Indigenous Peoples

The Amazon Dialogues plenary, held 4–6 August in Belém, Pará, sets an agenda for the Amazon Summit with five thematic sessions on territory, health, science, climate, and Indigenous peoples. Belém will also host COP30 in November.

Data centers, particularly AI-focused hyperscale facilities, are expanding rapidly, consuming vast energy and water resources. Indigenous leaders globally are advocating for their communities' rights, emphasizing the need for free, prior, and informed consent and highlighting threats to lands and waters. Some Indigenous groups acknowledge potential economic benefits but stress the urgency of protecting resources and ensuring consultation.

The Obama Presidential Center includes a permanent display acknowledging Indigenous land stewardship and features a quote from Obama on broken treaties. Critics argue the center's location on public land transferred for $10 under a controversial agreement creates irony, as they claim the land was 'stolen' from Illinois citizens rather than Native Americans.

The Obama Presidential Center includes a permanent display acknowledging Indigenous land stewardship, which critics argue contrasts with controversy over its location on public land transferred for $10. Illinois GOP Chair Bob Grogan claims the land was 'stolen' from Illinois citizens, not Native Americans, due to a disputed 99-year agreement.

Federal authorities in Brazil ordered the removal of cattle from Bananal Island, a protected Indigenous territory, citing conservation laws. The move disrupted income for Indigenous residents who leased land to ranchers, highlighting tensions between conservation, Indigenous interests, and agribusiness. Cattle ranching remains a major driver of deforestation in the Amazon.

An international tribunal found that the Government of Canada’s current policies constitute ongoing genocide against Indigenous Peoples. The ruling followed a week of hearings on intergenerational trauma.