UPDATE: Indigenous communities in Brazil are making headlines as they fiercely protest against the ongoing COP30, demanding stronger protections for their ancestral lands. A group of primarily Indigenous Amazonian protesters stormed a restricted area of the 30th annual United Nations Climate Change Conference in Belém, Brazil, declaring, “Our forests are not for sale.”
The urgency of their message comes as global carbon emissions continue to climb and deforestation reaches alarming rates across Brazil. One Tupinamba community leader stated, “We want our lands free from agribusiness, oil exploration, illegal miners, and illegal loggers,” highlighting the immediate threats these communities face.
While COP30, running from November 10 to 21, 2025, has positioned Indigenous empowerment as a key theme, on-the-ground realities tell a different story. Many communities, such as the Ka’apor people, have taken matters into their own hands. Living in a deforested region, they have managed to restore 80 percent of their land through direct action, including closing logging access roads and expelling illegal loggers.
“Things function the same way as when this was an empire, only the names have changed,” said a Ka’apor leader, emphasizing their self-reliance in protecting their territory. They have even expelled the Brazilian government agency FUNAI from their lands, accusing it of complicity with loggers.
The Ka’apor’s resistance comes at a cost. From 2008 to 2022, at least 11 members of their community have been assassinated, with no accountability. Their strategy of creating protected areas has not only safeguarded their ecosystem but also empowered them culturally and economically.
In the Atlantic Forest, the Guarani people echo similar sentiments. Community leader Jerá Guarani shared how they had to retake their lands through protests and blockades due to the government’s failure to uphold its own laws. Their efforts have revitalized traditional agricultural practices, blending crops with forest ecosystems to combat poverty and enhance biodiversity.
As COP30 unfolds, many Indigenous leaders criticize the event as a façade, stating that while they speak of empowerment, the reality is one of bureaucratic obstacles. “If you wait for the government to do something, you’ll still be sitting around when you die,” remarked Gah Te Iracema, a community leader from southern Brazil, underscoring the urgency for grassroots action.
The Teia dos Povos, a network of anti-capitalist communities, exemplifies how collective action can lead to sustainable solutions. By reviving traditional agricultural techniques, these communities are not only restoring the land but also fighting against systemic poverty and ecological degradation.
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