𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐎𝐘𝐀𝐋 𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 & 𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐃𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄 𝐇𝐀𝐕𝐄 𝐀𝐍𝐍𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄'𝐒 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐒 𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐕𝐄 ✨️
The Prince of Wales has unveiled an ambitious new initiative to partner with, and enhance protections for, Indigenous Peoples and nature protectors across the Brazilian Amazon.
The Amazon, one of the world’s most vital ecosystems, faces a dual crisis of accelerating environmental destruction and escalating violence against those working to protect it.
The new strategic partnership between The Royal Foundation’s United for Wildlife programme, the Coordination of Indigenous Organisations of the Brazilian Amazon (COIAB), the Podáali Fund, Rainforest Foundation Norway (RFN) and Re:wild which specifically aims to address such challenges.
𝐂𝐎𝐈𝐀𝐁's work reaches 750,000 Indigenous Peoples, across approximately 110 million hectares of Amazon territory and has been critical to fighting for the indigenous peoples of the Brazilian Amazon.
The Prince of Wales said :
❝ We cannot manage our forests while their protectors live in fear. And we cannot protect environmental defenders without securing the territories they defend. This initiative means working in partnership with those who know the land best to strengthen Indigenous-led systems, deliver legal aid, and emergency support. We must protect the protectors if we’re to ensure the future of these critical environments ❞
The landmark partnership seeks to break down the barriers to the safety and protection of Indigenous leaders as they exercise their rights across nine states of the Brazilian Amazon.
It will prioritise 𝐈𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐝 to help individuals at risk to reach safety – whether through emergency evacuation, secure communications, safe houses or humanitarian aid.
The partnership will also work to 𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐏𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐬’ 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 and their vital role in protecting the Amazon, while improving the monitoring of threats through a shared data platform.
This partnership will be 𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩, 𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐦𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐦𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐭 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐤, such as isolated communities, female indigenous leaders and those living near international borders.
These efforts form the central pillar of a growing Nature's Protectors Initiative - ensuring that indigenous and local voices are central to the conservation of the forests, wildlife, and the climate we all depend on.
The Prince of Wales hopes to replicate this model around the world, so that more of nature's protectors are properly supported to do their vital work
