Dear John,

I wrote to you last month about the forest defenders. Now we’ve got one week left.

Next Thursday, I'm presenting our demands to climate minister Ed Miliband to hold him to the UK government’s promise. A promise to protect the world’s forests. To do that, the UK must champion forest defenders.

They’re the Indigenous peoples and communities who live in and depend on the world’s great forests. They’re best placed to protect these ecosystems, but their voices are often ignored or silenced. They must sit at the head of the table when decisions about forests are made.

Next week the leaders of the world will meet at one of those great forests – the Amazon. This is an important time to remind the UK government of its promise. And to tell it that it must champion the voices of forest defenders.

Thousands have already signed our open letter to Ed Miliband. Will you join them?

Thank you,

Nick Rau,
Campaigner, Friends of the Earth

For more info, here’s my last email:

Nobody’s done more to save the world’s forests than the people who call them home. These Indigenous peoples and local communities are crucial forest defenders. And their forests matter more to them than anyone. But they’re routinely ignored by the world’s leaders.

What’s more, they’re often attacked, forced from their land and even killed. We must protect forest defenders and the forests they call home. They need financial support to manage their forests sustainably. And legal protection of their lands and lives.

Next month, the UN climate talks will take place on the very edge of the Amazon rainforest. Will the collected global leaders listen to the people whose home they’re visiting? And the other forest defenders from around the world?

The UK government has pledged to protect the world's forests. Please urge it to keep its promise next month. And put Indigenous forest defenders first.

Our world’s forests are under threat. Their destruction worsens climate change, biodiversity loss and threatens vulnerable communities. And the very communities best placed to defend the forests are being ignored… and robbed of homes and livelihoods.

The UK government must take a leading role in protecting the world’s forests. It must hold UK companies to account for environmental destruction and human rights abuses in their supply chains.

And it must champion the role of the Indigenous peoples and local communities who tirelessly defend their forest homes.

Please sign the open letter demanding the UK takes a leading role in defending the precious forests that remain.

Thank you for your solidarity with forest defenders worldwide,

Nick Rau,

Campaigner, Friends of the Earth