Indigenous people have a "fundamental role" in protecting the planet from "unprecedented" social and environmental threats, Pope Francis said during a meeting with participants from the Forum of Indigenous Peoples at the Vatican Feb. 10.
Amazonian Indigenous leaders are waiting to see whether promises made at COP26 will be empty words — and whether their territorial rights will be respected.
Environmental issues will have a leading role at the Latin American Ecclesial Assembly, which will bring bishops, clergy religious and laity together Nov. 21-28 in Mexico City.
Keeping the pledge to stop deforestation in this decade will mean facing up to powerful economic interests, corruption and organized crime and respecting Indigenous territorial rights.
Bishops seek to encourage local churches to commit to protecting world's second-largest tropical forest from destruction while 'taking into account the dignity of the people' who live there.
Goldman Environmental Prize winner Liz Chicaje Churay says communities are committed to protecting the forest, but the pandemic has put many of their plans on hold.
Deforestation has decreased natural protection from storms in Bangladesh. The Catholic Church is trying to change that, with a goal of planting 700,000 trees for the fifth anniversary of Pope Francis' environmental encyclical.
