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Stories

Justice Eludes the Saweto Case: A Call for Global Solidarity

The longstanding struggle for justice for the widows and families of the murdered Saweto activists remains unfulfilled. In February, the culprits behind the murder of four Indigenous leaders from the Alto Tamaya-Saweto community had been sentenced to 28 years in prison. Then last month, in an unexpected twist, the Peruvian court reversed this decision and threw out the charges to order a reassessment of the legal process.

Waorani women raise their arms in the Ecuadorian Amazon
Stories

Yes to Yasuní: Democracy Survives Latest Threat in Ecuador

On August 20, the people of Ecuador made history by voting to protect Yasuní National Park from oil drilling.
When ordinary people have the strength and the courage to make their voices heard, they can enact real change on seemingly intractable issues. Through direct democracy, the people of Ecuador have been able to take on the power of big oil, and secure an astonishing victory for the future of the Amazon.
News Releases

Amazon Summit Falls Short: Leaders Must Dig Deeper and Assume Deforestation Commitments

The final declaration of the Amazon Summit, referred to as the Belém Declaration, has fallen short of expectations for collectively implementing crucial measures to protect the Amazon rainforest, its peoples, and the global climate. It notably lacks a commitment towards zero deforestation by 2030 and fails to address halting oil exploration in the region. Read our full statement.
Stories

Innovative Strategy Yields 17 Land Titles for Indigenous Communities in Peru 

Land titles are the most effective way to reduce deforestation rates in Indigenous peoples’ territory, resulting in a 66% reduction in forest cover loss. 17 land titles were secured for Indigenous communities in the Peruvian Amazon in record time—more titles were established in ten months than were possible in the previous three years.

Impacts of mining in the Yanomami people's territory.
Stories

Attack in Yanomami Community Kills Child and Injures Five More in Brazil

Five Yanomami Indigenous people, including two children, were injured in a shooting in Yanomami territory, in Roraima, Brazil, on Monday, July 3rd. It is not new that illegal mining has ravaged Indigenous lands, with more than 20,000 invaders in the Yanomami territory alone, destroying forests, bringing disease, sexual exploitation, and death.
Stories

Constitutional Trial Threatens Indigenous Peoples’ Land Rights in Brazil

The Marco Temporal thesis is the greatest threat to the rights and lives of Indigenous peoples in Brazil today. But the potential impacts are not limited to these communities—they are universal. Our shared future depends on the health of the Amazon, the world’s largest tropical forest and one of the major contributors to the climate’s maintenance. As the primary and best guardians of the Amazon rainforest, Indigenous peoples and their lands play a crucial role in mitigating climate change.

Stories

The IPCC’s Synthesis Report: Urgent Solutions to Address Climate Change

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its “Synthesis Report,” the final chapter of the Sixth Assessment Cycle, summarizing eight years of scientific research to provide a complete picture of climate change and the solutions to address it. We have highlighted some key messages from the report, including solutions we can work toward together with our Indigenous partners, and with your support.

Célia Xakriabá and Sônia Guajajara of ANMIGA elected to Brazilian National Congress
Stories

Indigenous Women Uniting to Fight for Their Rights and the Earth

Indigenous women from rainforests around the world are uniting to fight for the health of the planet in their unique and powerful ways. Whether as activists, politicians, or mothers, they are bringing back ancestral knowledge and are determined to fight for their communities and the Earth.

Indigenous rights' activists from the GATC marched through New York City's financial district as part of Climate Week NYC.
Stories

Six Climate Change Topics to Watch in 2023

The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has emphasized that humanity will face irreversible climate breakdown unless we act immediately to transform global systems and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This article focuses on six key climate topics to keep your eyes on this year.
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2022 A Year In Review

As the year comes to a close we’re looking back at all of the amazing things we’ve accomplished in 2022, together! Check out our Year in Review.

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Didier Devers
Chief of Party – USAID Guatemala
gro.y1696109570nffr@1696109570sreve1696109570dd1696109570

Didier has been coordinating the USAID-funded B’atz project since joining Rainforest Foundation US in April 2022. He holds a Master’s in Applied Anthropology and a Bachelor’s in Geography. Before joining the organization, Didier worked for 12 years in Central and South America on issues of transparency, legality, governance, and managing stakeholders’ processes in the environmental sector. Prior to that he worked on similar issues in Central Africa. He speaks French, Spanish, and English, and is based in Guatemala.