Indigenous voices lead the way as COP30 opens in Brazil’s Amazon

Dubai: Indigenous communities gathered in Brazil’s Amazon city of Belem to mark the start of COP30, setting the tone for the global climate summit that begins next week.

Dozens of world leaders have arrived in Brazil as the nation hosts the next round of UN climate negotiations, aiming to reaffirm commitments under the Paris Agreement, despite scientists' warnings that the world is on track to breach its safer temperature limits.

The Indigenous groups—seen as frontline defenders of the rainforest—called for genuine action rather than political promises, urging nations to protect the Amazon and uphold climate justice.

The COP30 talks in Brazil highlight both the urgency and the opportunity: to restore credibility to global climate efforts and ensure Indigenous voices remain central to the debate.

For the host nation, it’s also a moment to showcase the Amazon’s critical role in the planet’s future.

Video by AFP