During his official visit to Brazil, Prince William of Wales, heir to the British throne, announced the creation of an international alliance to strengthen the protection of indigenous peoples of the Amazon.
The announcement was made in Rio de Janeiro, during the fourth global summit of United for Wildlife, an organization founded by the prince himself in 2013.
Protect the Protectors: an urgent support network
The new program, called Protect the Protectors, aims to ensure the safety of indigenous leaders and environmental defenders who face threats from promoters of illegal activities such as indiscriminate logging and illegal mining.
The alliance includes collaboration from:
- United for Wildlife.
- Royal Foundation.
- COIAB (Coordination of Indigenous Organizations of the Brazilian Amazon).
- Podáali Fund.
- Rainforest Foundation Norway (RFN).
- Rewild Organization.
Legal assistance and rapid response to threats
The initiative includes:
- Expanded access to legal assistance for communities at risk.
- Emergency response fund for urgent evacuations, secure communications, shelters, and humanitarian aid.
- Improvement of surveillance and response systems against violence in the nine states of the Brazilian Amazon.
“We cannot manage our forests while their protectors live in fear,” stated Prince William before more than 400 representatives of governments, organizations, and companies.
A model inspired by Africa
According to sources from Kensington Palace, the program is based on the insurance system for African rangers announced by United for Wildlife in 2024 in Cape Town.
The central idea is to work in partnership with local communities, strengthening systems led by the indigenous peoples themselves, considered natural guardians of the forest.
“For us, the territory is sacred, it unites the spiritual and the material, and its defense is a mission inherited from our ancestors,” expressed indigenous representatives during the summit.
Critical context: 1.7 million hectares devastated in 2024
The announcement comes at an alarming time: according to United for Wildlife data, more than 1.7 million hectares of the Amazon rainforest have been devastated so far in 2024, mainly due to environmental crimes.
This figure reinforces the urgency to protect those who defend the forest, as without them, the conservation of the Amazon becomes unfeasible.
Prince William’s environmental agenda in Brazil
During his visit, the prince also toured:
- The island of Paquetá.
- Protected mangroves in the Bay of Guanabara, where he learned about environmental recovery projects.
Additionally, he will participate in:
- The gala of the Earthshot awards, of which he is a patron.
- The COP30 Summit in Belém, where the future of global climate action will be discussed.
Protecting those who protect
The international alliance announced by Prince William represents a significant step towards environmental justice and the defense of indigenous rights. In a context of increasing violence and ecological destruction, caring for the protectors of the forest is essential to preserve the territories they defend.
