Indigenous Outcry Over Amazon Carbon Credit Deal

Indigenous groups in Para, Brazil, opposed a carbon credit deal involving Amazon.com and other firms, citing lack of consultation. Para's governor claimed Indigenous participation, but 38 community organizations refuted this in a public letter. Tribal leader Alessandra Korap Munduruku criticized foreign corporate involvement.

Indigenous organizations in Para, Brazil, have voiced their opposition to a recent carbon credit agreement, claiming they were not consulted prior to the state's deal with multinational companies, including Amazon.com Inc. and Walmart. The agreement is part of the LEAF Coalition initiative, valued at $180 million, aimed at supporting Amazon rainforest conservation.

Governor Helder Barbalho asserted that Indigenous populations were included in the deal. However, 38 Indigenous and community organizations have contested this claim in an open letter, stressing the necessity for genuine consultation. "Our territories are not for sale," they declared, highlighting their role as key protectors of the forest.

Alessandra Korap Munduruku, a prominent tribal leader and author of the letter, expressed concern over the lack of consultation and criticized the involvement of U.S.-based firms. The carbon offset agreement, announced at the New York Climate Week, is LEAF's first deal in the Amazon and encompasses up to 12 million tons of carbon credits to combat deforestation in Para by 2026.

(With inputs from agencies.)