Cop30 delivers historic wins and setbacks for indigenous rights in climate fight

The COP30 climate summit in Belém, Brazil, marked a watershed moment for Indigenous participation in global climate negotiations, though outcomes were decidedly mixed according to Indigenous delegates who attended the two-week event. The summit featured the largest Indigenous representation in COP history, resulting in groundbreaking commitments alongside frustrating last-minute disappointments.

The most significant achievement was the Intergovernmental Land Tenure Commitment (ILTC), a historic pledge to formally recognize Indigenous land rights across 160 million hectares—an area roughly the size of Iran. This massive conservation commitment spans tropical forest nations including Brazil, Colombia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, with a 2030 deadline for implementation. In Brazil alone, 63 million hectares of Indigenous territories are now pledged for enhanced protection and formal land ownership recognition.

Financial backing also materialized through the Forest Tenure Funders Group’s renewed $1.8 billion commitment over five years to support Indigenous peoples, local communities, and Afro-descendant groups in securing their land rights. Brazilian President Lula da Silva further demonstrated commitment by signing decrees protecting 28 quilombo communities during the summit.

“The summit was historic for Indigenous peoples, and this is the result of the Indigenous struggle working to be at this COP not only in numbers but also in quality of participation,” said Kleber Karipuna, executive coordinator of Brazil’s Articulation of Indigenous Peoples (APIB). However, he tempered celebrations by noting that “not everything has been won as we expected—much more Indigenous lands [still need] to be demarcated,” highlighting the ongoing challenges despite these landmark achievements.