Indigenous organisations in the Brazilian state of Pará have voiced concerns over not being consulted by the government before a recent agreement was made with multinational companies to sell carbon offset credits aimed at conserving the Amazon rainforest.
Last month, companies like Amazon and others committed to purchasing carbon credits worth $180 million through the LEAF Coalition, a conservation initiative established in 2021 by corporations and governments, including the United States and the United Kingdom.
Governor Helder Barbalho of Pará had initially stated that Indigenous and traditional communities were involved in the deal. However, on Tuesday, 38 Indigenous and community organisations from the state signed a public letter denouncing the lack of consultation.
“It is unacceptable for the government of Pará to take decisions without consulting traditional communities, who are the greatest protectors of the forests while also being the most impacted by the lack of effective climate adaptation policies,” they said in the letter, adding, “Forest peoples must be heard and consulted. Our territories are not for sale.”
Alessandra Korap Munduruku, a prominent Indigenous leader and the main author of the letter, expressed concern about the involvement of US-based companies like Amazon and Walmart, as well as asset manager BlackRock, in the carbon credit purchase. She criticised their environmental impact on the region and said, “Our priority is the eviction of invaders on our reservation lands that are threatened by miners and a grain railway. Our leaders were never consulted on the carbon credits. We are being sold like goods.”
Korap Munduruku, who won the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize in 2023 for her efforts to push mining companies off Munduruku lands, stressed that the focus should be on addressing threats to Indigenous territories rather than on deals involving carbon credits.
The agreement is the first of its kind for LEAF in the Amazon rainforest, which plays a crucial role in mitigating climate change by absorbing large amounts of greenhouse gases. The deal includes the purchase of up to 12 million tons of carbon credits, generated by reducing deforestation in Pará between 2023 and 2026, with each credit representing a reduction of 1 metric ton of carbon emissions.
Governor Barbalho has assured that the proceeds from the sales will be used primarily for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, with the remaining funds allocated to Indigenous peoples, traditional communities, and family farms.