Colombia embraces call for 80% Amazon protection by 2025 during summit in Belem

August 7, 2023

Belém de Pará, Brazil — August 7, 2023: Colombia is the first country to embrace the call for protecting 80% of Amazonia by 2025, and to call for its inclusion in the declarations of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO) countries, according to public statements by Colombian Environment Minister Susana Muhamad and by today’s press statement from the Colombian Environment Ministry.

Since 2021, COICA, Stand.earth, RAISG, and other allies have been leading the Indigenous and NGO call to protect 80% of the Amazon by 2025. Initially endorsed by the IUCN in September 2021, Amazonia for Life: Protect 80% by 2025 is a scientifically verified approach to protecting Amazonia, and is supported by Amazonia’s largest Indigenous federation, Coordinator of the Indigenous Organizations of the Amazon Basin (COICA)

Today’s announcement, which also supports Indigenous rights and forgiveness of external debt, makes Colombia the first national government to support the vision of 80X25 as a key tool for the permanent protection of Amazonia. 80X25 is supported by COICA’s 511 Indigenous nations in addition to over 1,200 civil society groups worldwide.  

“Indigenous Territories and Indigenous rights are a critical tool for the long-term protection of Amazonia. As Colombia and other countries move forward to protect the Amazon, protecting current and establishing new Indigenous Territories will be an essential element of protecting 80% of the Amazon by 2025. Amazonia for Life: Protect 80% by 2025 centers the importance of Indigenous Territories, and also encourages national-level debt forgiveness, local economic development, and an end to extractivism.” — Alicia Guzman, Amazon Program Co-Director, Stand.earth

Press contact:
Matt Krogh, Amazon Program Co-Director, Stand.earth
mattkrogh@stand.earth
Mobile/WhatsApp: +1 360 820 2398

More resources on the summit here