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Declaration of Brasilia

Afro-descendant Voices on the Road to COP 30

Author: International Coalition of Afro-descendant Lands and Territories of Latin America and the Caribbean; Coordenação Nacional de Articulação das Comunidades Negras Rurais Quilombolas; Proceso de Comunidades Negras; and Rights and Resources Initiative.

Date: April 8, 2025

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As part of the International Meeting “Afro-descendant Voices on the Road to COP30,” held in Brasília from April 1–4, 2025, representatives from 16 countries of the International Coalition of Territories and Afro-descendant Peoples in Latin America and the Caribbean (CITAFRO), with support from RRI, launched the “Brasília Declaration.”

This landmark document highlights the economic, political, and socio-environmental contributions of Afro-descendant communities, while also addressing the severe impacts of the climate crisis on their territories.

In the declaration, CITAFRO calls for effective participation in the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belém.

  • Key Findings
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Key Findings

Afro-descendant Peoples (ADPs) are an integral part of the historical, economic, political, and social processes that have shaped the nations of Latin America. They represent 21% of the region’s population—around 134 million people—living across 205 million hectares of land.

Their presence in diverse ecosystems, including the Amazon, positions them as key environmental guardians of vital natural resources.

Recognizing the crucial role of ADPs in ecosystems essential to global biodiversity, CITAFRO calls for:

  • The implementation of concrete measures to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and all related forms of intolerance worldwide.

  • Full and effective access to ethnic-based education, healthcare, recreation, and sports for Afro-descendant youth.

  • Recognition of the vital role of Afro-descendant women in biodiversity protection, along with acknowledgment of the disproportionate impacts of climate change on their lives.

  • Recognition of historical debts and reparations through climate actions, in the context of the Second International Decade for People of African Descent.

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