Protesters Bring "Planet in Crisis" to COP30 Headquarters in Belém

Photos from the action available here.

On Wednesday morning, representatives of Indigenous peoples, traditional communities, and social movements from across the Amazon held a powerful demonstration in front of the construction site of COP30 in Belém, sending a clear message to global leaders: the solutions to the climate crisis already exist and are practiced daily by Indigenous and traditional peoples in Brazil and around the world.

The action, staged in front of the future Blue Zone – the official venue for the UN climate negotiations – marked the launch of the “Declaration of the Amazon Peoples’ Gathering for COP30: The Answer is Us,” a collectively written political statement. In the center of the protest stood a globe melting and stained with oil, symbolizing the urgency of the climate crisis. Around it, leaders held messages such as “The Climate Won’t Wait – It’s Time to Act,” “The Answer is Us,” “Demarcate,” and “Keep the Forest Standing, Leave Oil and Gas Underground.”

The protest comes at a critical moment in Brazil, as movements call on President Lula to veto Bill 2159/21 – known as the “Devastation Bill” – which would represent one of the most significant rollbacks to environmental protection in Brazil since the military dictatorship.

“For us Indigenous peoples, for Brazil’s Indigenous movement, for social movements, and for everyone committed to defending the environment and biodiversity – especially in this moment of climate emergency – the approval of this bill goes against everything humanity is fighting for in terms of sustainable solutions,” said Kleber Karipuna, Executive Coordinator of the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB).

Toya Manchineri, General Coordinator of COIAB, highlighted one of the bill’s most dangerous aspects: removing the role of institutions like Funai from the environmental licensing process. “This leaves thousands of Indigenous communities vulnerable, with no mechanisms to defend themselves or participate in decisions that directly affect their territories, ways of life, and well-being,” he said.

Sila Mesquita Apurinã, General Coordinator of the GTA Network, emphasized the need for unity: “We already have many climate authorities living in our territories – people who know how to face the climate crisis. If world leaders don’t know what to do, we do. We, Indigenous leaders, traditional communities, and social movements, are the answer. Our territories and ways of life are the solution. That’s why we’re joining forces in this permanent mobilization and reaffirming our fight for life.”

Amazonian peoples demand protection and a seat at the decisions table

In the “Declaration of the Amazon Peoples’ Gathering for COP30: The Answer is Us,” social and Indigenous movements demand recognition and protection of their territories; an immediate end to destructive exploitation; meaningful participation in decision-making forums; recognition of the Amazon as a common good of humanity; direct climate finance for forest and riverine peoples; and an end to violence against those who defend the forest. The declaration – signed by 19 organizations – will be delivered to the COP30 Presidency.

The document states:

“There is no Amazon without its peoples. The territories protected by our communities are the last strongholds against destruction. Science confirms what our ancestors have always known: climate justice is only possible through territorial, social, and popular justice.”

It also stresses that hosting COP30 in the Amazon brings both a historic responsibility and a political opportunity to elevate social movements:

“The current global rise of fascism makes it all the more urgent for this COP to move beyond formalities and become a platform for true leadership by the peoples and movements of the Amazon.”

Dione Torquato, Secretary General of the National Council of Extractivist Populations (CNS), reinforced this point: “A COP taking place in the Amazon must reflect the voices and faces of the Amazon. There are no real climate solutions without recognizing the peoples and their territories as key actors in this transformation.”