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Protect the Land, Tax the Polluters: Activists Demand Climate Action at COP30

2025-11-17 News & Politics
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Democracy Now!
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COP30 Summit in Belém: Indigenous Sovereignty, Climate Justice, and the Amazon Crossroads

Discover why this year's COP30 in the Amazon gateway city of Belém is critical for Indigenous sovereignty and climate justice, highlighting massive civil society mobilization against extractive industries.

Short Summary

  • Civil society presence is strong at COP30 because it is hosted in a democracy, unlike three previous restrictive locations.
  • Indigenous peoples are leading the pressure, demanding land demarcation and an end to mining and fossil fuel extraction on their lands.
  • Key demands include direct climate finance for Indigenous communities and recognition of their role as forest guardians.
  • The context of the Amazon at a "tipping point" is driven directly by policies supporting extraction and land grabbing.

This report captures high-level discussions from COP30 in Belém, Brazil, focusing on the crucial role of frontline communities. Speakers detail the immediate threats of rising heat and deforestation while advocating for policies centered on climate justice, demanding that wealthy polluters finance reparations and that extractive industries be halted.

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Description

Support our work: https://democracynow.org/donate/sm-desc-yt Democracy Now! is broadcasting from the U.N. climate summit in the Brazilian rainforest city of Belém, near the mouth of the Amazon River, where the COP30 summit has entered its second week of negotiations. The gathering comes 33 years after the Rio Earth Summit, which created the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change. Countries are trying to find a way forward on addressing the climate crisis, even as global temperatures continue to rise and as the Trump administration boycotts the conference. COP30 is also the first since 2021 with a significant civil society presence, after three successive U.N. summits held in repressive countries that outlawed public protest. "The beauty of the forest COP, the beauty of the people's COP in Brazil, is that civil society is very active, both inside and outside," says Leila Salazar-López, executive director of Amazon Watch. We also speak with Viviana Santiago, executive director of Oxfam Brazil, who advises the Brazilian government on sustainable development. She stresses the importance of centering Indigenous peoples and the health of the Amazon in these talks. "People that are most affected for the climate crisis are the people that did nothing to [cause] this crisis," says Santiago. Democracy Now! is an independent global news hour that airs on over 1,500 TV and radio stations Monday through Friday. Watch our livestream at democracynow.org Mondays to Fridays 8-9 a.m. ET. Subscribe to our Daily Email Digest: https://democracynow.org/subscribe

Top Comments (10)

@elainejbaskin4255 2025-11-17

What a beautiful conversation so thanku Amy and your guests from Oxfam Brazil and Amazon watch. Yes taxing the rich polluters to support and protect indigenous people AND Mother Earth- ridiculous and embarrassing that trumpregime refuses to acknowledge not only climate change but to take responsibility for exploiting polluting colonizing mineral rich regions of our planet. Keep US mining interests OUT of the global South.

16
@EmilioBello-q6k 2025-11-17

Great to see Amy Goodman in Brazil

14 1 replies
@Star-crossed23 2025-11-18

I watched a documentary about ta secluded tribe, when the people described how the rivers were before mining. it gave me rage. the rivers in the Amazon are murky mostlty because of the inmense mining industry that is destroying the ground, polluting the rivers and killing the fish especies. also, deforestations, pushing the tribes who are protected having to deal with criminals and abusers who destroy their land. the wildlife and forest are in peril.

12
@TheodoroTeles 2025-11-17

OMG, you are in Belém! Welcome and good work!

6
@abc-dj3dx 2025-11-18

Funny thing is that the Super Rich think they're exempt from the fallout of all this pollution. Lol, the joke will be on them!

5
@GaiaMatters.Official 2025-11-18

Approximately 50% of emissions came from the USA, Russia and Europe alone (since 1850). Shouldn't they at least pay for half of the climate bill?

4
@carolynanderson5033 2025-11-17

We need a unifying force. I'm a Planetarian. Our creed is pro people and planet.

3 1 replies
@porcelainpuppies 2025-11-17

That's exactly right that's where all the money went went to some person instead of being allocated to neutralize the impact of the commercial activity. What a joke some punk wants to take $1 trillion. I don't think he sold that many cars where did all this come from lithium mining? He said it was like printing money, but it can't be worth that much as it destroys the place.

3
@anthonyhorseroad1056 2025-11-21

Very good reporting, Thank You

2
@RivaldosantosgoisSantosgois 2025-11-20

Hello thaks you pela visita a Belém do Pará

1

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