Displaying items by tag: Indigenous people

On 11 November hundreds of Indigenous activists stormed the UN COP30 climate summit in Belém, demanding real protection for their lands and rights amid growing frustration over government inaction. The protests, led by Amazonian communities, erupted as president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva promoted his administration’s commitment to Indigenous inclusion - claims protesters say ring hollow while oil drilling, logging, and mining continue to threaten the rainforest. ‘We can’t eat money’, said Gilmar of the Tupinamba community, voicing anger at the summit’s focus on climate finance over preservation. The demonstrations followed the arrival of the Yaku Mama protest flotilla, which sailed over two thousand miles to call attention to Indigenous leadership in environmental stewardship. Despite Lula’s rhetoric, Brazil’s state oil company has just received approval to begin exploratory offshore drilling near the Amazon’s mouth. This year’s meeting is the first to take place since the International Court of Justice ruled that countries must meet their climate obligations and that failing to do so could violate international law. Note: the four nations responsible for almost 50% of global pollution (Russia, China, India, and the USA) are not even attending COP30. The conference is a major focus for prayer, as churches become more and more aware of the climate crisis. For a link to the John Stott lecture on 20 November, which will focus on the challenges which the world is facing and a Christian response, see