Indigenous groups call for climate justice at COP30

DW (English)

COP30, the first climate summit in the Amazon, sees record Indigenous participation. Yet many remain outside official halls, creating their own spaces to demand a voice in decisions shaping their future.

Transcript

00:00A tense moment outside the climate summit venue in Belen.

00:04Indigenous protesters block the entrance, insisting on direct negotiations.

00:10COP30 President André Coher do Lago agrees to talk to them.

00:14They lead him to a separate space.

00:17They came here to be heard.

00:18Until now, they didn't have the opportunity to be heard by the authorities.

00:23They forced a dialogue now, and it worked out.

00:26The group was successful.

00:27After the protest, Brazil's Ministry of Indigenous Peoples announced the demarcation

00:32of two of their territories by the end of the year.

00:36COP30, the first international climate summit held in the Amazon, has the largest indigenous

00:41participation ever.

00:43More than a thousand from nine different countries are here, up from around 170 last year.

00:49But most remain outside the air-conditioned halls where politicians debate their future.

00:55Instead, they have to create their own spaces to be heard.

00:58Like on this protest, on the weekend.

01:01Thousands of people came to the climate march here in Belen, the host city of COP30.

01:06Among them are also many indigenous people.

01:08They are here to demand climate justice and the demarcation of indigenous lands.

01:13I'm fighting for our territory, for the demarcation of our land, in defence of life, flora and fauna,

01:22and our water sources.

01:24Indigenous people also took centre stage at this boat protest.

01:28Enough with soy, enough with the destruction of the environment, enough with all the projects

01:34that don't bring life, just the destruction of our territories.

01:38COP is important for us to show that we are here, to make indigenous people seen.

01:45Studies show that indigenous territories safeguard biodiversity, act as major carbon stores,

01:50and consistently show lower deforestation rates.

01:54But last year, more than 2,000 hectares were lost due to illegal logging, mining and land theft,

02:00resulting in violence.

02:02Last year, more than 200 indigenous people in Brazil were assassinated.

02:06This is not only the biggest tropical forest in the world, but also a place with a rich diversity

02:14of people, cultures and territories that also have to be protected.

02:19And it's exactly the people that live here who protect this forest and the biodiversity,

02:24a powerful means to fight the climate crisis.

02:28So, to protect the Amazon rainforest, we must understand that we also have to protect the people who live here.

02:36Indigenous people say that they are part of the solution, but first, the world needs to listen to them.

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