The Optimist Daily: Brazil expands Indigenous territories as COP30 protests spotlight the stakes

Brazil, a country at the heart of the world’s climate future, has taken a major step by creating 10 newly recognized Indigenous territories. The announcement came at a moment of heightened emotions and protests both inside and outside the COP30 conference, underscoring how deeply land rights and climate justice are intertwined. These new territories, which span parts of the Amazon and several other regions, will receive legal protection for their ecosystems and cultures. Although enforcement of such protections has historically been inconsistent, the designation marks the first expansion of Indigenous lands since President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva took office. More STORY.