ACT at COP30
United Nations Climate Conference Comes to the Amazon!
The Conference of the Parties (COP) is a global event bringing together governments, diplomats, Indigenous peoples, local communities, and NGOs to tackle the growing threat of climate change.
For the first time, the conference will be held in the Amazon, one of the world’s most diverse and critical ecosystems, in the city of Belém, Brazil. The Amazon is also the center of our work, and we’re excited to share climate solutions from our Indigenous and local partners on the global stage.
We Are the Echoes of the Forests
For nearly three decades, we’ve partnered with Indigenous peoples and local communities in Brazil, Colombia, the Guianas and beyond to protect tropical forests and strengthen traditional culture.
As the world gathers for COP30 in Belém, Brazil, the Amazon Conservation Team (ACT) will be a powerful advocate for conservation models rooted in ancestral knowledge, territorial integrity, and social justice.
Our presence at COP30 will underscore three key aspects of our work:
The full protection of Indigenous Peoples in Voluntary Isolation and Initial Contact (PIACI)
The health of the forest and Indigenous communities are interdependent
Recognizing Indigenous territorial rights is key to addressing the climate crisis
Protections for Indigenous Peoples In Isolation and Initial Contact (PIACI)
Across the Amazon and Gran Chaco regions, there are Indigenous Peoples who live with little to no contact with other societies (PIACI). Often, this decision to retreat further into the forest is one of survival after centuries of violent colonialism, the rubber trade, and now growing climate threats like illegal mining, logging, and oil and gas drilling. Contact can be devastating—bringing disease, displacement, and cultural collapse.
The Amazon Conservation Team works closely with neighboring Indigenous communities to protect isolated peoples and their territories, which are some of the most pristine and critically important ecosystems in the world. As the Technical Secretariat of the International Working Group on Indigenous Peoples in Isolation and Initial Contact (GTI-PIACI), we’ve worked along with 20 other indigenous and indigenist organizations of the Amazon and Gran Chaco to help secure major protections against outside threats. This included the recognition of the Yuri-Passé peoples and the safeguarding of 3.3 million acres of ancestral forest.
Indigenous Territories Are Key to 30x30
To achieve the global goal of protecting 30% of the planet by 2030, we must recognize the vital role of Indigenous and local communities. These territories are already conserving biodiversity and slowing climate change—often without formal recognition or support.
ACT has helped expand or create Indigenous reserves across more than 2.9 million acres, and over 9.9 million acres have been placed under sustainable management.
At COP30, we’re advocating for legal and political recognition of these conservation efforts, along with funding and monitoring systems that respect land rights and traditional governance. Real climate solutions must start in the territories.
Forests and Communities: One Health
Healthy forests mean healthy communities. ACT champions a One Health approach that connects human well-being, ecosystem health, and ancestral knowledge—placing women and traditional leaders at the center.
At COP30, we’re highlighting how Indigenous, Afro-descendant, and local communities not only live in tropical forests, but are their primary protectors. Securing their land rights is essential for biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, and public health.
ACT is developing a regional initiative that integrates One Health, women’s leadership, and territorial governance—building bridges between science, tradition, and policy for a healthier planet.
See Who is Representing ACT at COP30
Juana Hofman
Technical Director of the Amazon Conservation Team – Colombia
Daniel Aristizabal
Director of ACT’s PIACI (Indigenous Peoples in Isolation and Initial Contact) regional process
Luiz Cláudio Silva
Executive Director of ACT-Brasil
Follow Us for Updates About COP30
Join us in Belém and online as we work toward a more just, inclusive, and bioculturally rich future for the Amazon and the world.
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