As the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) unfolds in Brazil, the host nation has taken a significant step towards protecting Indigenous lands and contributing to environmental conservation by officially creating 10 new Indigenous territories. This announcement comes amid heightened tensions and protests surrounding the summit, underscoring the complex and often fraught relationship between Indigenous rights, environmental protection, and national policies.
The new Indigenous territories, which include one located within the Amazon rainforest, will be safeguarded under Brazilian law, granting Indigenous communities legal recognition and protection for both their cultural heritage and their natural environment. While legal protections exist, enforcement has historically been inconsistent. Nonetheless, the move is seen as a positive development after a similar action by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's administration last year, which recognized 11 new Indigenous territories.
Dinamam Tuxu, a spokesperson from the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB), expressed optimism about the latest designations at COP30. He highlighted the importance of legally recognizing Indigenous lands, emphasizing that such recognition empowers communities to control activities within their territories. "Each and every indigenous territory in Brazil is a reason to celebrate and is a reason for us to feel happy," Tuxu told the BBC, reflecting the broader Indigenous community's sentiments.
Indigenous peoples globally play a critical role in biodiversity preservation, protecting approximately 82% of the world's biodiversity according to Tuxu. He explained that formal demarcation of Indigenous lands ensures the conservation of these vital ecosystems, which in turn helps mitigate climate change. "The traditional way of life of indigenous peoples protects the lands and automatically guarantees global warming will be tackled. Consequently, the entire humanity benefits from it," he added.
Despite these protections, Indigenous groups in Brazil often face violence and intimidation, particularly when defending their lands against illegal activities such as cattle ranching and deforestation for agriculture. Tragically, this violence was underscored recently when Vicente Fernandes Vilhalva, a 36-year-old leader of the Guarani Kaiowá community in southern Brazil, was shot and killed during an attack on his village. Survivors described how gunmen surrounded the community before the fatal shooting, highlighting the dangers Indigenous activists face.
The backdrop to these developments has been a wave of protests during COP30. Thousands gathered outside the conference venue, demanding quicker and more comprehensive land demarcation. Protesters carried signs with messages like "demarcation now" and "our forests are not for sale," signaling frustration with the pace of government action to protect Indigenous lands and the environment. Some demonstrators, including Indigenous activists, even broke into the summit, leading to confrontations with security forces.
In response, security around the conference has been significantly tightened, with a noticeable presence of armed soldiers and police at entry points. Many Indigenous representatives have found themselves without accreditation to participate inside the venue, leading to concerns about their marginalization. Nonetheless, COP30 hosts the largest-ever attendance of Indigenous representatives, with at least 900 participants from various Indigenous communities present to advocate for their rights and environmental stewardship. Kleber Karipuna of APIB expressed satisfaction with this increased representation, noting the years of effort that made it possible for Indigenous voices to be heard directly at the summit.
However, the enhanced security measures have drawn criticism from over 200 human rights organizations. In a letter to UN officials, these groups argued that the militarized response to protests and the exclusion of Indigenous defenders contribute to a global trend of silencing dissent and marginalizing those fighting for land and environmental rights.
Historically, the recognition of Indigenous territories in Brazil has included restrictions on mining, logging, and commercial farming to prevent deforestation. Expanding these protected areas is crucial for climate change mitigation. A study by APIB, the Amazon Environmental Research Institute, and the Indigenous Climate Change Committee estimated that increasing Indigenous land demarcation could reduce deforestation by up to 20% and cut carbon emissions by 26% by 2030.
The newly designated territories cover hundreds of thousands of hectares and are home to thousands of Indigenous people from groups including the Mura, Tupinambá de Olivença, Pataxó, Guarani-Kaiowá, Munduruku, Pankará, and Guarani-Mbya. Notably, one territory overlaps more than 78% with the Amazon National Park, a critical area of biodiversity and a key carbon sink that plays an essential role in regulating the global climate.
The Brazilian government's announcement