For the first time, the traditional headgear of indigenous peoples took its place among the suits and ties at COP30, which began on Monday in , where indigenous communities are expected to have a particularly significant participation, something that has not happened before in a Climate Conference.
The survival of these populations and the demarcation of their territories are considered by scientists to be crucial elements for the protection of the environment and especially forests, contributing decisively to the fight against global warming. The first Conference held within the Amazon offers the ideal opportunity to highlight their role.
so that indigenous peoples have a substantial presence at COP30, including the participation of more than three thousand people – a record number. Of these, about a thousand will directly participate in the official negotiations in the so-called Blue Zone, while the remaining two thousand are already in the Green Zone, in which civil society organizations and observers are active.
In an exclusive interview with Euronews, the Minister for Indigenous Peoples, Sonia Guazazara, emphasized the importance of the participation of these communities in political decisions and international forums.
“The debate is about solutions to mitigate the climate crisis. Indigenous lands and indigenous peoples have been shown to make the greatest contribution to the conservation of biodiversity and forests and contribute substantially to climate balance through their way of life. We cannot look for solutions without taking into account those who protect the environment and are already directly affected by the climate crisis”, said the minister.
Brazil’s proposal: Tropical Forest Fund
is the creation of a Fund for the Protection of Tropical Forests (TFFF). According to the plan, 20% of the resources will go to the indigenous peoples. The goal is to raise $125 billion, of which $100 billion will come from private funding and the rest from government contributions and philanthropy. So far, the largest contribution comes from Norway, which has allocated $3 billion.
The “People’s Circle” and COP Village
In the Green Zone operates the Pavilion of the Circle of Peoples, set up by the International Indigenous Commission under the leadership of Sonia Guazazara and the Commission on Traditional Communities, Afro-descendants and Family Agriculture, under the coordination of the Minister of Racial Equality, Aniel Franco. Actions and discussions about the experience of these groups in the battle against the climate crisis take place there.
To accommodate the thousands of indigenous people participating in the Conference, the COP Village has been created, a central accommodation space within a university complex, designed to facilitate dialogue and collaboration. The National Agency for Indigenous Peoples (FUNAI) has also created the ‘Biodiversity Space’, where indigenous producers display and market their products. At the same time, FUNAI is organizing the “Echoes of the Earth” Film Festival at the Belém Museum of Image and Sound, with more than 30 screenings dedicated to indigenous peoples.
“The voice of the people must reach decision-making”
“The key challenge is for countries and world leaders to understand the central role of indigenous participation in decision-making,” Guazazara argued. “At this year’s COP we are working to ensure that indigenous people have a direct impact on both the negotiations and the wider agenda, to enhance awareness and understanding of the contribution of indigenous territories, which is often not recognized by the institutional structures of international conferences.”
Training young indigenous leaders
In preparation for the Conference, the government implemented the training program “Kuntari Katu” – in the Nhengatú language it means “one who speaks for the people and on behalf of the people”. The program included language training and practice in COP negotiation procedures. At the same time, the “COP Parente” circle held a series of events in various states, informing the indigenous communities about the functioning of the COP and selecting their representatives.
The influence of the Green Belt
The executive director of the Institute for Environmental Research of the Amazon (IPAM), Andre Guimarães, points out that the presence of the indigenous people in the Green Belt acts as a catalyst for the official negotiations.
“During the Conference, negotiators are influenced by what happens outside the halls: the demonstrations, the demands of indigenous communities, the actions of young people and organized civil society. This presence is critical, because these peoples are fundamental to the preservation of the climate and natural resources and at the same time the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change,” he explained. “Our presence in Belém is both symbolic and practical: it shows that Brazil is a democratic, open country that respects differences and that the voice of these communities must be integrated into decision-making processes.”
Evidence confirming the role of indigenous people
In Brazil, indigenous lands cover approximately 105 million hectares, i.e. 13.8% of the territory, and contribute directly to the protection of the environment. In 2024, they corresponded to just 1.3% of the country’s total deforestation.
Experts point out that this protection is due to the indigenous people’s sustainable relationship with ecosystems, which acts as a real safety net for nature.
Since 2023, the start of the current term of President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva, the government has recognized 16 new indigenous territories. The establishment of the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples, a key campaign pledge of Lula’s, was a major institutional step, with Sonia Guazazara taking over as its leader due to her recognized work on behalf of indigenous rights.
