BELÉM, BRAZIL — November 24, 2025: For the first time in over 30 years of global discussions on the climate agenda, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Caribbean has referenced Peoples of African descent in core negotiation documents released at the conclusion of the meeting, including texts on Just Transition, Gender Action, and the Global Goal on Adaptation.
This mention follows concerted campaigning for recognition of Afro-descendant Peoples as a group that faces specific challenges related to climate change by Afro-descendant organizations and their allies, including the Coalition of Afro-descendant Peoples and Territories (CITAFRO), which represents Afro-descendant organizations in 16 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, and members of the Rights and Resources Initiative (RRI) coalition.
While the UNFCCC is yet to recognize Afro-descendant Peoples as a standalone constituency in its framework, the mention alongside groups that are disproportionally affected by climate change and are key contributors to its mitigation provides a new tool to advocate for their rights within the climate framework.
Afro-descendant Peoples’ deep ancestral ties and traditional knowledge and contributions to safeguarding forests, mangroves, wetlands, and other ecosystems are well documented across at least 205 million hectares in 16 countries. Recent studies by RRI and its allies show that Afro-descendant Peoples form nearly 24 percent of the population in Latin America and the Carribean. However, just 5% of their territories are legally titled, putting them at risk of displacement and dispossession, and their natural resources open to resource extraction and deforestation.
José Luis Rengifo, a CITAFRO representative and Coordinator of Colombia’s Territory and Natural Resources for Proceso de Comunidades Negras (PCN), said:
“For the first time in over 30 years of discussion on the climate agenda, the Peoples of African descent have been recognized and included in COP negotiation texts. This is very important for this population, and for climate action and biodiversity conservation, and we recognize this as a significant achievement…Ideally, we would have liked to see a political declaration from countries recognizing the role and importance of Afro-descendant Peoples in the fight against climate change. Unfortunately, this has not happened.”
This inclusion follows a growing trend of international recognition for Afro-descendant Peoples in multilateral arenas, including the UN Permanent Forum for People of African Descent and the 2024 UN biodiversity COP. But while UNFCCC fell short of recognizing Afro-Descendant Peoples as a constituency, the movement made significant progress during COP30.
On November 21, Brazil’s Ministry of Racial Equality and the Vice-presidency of Colombia, along with Afro-descendant leaders and the Rights and Resources Initiative launched a Plan to Accelerate Solutions (PAS) on Land Tenure for Afro-descendant Communities. The PAS is the first regional initiative dedicated to addressing structural racism and historical gaps in territorial recognition and financing for Afro-descendant Peoples in Latin America and the Caribbean. It aims to obtain titling for at least 1 million hectares of Afro-descendant territories, support governance of at least 10M of ha, and mobilize USD 35 million in public and private financing for them between 2026 and 2030.
“The PAS is a critical step forward, and we are committed to making it a vehicle for real territorial protection and climate justice for Afro-descendant Peoples,” said Solange Bandiaky-Badji, President and Coordinator of the Rights and Resources Initiative (RRI). “But without clear recognition as key stakeholders and constituents in UNFCCC decisions, the gap between promises and reality will persist. Donors and governments must now use the PAS to channel direct resources to Afro-descendant territories and push for stronger recognition at future COPs.”
Rachel Barros, Executive Secretary of the Brazil Ministry of Racial Equality, said:
“Ensuring land and territory for quilombola communities in Brazil and across Latin America is a fundamental and strategic measure for advancing the climate agenda. For us, it is a great satisfaction to do this in partnership with Colombia and with RRI. This is only the first step. With the resource announcements made here, we hope to open the plan so that other institutions and organizations can join this initiative and contribute to this progress.”
In addition, CITAFRO, RRI, and other allied organizations released groundbreaking new findings showing the critical ecological importance of Afro-descendant territories in maritime areas (maritorios) in Greater Carribean. Their analysis, spanning 36 countries, shows that marine territories protected by Afro-descendant communities include nearly 6,000 km² of coral reefs, about 15,000 km² of mangroves, and over 33,000 km² of seagrass.
While Afro-descendant leaders welcomed the visibility that the COP references, PAS and other voluntary initiatives have given them on global forums, they warn that these do not substitute formal recognition and binding commitments for countries.
José Luis Rengifo said:
“Beyond COP30, we must continue the work of dialogue and advocacy with the signatories to the climate change convention, where they must make progress in explicitly recognizing Afro-descendant Peoples in their instruments and mechanisms, and therefore, give them a voice and a vote in planning and decision-making scenarios. It is also important that the various instruments and financing funds clearly and explicitly state that financing must go directly to Afro-descendant Peoples using their own organizations and mechanisms.”
Another notable development was the adoption of the Belém Declaration on the Role of Afro-descendant Peoples, Populations and Communities of African Descent in the Fight against Climate Change, an effort led by Francia Márquez, Vice President of Colombia. The Declaration, supported by Barbados, Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras, Kenya, Liberia, Mexico, Panama, the Dominican Republic, and more than 40 civil society organizations presents 10 core demands from the Afro-descendant movement at COP30, including the following:
- Calling upon international financial institutions, development agencies and donor countries to facilitate equitable access to climate and biodiversity finance, and to support initiatives led by Peoples of African descent focused on ecosystem restoration, sustainable livelihoods, territorial resilience, and community adaptation.
- Urging States to integrate racial and environmental justice in their national climate strategies and biodiversity frameworks, ensuring that climate mitigation measures also address structural inequalities and promote inclusive, locally driven solutions.
- Inviting governments, local authorities, civil society, academia, private sector and multilateral institutions to join efforts in advancing the recognition, protection and support of initiatives by Peoples of African descent.
- Encouraging Parties, in accordance with national legislation and circumstances, to report on the contributions of Peoples of African descent to climate action through their national communications and other relevant reports and the UNFCCC Secretariat to compile and make this information publicly available on existing knowledge platforms.