On June 4, 2013, 144 Munduruku Indians boarded Brazilian Air Force Planes in Altamira en route to Brasilia to attend talks with the government to address a week-long occupation of the contentious Belo Monte dam on the Xingu River. Amazonian Indians from the Munduruku along with those from the Juruna, Kayapo, Xipaya, Kuruaya, Asurini, Parakana, and Arara tribes have bonded together to occupy the main construction site of the Belo Monte hydroelectric dam—a dam costing $14 billion and projected to be the third largest dam in the world.

By First Peoples Worldwide

The United Nation’s Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD+) program garnered conflicting opinions at the recent UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII), held May 20-31 in New York City.

By Ben Ole Koissaba

The Wixarika (Huichol) people of Mexico have submitted a third letter in their series of communications with the Mexican presidential branch urging the cancellation of mining concessions within their sacred territory known as Wirikuta. 

We Can’t Eat Gold (2013), a new documentary directed by Joshua Tucker, gives voice to the local inhabitants of Bristol Bay as they oppose the construction of the Pebble Mine. The documentary is comprised of interviews—many of which are set in front of the beautiful lakes, rivers, and mountains of the region—highlighting the local community’s disapproval of the South African and Canadian Pebble Partnership Mine. The mine would be one of the largest open-air mines in the world if approved.

The following article was released by our partners at the Oakland Institute in collaboration with Greenpeace International.

Misleading of investors and corruption are just two of the deceitful tactics believed to be employed by New York-based agribusiness company Herakles Farms as it attempts to clear tens of thousands of hectares of Cameroonian rainforest for a large palm oil plantation, according to a new report from the Oakland Institute and Greenpeace International.

Herakles Farms palm oil plantation in Cameroon has found itself on unsteady terms with the government of Cameroon, as they were temporarily ordered to suspend work on their plantation over the past two months.

By Matthew Gilbert

Most would say Daniel Lum has a lot on his plate. The soon-to-be-published author and father of five has bills, rent payments, an occasional family crisis to resolve, friends to help, his parents to assist, his two dogs, and perhaps a move to Anchorage to start a restaurant; but beyond these countless responsibilities, the Inupiaq man magically finds time to fight for the Arctic Ocean.

Free, Prior and Informed Consent  (FPIC)  is the principle that a community has the right to give its consent to proposed projects that may affect their lands, resources, livelihoods, and communities.