Any ecological transition model needs to include the demarcation of indigenous lands and the protection of native populations from invaders, said this Friday (15), in Rio de Janeiro, the representative of the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (Apib) and the Coordination of the Indigenous Organizations of the Brazilian Amazon (Coiab), Marciely Ayap Tupari (photo). In a plenary session on sustainable development at the G20 Social, she cited the threat of the Temporal Framework and criticized Petrobras’ exploration project in the Equatorial Margin.

“Indigenous peoples make up 5% of the world’s population, but we preserve 80% of the entire planet’s biodiversity. Thanks both to our ancestral knowledge and to the blood of our relatives shed”, declared the indigenous leader.

She highlighted that the indigenous people themselves live in harmony with the environment and have a lot to contribute to the G20 Social, a parallel event to the G20 Leaders’ Summit, a group of the 19 largest economies on the planet, plus the European Union and the African Union.

“Sustainability, today seen as a solution, has always been put into practice. We want our knowledge to be used. The consequences we are feeling today are consequences of actions 20 years ago. What will we expect in the 20 years ahead? Are we worried about future generations?”, he declared.

Regarding the Temporal Framework, Tupari said that the threat to the rights of indigenous peoples continues to advance. She defended that the G20 Social consider demarcation as a means of combating climate change.

“Today in Brazil, we are suffering a huge setback, especially regarding the Temporal Framework. Today [estamos] debating for the Brazilian State to place the demarcation of indigenous lands as a climate agenda”, he declared.

Tupari demanded not only progress in demarcations but also the protection of ethnic groups, who, according to her, acted on the front line in the fight against invaders in the previous government. “It’s no use just demarcating [terras indígenas]. You need to ensure their protection. We need to look at indigenous people on the front line defending territories, he said.

Bureaucracy

The Apib representative also criticized the bureaucracy in granting financing to native peoples. According to her, the money promised by international organizations does not reach the indigenous population because of restrictions imposed by both multilateral banks and the Brazilian government.

“We want to have access to this financing that is allocated to us, but we cannot because there is a lot of bureaucracy. Today, indigenous movements [estão] creating funds to see if they can solve these problems and access financing,” he said. “At the COP [Conferências das Nações Unidas sobre as mudanças climáticas]they only create funds. We hear a lot of promises, but we don’t see anything happening”, he assured.

Oil

The indigenous leader criticized Petrobras’ project to explore the Equatorial Margin, an area with large oil reserves between the coast of Rio Grande do Norte and Amapá. Potential oil exploration in the region, which includes the mouth of the Amazon River, is criticized by environmentalists, concerned about possible environmental damage.

“Today we no longer have a way to stop the 1.5°C warming limit. We can no longer increase fossil fuel extraction. If Brazil wants to sell its image as a sustainable country abroad, it cannot explore oil in the Amazon region”, said Tupari, to applause from the audience.

The Apib representative also said that indigenous movements are mobilized to defend their rights and speak out against the exploitation of the Equatorial Margin next year, during COP 30, in Belém, Pará.