Indigenous Defenders Face Violence During COP16 Talks

At the U.N. COP16 nature talks in Colombia, Indigenous environmental defenders in Ecuador reported increasing threats and violence, particularly after a 2023 referendum that banned oil drilling in the Amazon. Activists highlighted the alarming rise in violence linked to organized crime, prompting President Daniel Noboa to declare a state of internal armed conflict and label numerous gangs as terrorist groups. While nearly 200 countries aim to implement the 2022 Kunming-Montreal Biodiversity Framework, which seeks to protect environmental defenders, discussions on monitoring killings have been criticized as insufficient. The proposed measures are seen as optional and binary, limiting accountability. There are urgent calls for the Ecuadorian government to enhance protections for Indigenous communities amidst the escalating danger. The situation poses significant challenges to fulfilling global biodiversity commitments.