The Amazon rainforest continues to reel from a devastating year, having suffered the worst fires in decades and a historic drought. With the onslaught of executive orders coming out of the Trump administration, many are questioning if his policies will push the Amazon rainforest past its ecological tipping point.

In the best case, Trump will de-prioritize the environment and human rights throughout the region. In the worst case, he will be actively hostile to efforts to protect the rainforest and the Indigenous communities that steward it, promoting extractive industries and enabling transnational criminal economies.

As we brace ourselves for our collective fight ahead, I offer my insights into the potential impact of the new administration on the Amazon rainforest and Indigenous communities on the front lines of the struggle to protect it.