The COP30 UN Climate Conference in Belém, Brazil, was marred by controversy as over 200 Indigenous groups publicly criticized the UN climate leadership for increasing security measures and what they termed “repression” against demonstrators. The protests followed the fatal shooting of a Guarani Kaiowá leader, linking climate negotiations directly to human rights and land disputes.
Indigenous representatives argued that climate conferences must address not only emissions but also the social and political dimensions of climate justice, including the protection of ancestral lands vital for carbon sequestration.
This friction underscores a deepening divide at global summits, emphasizing that climate action debates are intrinsically tied to issues of human rights, equity, and political power. The protests highlighted the crucial role Indigenous communities play in conservation and the risks they face.
