On Saturday, November 15, over 20,000 environmental activists and indigenous people marched over two and a half miles through Belém, Brazil, to demand greater climate protection efforts from the government. Located near the COP30 summit venue—a United Nations Climate Change Conference—demonstrators from around the world gathered in the tropical heat for the first major protest outside the climate talks in four years, deemed by organizers the “Great People’s March.”
The COP30 summit was the 30th year of the United Nations annual conference, scheduled to take place from November 10-21. Held in Brazil—opposed to Egypt, Dubai, and Azerbaijan in years prior, where there was little tolerance for protests—demonstrations began on Tuesday and continued throughout the week.
According to PBS News, indigenous protesters stormed the entrance of the venue Tuesday, November 11, clashing with United Nations security and leaving two of the guards injured.
This was followed by nearly 100 indigenous protestors blocking the entrance to the venue on the morning of Friday, November 14, standing their ground for 90 minutes. Those demonstrating were prevented from entering the building by United Nations security personnel, but there were no physical confrontations. The indigenous people demanded a meeting with the Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, hoping to make their voices and perspectives heard.
André Corrêa do Lago, a Brazilian diplomat who headed the COP30 conference, met with the protestors, ultimately ending the conflict. All interactions were peaceful, noted by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which told the conference participants that the demonstration presented no danger. As shared by CNN News, as Corrêa do Lago interacted with those protesting, he was smiling and nodding, holding one of their babies in his arms.
The week of demonstrations culminated with the Great People’s March on Saturday. It was the halfway point of the conference, traditionally the day of the biggest protest. Protestors dressed for the occasion: several wore black dresses in representation of a funeral for fossil fuels, and others wore red shirts to symbolize the blood of their colleagues fighting to save the environment. The march was a vivid display, with trucks carrying booming sound systems and many participants waving flags or signs.
Demonstrators each had their own reason for attending, all related to their personal experiences battling climate change. One group of women, led by Victoria Balbina, regional coordinator for the Interstate Movement of Coconut Breakers of Babaçu, hoped for greater access to the palm trees that they relied on culturally and economically. Others argued to preserve the Tapajos River, as the Brazilian government wants to subject it to commercial development.
Regardless of their specific reasons, Saturday’s protest revealed the strength and determination of the protestors in their search for greater climate preservation. The UN conference is scheduled to conclude on Friday, and while no new agreements are expected to emerge, analysts believe that previous discussions will be resurfaced and advanced in the remaining days.