Uploaded September 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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Afro-descendant peoples in four Amazon countries show remarkable achievements in environmental stewardship, according to new research from Conservation International. The study assessed Afro-descendant lands in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Suriname, finding significantly lower rates of deforestation and larger quantities of both biodiversity and irrecoverable carbon (the carbon that, if lost due to ecosystem conversion, could not be re-sequestered for at least 30 years). Nearly one in four people in Latin America identify as Afro-descendants, many of whom inhabit lands with potential to mitigate biodiversity loss and climate change. Yet, the role of Afro-descendants is not adequately considered in conservation and climate decision-making.