show the entire world, amidst these challenging times of climate change, that we stand in support of the rainforest.”
