10/08/2026
Indigenous Peoples are the guardians of Earth’s biodiversity.
Although Indigenous Peoples make up less than 6% of humanity, their territories cover 28 percent of Earth’s surface and safeguard much of its remaining biodiversity.
Today, August 9, is the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples.
An estimated 476 million Indigenous people live across 90 countries, representing roughly 5,000 cultures and speaking a majority of the world’s approximately 7,000 languages.
Their role in protecting nature is measurable.
A United Nations review of more than 300 studies found that deforestation is significantly lower in Indigenous and Tribal territories where collective land rights are formally recognized.
Between 2000 and 2012, titled Indigenous territories in the Bolivian, Brazilian and Colombian Amazon experienced only one-third to one-half as much deforestation as comparable forests elsewhere.
Indigenous territories granted full collective property rights in Brazil had deforestation rates 66 percent lower than other areas.
That protection matters far beyond those communities. Forests absorb carbon dioxide, regulate rainfall, cool surrounding regions and provide habitats for countless species. When forests disappear, stored carbon enters the atmosphere and entire ecosystems begin to unravel.
These landscapes are not always untouched wilderness. Many have been carefully shaped over generations through controlled burning, seasonal harvesting, selective cultivation and detailed knowledge of plants, animals and weather.
This stewardship is increasingly threatened by logging, mining, industrial agriculture, fossil fuel extraction and infrastructure development. Indigenous environmental defenders also face displacement, criminalization and violence.
The UN’s 2026 theme honors Indigenous midwives, recognizing how traditional knowledge connects health, culture, community and land. These midwives provide care while passing languages, practices and knowledge to future generations.
