Forest fires, illegal logging, and pollution from oil extraction: the Amazon is under serious threat. The Indigenous inhabitants of the Amazon rainforest are fighting to preserve their habitat. This is important to all of us, because if we lose the Amazon, we will lose the battle against climate change.
In the All Eyes on the Amazon program, Hivos and Greenpeace are fighting the destruction of the Amazon rainforest side by side with Indigenous peoples. Indigenous communities supported by the program in Ecuador, Brazil and Peru collect evidence, using both modern technology and traditional knowledge, that can be used for legal action or campaigns. The program (2017-2020) was made possible by a contribution of 14.8 million euros from the Dutch National Postcode Lottery’s “Dream Fund.” Now, it has been extended thanks to an additional 4 million euros in funding.
Unique coalition
The program brings together a unique coalition of environmental and human rights organizations to stop deforestation. “We support the Indigenous and local people of the Amazon in establishing and protecting their land rights,” says Carolina Zambrano, All Eyes on the Amazon program manager. “Deforestation is mapped out quickly and effectively through high-quality technology and monitoring on the ground. With this evidence, Indigenous groups can take action, like filing lawsuits, informing the media or starting a campaign. ”
Hope for the Amazon
Supporting Indigenous people in their fight to preserve the rainforest has led to encouraging successes. The Waorani in Ecuador, for example, filed a lawsuit against the government in 2019 to stop oil drilling on their territory. It led to a historic victory that allowed them to protect 500,000 hectares of rainforest from oil extraction.
In Brazil, deforestation in the territory of the Karipuna Indigenous community has decreased significantly since the community started forest monitoring and litigation. Compared to 2019, deforestation on Karipuna lands in 2020 decreased by 49%, according to satellite-based research. Upholding Indigenous land rights protects the forest, preserves biodiversity and is key in the fight against climate change.
Our sincere gratitude
In the Amazon, people and the environment are under pressure like never before. The hunt for natural resources, such as timber, oil, minerals and precious metals, is a huge threat to our planet. All Eyes on the Amazon works to change that. The additional contribution of 4 million euros will allow the fight against deforestation to continue. Our heartfelt thanks to the participants of the National Postcode Lottery!
