illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on The Japan Times or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: Ecuadorian activist Alex Lucitante, from the Cofan Avie Indigenous group, will attend the COP16 biodiversity conference in Colombia to spotlight the critical environmental threats facing Amazonian communities
• Despite historic legal victories against illegal mining, Lucitante warns that mining continues to devastate Indigenous lands and rivers

🔭 The context: Lucitante and his community have battled illegal gold miners through court action, local patrols, and drone surveillance
• Although they won a landmark case in 2018 that canceled 52 mining concessions in Ecuador, ongoing deforestation and pollution highlight the government's failure to protect Indigenous lands

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Indigenous peoples are stewards of some of the world’s most biodiverse areas
• However, mining and oil extraction, often backed by governments, threaten these critical ecosystems. Lucitante's presence at COP16 aims to raise global awareness about the need for stronger protection of Indigenous territories

⏭️ What's next: COP16, which runs from October 20 to November 1, will prioritize giving Indigenous voices a platform
• Colombia's Environment Minister Susana Muhamad has emphasized creating mechanisms for direct access to conservation funds by Indigenous communities

💬 One quote: "We can see mining destroying the edge of our territories... and governments are doing absolutely nothing," Lucitante said, highlighting the ongoing threats to the Amazon

📈 One stat: The Cofan Avie community safeguards 55,000 hectares (135,000 acres) of Amazon forest, which is under threat from illegal mining and deforestation

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