Belém, Brazil (22 November 2025) — The COP30
negotiations have concluded. The resulting documents have
taken historic steps in: recognizing, for the first
time, Indigenous Peoples’ land rights as
a climate change solution; including the rights of
Indigenous Peoples and those in voluntary isolation as part
of the Just Energy Transition work programme;
recognizing Indigenous traditional knowledge as a
fundamental climate solution; and recognizing, for the
first time, peoples of African
descent.
Emil Gualinga, Kichwa Peoples
of Sarayaku, Ecuador:
On the Just
Energy Transition
In the Work
Programme on Just Transition, a historic paragraph on the
rights of Indigenous Peoples was approved, including free,
prior, and informed consent (FPIC), self-determination, and
the rights of Indigenous Peoples in Voluntary Isolation and
Initial Contact. This is extremely important, as it will
guide the design and implementation of just-transition
pathways at the national level in each country. Currently,
these transition pathways — including the expansion of
fossil fuel extraction, the extraction of minerals for the
energy transition, and large-scale renewable energy projects
— are seriously affecting Indigenous Peoples and violating
our rights. Therefore, this decision provides us with tools
to continue advocating, both nationally and internationally,
to ensure that all policies related to the energy transition
respect our rights.
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On the historic
mention of land rights in the Mutirão
decision
The recognition of Indigenous
Peoples’ land rights is an important step forward, and it
gives us tools to continue advocating for our rights in
future decisions. However, we had proposed stronger and more
specific language for the Mutirão text, including on the
need for full and effective participation in the development
and implementation of the NDCs, as well as direct access to
financing. Although there were advances, Indigenous
participation in the COPs remains limited, and our proposals
are included in the decisions only in a few
cases.
On the narrative of COP30 as the
indigenous COP
Despite being referred
to as an Indigenous COP and despite the historic achievement
in the Just Transition Programme, it became clear that
Indigenous Peoples continue to be excluded from the
negotiations, and in many cases, we were not given the floor
in negotiation rooms. Nor have most of our proposals been
incorporated. The militarization of the COP shows that
Indigenous Peoples are viewed as threats, and the same
happens in our territories: militarization occurs when
Indigenous Peoples defend their rights in the face of oil,
mining, and other extractive
projects.
Kleber Karipuna, Karipuna
Peoples, Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil
(APIB)
On the outcomes of the
negotiation
As we close today,
the final text of the conference, presented by the
negotiators, acknowledges — in discussions on mitigation,
just transition and adaptation — the importance of
Indigenous territories and Indigenous Peoples as key actors
in confronting the climate
emergency.
On COP30
overall
We must advance even
further in the demarcation of Indigenous lands, continuing
the pressure and dialogue to move forward with the
protection of our lands, removal of invaders and
strengthening our territorial governance. We leave COP30
with positive outcomes of the efforts undertaken by
Indigenous Peoples. And we will continue strong in the
post-COP30 process, carrying out critical advocacy to tell
the entire world that the answer is
us.
On sideline pledges and
agreements
In Brazil alone, 59 million
hectares were recognized as areas that must be secured,
protected and managed over the next five years as Indigenous
lands. We also saw the announcement of a new financial
commitment of 1.8 billion dollars to support the way we
manage our territories.
José Luis
Rengifo, Proceso de Comunidades Negras (PCN – Black
Communities Process), Colombia
On
the historic first mention of People of African
Descent
We value the mention of People
of African Descent in the text and, in particular, the
recognition of the contributions of women and girls in
combating climate change. However, we are disappointed that
negotiators did not recognize the role of Afrodescendant
communities that defend some of the Amazon’s most
biodiverse and carbon-rich ecosystems.
Most of us
are descendants of escaped enslaved people, but we have
survived because we are communities—peoples—and we
understand all life as collective, in our relationships with
one another and with the ecosystems we protect, often at the
risk of our lives.
We care for our forests, which
were our refuge during slavery, and we defend them every day
from invaders who seek to claim what is ours. We recognize
the mention of People of African Descent as a step forward,
but we hope that future texts acknowledge us as
communities—peoples—on the frontlines of defending the
natural world that has protected us and our ancestors,
sometimes for hundreds of years.
(The
Afro-descendant Peoples movement shared a press release on
the 21st of November that remains relevant to the draft
decision texts, available in Spanish, Portuguese and English
here.)
Toya
Manchineri, Manchineri Peoples, Coordination of Indigenous
Organizations of the Brazilian Amazon
(COIAB)
COP30
overall
Indigenous Peoples will
remain vigilant, mobilized, and present beyond COP30 to
ensure that our voices are respected and that global
decisions reflect the urgency we experience in our
territories. For some, COP ends today, for us territorial
defense in the heart of the Amazon is every
day.
Albert Barume, UN, Special
Rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous
Peoples:
COP30
overall
The protection and
respect of Indigenous Peoples’ traditional leaders is
critical to addressing the climate change crisis. A massive
amount of evidence supporting the demands of Indigenous
Peoples has made it impossible for COP to ignore their role
in combating climate change.
COP30
by the Numbers
2,500:
Estimated number of Indigenous Peoples attending
COP30.
One: Indigenous
Guarani leader was killed in Brazil amid the COP for
defending his land.
Two:
Indigenous Peoples led two peaceful, large-scale
demonstrations on November 15th and 17th. An estimated 2,000
Indigenous Peoples attended the second
protest.
Five: Indigenous
Peoples joined together to make five
joint demands for COP30.
$1.8
Billion: More than 35 government and
philanthropic funders organized by the Forest Tenure Funders
Group (FTFG) announced a new,
five-year, $1.8 billion pledge to support
Indigenous Peoples, local communities and, for the first
time, Afro-descendant communities in securing land rights
across an expanded range of ecosystems, including forests,
mangroves and savannahs.
160 million hectares:
The governments of nine tropical countries committed
to recognise and strengthen 160 million hectares of
Indigenous Peoples and local community lands by 2030 through
the Intergovernmental Land Tenure Commitment
(ILTC).
28: Land
titles granted to Quilombola communities in
Brazil
10: Land
titles granted to Indigenous Peoples in Brazil during
COP30.
