"It is absurd that all these countries come to talk about stopping climate change while at the same time forcing new oil drilling in our territories, in the heart of the Amazon rainforest."

– Wrays Perez, President of the Wampis Nation of Peru

During the first two weeks of December, Amazon Watch was at COP25 in Madrid alongside indigenous youth, women, and elected leaders to amplify their voices and protect the Amazon.

While the theme of the conference was "Time for Action", the official representatives failed to live up to this motto to address the climate emergency we are all facing. This is disappointing and enraging, but it is also a confirmation that the true leadership is among civil society which is demanding and taking action for climate justice and for all of our collective future!

The world is on fire – from the Arctic to the Amazon, from California to Australia – and while civil society was crying out for emergency action, world leaders turned their heads.