On November 4, 2021, Indigenous women leaders united at COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland, to issue an urgent call to action for the Amazon in crisis. Organized by the Women’s Earth and Climate Action

On November 4, 2021, Indigenous women leaders united at COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland, to issue an urgent call to action for the Amazon in crisis. Organized by the Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN) International, they advocated for Indigenous rights and the protection of forests, water, communities, and the global climate.

Speakers highlighted the devastating impacts of climate change, extractive industries, and agri-business in the Amazon. They underscored the critical importance of Indigenous rights as a vital climate solution.

The Global Women’s Assembly for Climate Justice: Path to COP30 and Beyond, hosted by the Women’s Earth and Climate Network (WECAN) from June 23-28, 2025, featured a panel titled

The Global Women’s Assembly for Climate Justice: Path to COP30 and Beyond, hosted by the Women’s Earth and Climate Network (WECAN) from June 23-28, 2025, featured a panel titled “Implementing the Escazu Agreement: Protecting Women Land Defenders and the Defense of Nature in Latin America & the Caribbean.” This session, held on June 27th, included distinguished panelists such as Patricia Madrigal Cordero, Ruth Spencer, Fany Kuiru Castro, and Patricia Gualinga.

The virtual Assembly brought together over 125 grassroots women leaders, advocates, and policymakers from 50 countries. Across 25 panels, participants shared diverse strategies for a healthy and just world, with interpretation in English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese.

Resources from the panel and Assembly are available here. Learn more about the Assembly here.

Indigenous women from the Amazon, leading global and local movements, issued urgent calls to action at a COP27 press conference. They highlighted ongoing efforts to protect their communities and

Indigenous women from the Amazon, leading global and local movements, issued urgent calls to action at a COP27 press conference. They highlighted ongoing efforts to protect their communities and territories from governments and corporations violating Indigenous and human rights through harmful extractive projects.

Speakers, including Sônia Bone Guajajara (Federal Deputy of Brazil) and Patricia Gualinga (Spokeswoman for Mujeres Amazónicas Defensoras de la Selva), demanded stronger Indigenous rights, forest and water protection, and global climate action.

California is the world's largest consumer of Amazon rainforest oil. This extraction fuels climate change, deforestation, ocean pollution, and displaces Indigenous peoples who protect the Amazon's

California is the world's largest consumer of Amazon rainforest oil. This extraction fuels climate change, deforestation, ocean pollution, and displaces Indigenous peoples who protect the Amazon's vital biodiversity. It also harms communities along the supply chain, including those near toxic refineries in California.

We are honored to host Indigenous Amazonian forest-protectors, sisters Nina and Helena Gualinga. Working with Amazon Watch, they urge Californians—and all of us—to #EndAmazonCrude and demand corporate responsibility for people and the planet.

Not all green solutions are created equal. Many eco-friendly alternatives, from corn-based biofuels to biodegradable plastics, promise to save the planet—but do they truly deliver? In this

Not all green solutions are created equal. Many eco-friendly alternatives, from corn-based biofuels to biodegradable plastics, promise to save the planet—but do they truly deliver? In this engaging talk, sustainability researcher and Georgia Tech professor Patricia Stathatou shares a powerful 3-question framework to cut through the hype and assess the true environmental impact of emerging technologies. Drawing on surprising case studies, such as the unintended consequences of ethanol and the progress of electric vehicles, she reveals how to evaluate products and policies across their full lifecycle, from production to disposal.

As an assistant professor in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Georgia Tech, Patricia specializes in sustainable water and energy systems, working to redefine their design and assessment. Her research, featured in Forbes and WSB-TV, integrates life cycle and techno-economic assessments with real-world data to drive sustainability. With a doctorate from the National Technical University of Athens and postdoctoral research at MIT, she has also contributed to international standards, including marine fuel guidelines for the International Maritime Organization, accelerating the transition to cleaner technologies and more sustainable environmental solutions.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx.

An Escazú COP1 Side Event brought together women policymakers, Indigenous leaders, and human rights defenders to address the critical challenges faced by women land defenders protecting their

An Escazú COP1 Side Event brought together women policymakers, Indigenous leaders, and human rights defenders to address the critical challenges faced by women land defenders protecting their communities from extractive industries. Discussions highlighted the implications and opportunities presented by the Escazú Agreement, a historic multilateral treaty focused on safeguarding the rights and participation of land defenders.

Prominent figures, including Indigenous leaders from Ecuador and Brazil, along with environmental advocates, shared their insights. The event underscored the agreement's vital role in empowering these women and ensuring their crucial work in defending territories and human rights is recognized and supported.