The past month saw significant victories for the Shuar, turning the tide against Canadian mining company Solaris Resources.
“Welcome to the oil capital of Perú." It turns out that the city of Talara was where one of the first oil wells was drilled in all of South America, dating back to 1863. The toxic legacy of oil was evident.
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.
Thirteen years ago today, Indigenous peoples and other Amazonian inhabitants made climate justice history in Ecuador when, after 18 years of legal battles, they won a $9.5 billion judgment against Chevron Corporation.
In the heart of the Peruvian Amazon, Olivia Bisa, the first female president of the Chapra Nation, stands as a beacon of courage and resilience.
The Gathering was a key moment to reaffirm our collective resistance and understand the realities of communities grappling not only with the disastrous Belo Monte hydroelectric dam but also the looming threat of Belo Sun’s proposed mine.
In a blatant effort to intimidate and silence its critics, Belo Sun Mining has filed a criminal lawsuit targeting more than 30 people – most of them small-scale farmers – as well as community leaders, environmental defenders, researchers, and representatives of Brazilian and international organizations.
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.
Joining forces with our partners, Amazon Watch is gearing up to launch a series of campaign actions in 2024. Our mission: to ensure financiers, including commercial banks, investors, and insurers, fully grasp the perils of financially supporting Petroperú.
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.
The Supreme Court’s rejection of the Marco Temporal thesis was arguably the most significant victory of the Indigenous movement in the 21st century. It marked the culmination of years of grassroots organizing, legal struggles, and mobilization.
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.
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.
"I will not feel defeated. Defeated are those who are sitting on their hands. We will continue to fight for the demarcation of Indigenous lands. Because those who have territory have a place to go back to, and those who have a place to go back to, have a mother, a lap, and a cure."
“There are reasons to be hopeful. Lula delivered what he promised as far as deforestation and has promised zero deforestation by 2030. And he is very focused on climate justice – bringing those most vulnerable to the table.”
Their efforts effectively put the multimillion dollar deal at a stalemate, and prevented Petroperú from attaining new long-term financing for the Talara Refinery in the past six months.
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.
“We are here to say that we are the healing of the Earth, we are the ancestral voice of the Earth speaking to us. It is not possible to think about valuing human rights if you kill the Earth."
Indigenous peoples and others are struggling to protect their ancestral lands, livelihoods, and lives. In doing so, they run afoul of the men with guns who don’t hesitate to threaten and kill.
To stop catastrophic climate change, to protect Indigenous cultures, to prevent the next drought and keep the Amazon’s river dolphins and other species thriving, Indigenous rights are the key.
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.
"We defend our lands not just for our people but for all of humanity. Your company is harming our collective future. We have lived here in the heart of the Amazon for over 4,000 years. But now our world hangs by a thread."
This decision is a strong affront to justice, memory, and the dignity of the victims and their families, who face yet another chapter of legal strife and uncertainty.
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.
We stand on the edge of a decision that will significantly impact Indigenous peoples’ lands, their lives, and our collective future. If approved, it's not just a win for mining magnates like Vale, Bunge, and Anglo American. It's an irreversible loss for Indigenous rights, the Amazon rainforest, and for 77 yet-to-be-recognized Indigenous...
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.
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.
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.
"For many years, our ancestors have been warning that the health of the Earth is not only our responsibility; it is everyone’s responsibility. If the sky falls, the earth burns, and waters rise, we will all die, and no money can buy another planet."
