Climate 411

A Landmark Decision for Indigenous Rights: The Inter-American Court Protects Peoples Living in Voluntary Isolation in Ecuador

By Guest Author / Published: March 24, 2025

 

Alicia Cahuiya, Vice President of the Waorani Nationality of Ecuador (NAWE). Daniel Cima, Wikimedia

This post was co-authored by David Cordero-Heredia, Professor of Law at the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, and Visiting Scholar for Cornell University’s Latin American and Caribbean Studies program, and Santiago Garcia Lloré, Acting Director Forest Partnerships, Environmental Defense Fund 

Indigenous Peoples living in voluntary isolation (IPLVI) are communities that have chosen to avoid contact with the outside world. They maintain their traditional ways of life deep within remote forests and inaccessible regions. Their territories are among the most pristine and ecologically significant areas on the planet; IPLVIs play a crucial role in global biodiversity conservation.

On March 13, 2025, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR) delivered a landmark ruling in the case of Indigenous Peoples Tagaeri and Taromenane v. Ecuador. The Court declared Ecuador internationally responsible for violating multiple human rights of the Tagaeri and Taromenane, Indigenous Peoples Living in Voluntary Isolation (IPLVI) in the western Amazon after violent attacks in 2003, 2006, and 2013, leading to deaths of IPLVI members (IACHR, 2024).

The ruling found that Ecuador violated the rights to collective property, self-determination, dignified life, health, food, cultural identity, a healthy environment, housing, life, judicial guarantees, and judicial protection of the Tagaeri and Taromenane. Additionally, the Court held the state responsible for violating the personal integrity, freedom, dignity, family protection, childhood rights, identity, movement, residence, cultural identity, health, and judicial guarantees of two Indigenous girls who were forcibly separated after a 2013 attack.

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Forests and People – The Roots of Our Future

By Santiago Garcia and Bärbel Henneberger / Published: March 21, 2025

Kichwa woman harvesting cocoa in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Photo: Wiñak

Every year, the International Day of Forests reminds us of the indispensable role forests play in sustaining life. In 2025, the theme “Forests and Foods” sheds light on an often-overlooked reality—forests are not just scenic landscapes brimming with wildlife but fundamental to human survival. From food security and nutrition to livelihoods and ecosystem stability, forests are the backbone of our planet’s well-being.

While forests contribute only 0.6% of the global food supply, their importance goes far beyond calories. Forest foods are vital supplements during lean seasons and serve as safety nets for vulnerable households. Moreover, forests support 80% of terrestrial biodiversity, offering an invaluable reservoir of genetic resources that could help communities adapt to climate change. Access to wild foods diversifies diets and income sources, strengthening resilience in the face of environmental and economic shocks.

Forests are far more than economic assets; they are the silent architects of ecosystems and societies. Over a billion people rely on forests for their livelihoods, particularly Indigenous communities, who depend on them for food, shelter, medicine, and water. However, their significance extends beyond material resources. Forests are deeply woven into cultural identities, shaping traditional knowledge, fostering community, and strengthening local values through deep emotional and spiritual connections to the land.

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The Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities’ Road to COP30 at Belém: An Outlook for 2025

By Bärbel Henneberger / Published: January 29, 2025

Kleber Karipuna, President of APIB and Coordinator of the Global Alliance, presenting strategies for effective participation at COP30. Photo by Bärbel Henneberger, EDF

By Bärbel Henneberger, Senior Partnerships Manager, Environmental Defense Fund

For Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLC) organizations of the Americas, 2025 brings fresh expectations. For the first time, the UNFCCC COP30 will take place in the Amazon Basin,  hosted by the city of Belém, in the Brazilian state of Pará. This will present a unique opportunity to cast global attention to the challenges and potential solutions unfolding in the wider Amazon region.

For context, the Amazon, the world’s largest rainforest, is also the largest and most vulnerable deforestation front. WWF estimates that 20 percent of its biome has been lost already, and that 27 percent will be without trees by 2030 if the current rate of forest loss continues. For IPLCs, the forest is the home that sustains all life.

Last week, during a workshop on Indigenous economy, Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLC) organizations from South and Meso America met in the Ecuadorian Amazon to discuss the state of tropical forests and the role of IPLC´s sustainable initiatives. Despite all efforts, illegal timber and gold mining are still powerful drivers of deforestation and the destruction of entire landscapes in the Amazon. However, a call was made for the sustainable use of Nature, and concrete examples were presented of the actions that should be implemented to ensure sustainable forest management. IPLC organizations also agreed that Indigenous bioeconomy will be a key topic to be presented at COP30.

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Ecuador Announces Milestone in Halting Tropical Deforestation

By Santiago Garcia / Published: January 29, 2025

Inés María Manzano, Minister of Environment, Water, and Ecological Transition of Ecuador and Eron Bloomgarden, CEO Emergent (LEAF Coalition) at the official signing event in Ecuador, January 29,2025. Photo by Santiago Garcia, EDF.

By Santiago García Lloré, Senior Manager of IPLC and Conservation Partnerships at EDF.

Ecuador is one of nine countries in the Amazon rainforest. It is also known as one of the most biodiverse countries in the world — its unique ecological heritage includes the famous Galápagos Islands.

Following Costa Rica, Ghana, and the State of Para in Brazil, Ecuador signed an Emissions Reduction Purchase Agreement (ERPA) under the LEAF Coalition’s carbon finance framework to reduce 3 million tons of carbon emissions in exchange for $30M. (3 million tons of carbon emissions roughly equal the annual emissions of about 570,000 average passenger cars.)

The deal covers four Ecuadorian jurisdictions and is a shining example of deploying carbon finance that advances equitable participation from diverse groups. In Ecuador’s case, this process has resulted in the inclusion of Afro-Ecuadorian communities, who, like many other Indigenous communities in the region, have traditionally been marginalized. This showcases progress toward a more inclusive and representative model.

EDF has been privileged to support Ecuador in this journey over the past several years. Our efforts have focused on building the technical capacity, policy frameworks, and stakeholder engagement processes needed to bring this ambitious program to life. Here are a few things we’ve learned that are critical to ensuring integrity and bolstering climate ambition.

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Effective participation and engagement of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities at COP29

By Bärbel Henneberger / Published: November 22, 2024
Juan Carlos Jintiach from the Global Alliance of Territorial Communities, speaking on direct access to finanance for Indigenous People at COP29. Photo by Bärbel Henneberger.

Juan Carlos Jintiach from the Global Alliance of Territorial Communities, speaking on direct access to finanance for Indigenous People at COP29. Photo by Bärbel Henneberger.

This post was authored by Bärbel Henneberger, Senior Partnerships Manager at the Environmental Defense Fund. 

On November 21, COP29 celebrated Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IP and LCs) as a thematic day in the Action Agenda of the Azerbaijani COP presidency. The day underscored the essential role of IP and LCs in safeguarding 80% of the world’s biodiversity and preserving 36% of intact forest landscapes.

To succeed in the fight against climate change, we must collaborate with IPs and LCs and respect their principles, culture, and methods while providing the support they need to further our shared conservation goals. We won’t succeed in conserving tropical forests without the partnership and leadership of IPs and LCs.

Climate conferences like COP29 offer a platform for IP and LCs to amplify their voices, and shape negotiations. It’s an opportunity for them to show the world how their efforts to conserve and sustainably manage their territories, which are some of Earth’s most important ecosystems, are critically important in the climate fight.

At COP29, IP and LC delegates spotlighted examples of effective participation in negotiations, policy frameworks, and innovative climate finance mechanisms. These efforts, though diverse, share a common goal: to embed Indigenous rights and knowledge systems into global climate action. Below are a few examples of Indigenous approaches to conservation efforts showcased during COP29. Critically, the world must continue to support, and learn from, these approaches well after the negotiations in Baku have ended.

Spotlight on LCIPP and the IP Caucus

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At COP29, Article 6 must deliver on urgent finance for forests and Indigenous communities

By Pedro Martins Barata and Santiago Garcia / Published: November 13, 2024

This blog was authored by Pedro Martins Barata, Associate Vice President, Carbon Markets and Private Sector Decarbonization and Santiago García Lloré, Senior Manager, IPLC & Conservation Partnerships, Forests

UN Climate Change, Kamran-Guliyev/ Flickr

At the start of COP29, negotiators in Baku secured a major breakthrough by agreeing on new standards for a UN-led global carbon market under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, potentially unlocking billions in funding for climate projects.

But the terms of the standards are still flexible, meaning there’s a real chance to shape them to make sure the money goes where it’s needed most – like Indigenous Peoples and local communities who are fighting to conserve the planet’s last intact forests, known as high forest, low deforestation (HFLD) regions.

The stakes are higher now than ever, especially after the recent US election, which casts doubt on future public climate funding from one of the world’s biggest economies. In this uncertain landscape, carbon markets must step up to fund critical climate solutions, especially nature-based projects like forest conservation.

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