Indigenous peoples of the nine Amazon countries launch G9 

Photo: TELESUR

The G9 seeks that the world's governments recognize that traditional peoples are the main authorities when it comes to conserving biomes and protecting species diversity.Indigenous leaders from the nine countries that share the Amazon announced on Saturday the creation of the so-called G9, "a unified voice to influence global decisions," within the framework of the COP16 being held in Colombia.Indigenous peoples from Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Guyana, French Guiana and Suriname achieved what the countries gathered in the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization have not been able to do, which is to align politically and seek coordination. They also agree that the Amazon is a single ecosystem.It is a "regional coalition (...) that will increase pressure on governments around the world to take climate action (...) on a common agenda to take to COP30 in Brazil next year," explained the NGO 350.org in a statement.The group's main demand "is that governments around the world recognize that traditional peoples are the main moral authorities when it comes to conserving biomes, protecting species diversity and regulating the climate."Amazonian peoples cried out for "biodiversity conservation," respect for their rights in the territory and "direct funding" in payment for their role as guardians of nature.The launching of the G9 comes at a time when negotiations on a new body to recognize the rights of native communities are under discussion.The text recalls that thanks to indigenous peoples, some 80 percent of the Amazon rainforest, one of the most biodiverse areas on the planet, is conserved.However, "Amazonian peoples continue to suffer persecution and attempts to erase their presence," said the NGO 350.org.