At COP30 in Belém, Brazil, on November 13, WECAN hosted a press conference where Amazonian leaders issued urgent calls to protect Indigenous rights, women land defenders, forests, water, communities, and the global climate.

WECAN also launched its “Escazú Agreement Toolkit for Women Land Defenders and Frontline Communities.” This resource offers eleven country-specific guides to help women land defenders navigate domestic laws for Escazú Agreement protections, ensuring their rights and environmental safeguards. Access the toolkit: WECAN Escazú Toolkit.

Prominent Indigenous leaders spoke at the event. For more details on WECAN’s COP30 advocacy and speakers, visit: WECAN COP30 Blog.

On November 13, WECAN hosted the press conference, “Women Leading Fossil Fuel Phaseout and a Just Transition,” at COP30 in Belém, Brazil. Speakers shared critical strategies to advance a fossil fuel phaseout, uplift Indigenous and human rights, stop extraction, and implement a Just Transition that supports communities and ecosystems.

The event featured global experts including Dr. Ameria Sawas, Colette Pichon Battle, Esq., gina cortés valderrama, and Majo Andrade Cerda (Kichwa). Osprey Orielle Lake, WECAN’s Executive Director, provided comments and moderated the discussion.

Learn more about WECAN’s advocacy goals, delegation, events, and speakers on their website: https://tinyurl.com/COP30blog

At COP30 in Belém, Brazil, WECAN hosted "Rights of Nature: A Systemic Solution to the Climate Crisis." This press conference highlighted how Rights of Nature offers a new legal and economic framework for living in balance with Earth, providing a systemic solution for defending biodiversity, communities, and our climate.

WECAN also released its report, "Rights of Nature as a Central Pillar of a Just Transition," underscoring its critical role in global climate responses. Read the full report here. Speakers included Casey Camp-Horinek, Nnimmo Bassey, and Osprey Orielle Lake. Learn more about WECAN's COP30 advocacy on their website.

A comprehensive report from the Bullard Center for Environmental and Climate Justice at Texas Southern University, titled "Green Light to Pollute in Texas," analyzes 89 new or expanding petrochemical facilities across five regions of the state.

The study reveals stark findings: 9 out of 10 facilities are planned in counties with higher concentrations of people of color and families in poverty. Nearly half are in neighborhoods ranked among the worst 10% nationally for toxic air releases. Furthermore, 93% sit near other high-risk chemical plants, compounding threats of explosions, leaks, and chronic disease. Residents in an accompanying documentary detail how this industrial expansion has altered their communities.

"Green Light to Pollute in Texas," a report by the Bullard Center for Environmental and Climate Justice at Texas Southern University, reveals that proposed petrochemical facilities disproportionately target vulnerable communities. The study analyzed 89 new or expanding plants across five regions.

Findings are stark: most facilities are planned in counties with higher concentrations of people of color and poverty, often among the worst 10% nationally for toxic air releases. These sites also sit near existing high-risk chemical plants, compounding threats of explosions, leaks, and chronic disease.

A documentary further details how residents' communities have been transformed by this industrial expansion.

The Bullard Center for Environmental and Climate Justice at Texas Southern University released "Green Light to Pollute in Texas," a report analyzing 89 new or expanding petrochemical facilities across five Texas regions.

The study reveals stark environmental justice concerns. Nine out of ten facilities are planned in counties with higher concentrations of people of color and families in poverty. Nearly half are in neighborhoods ranked among the worst 10% nationally for toxic air releases. Furthermore, 93% are near existing high-risk chemical plants, escalating threats of explosions, leaks, and chronic disease.

Residents detail the profound community impacts of this industrial expansion in an accompanying documentary.

"Green Light to Pollute in Texas," a comprehensive report from the Bullard Center for Environmental and Climate Justice at Texas Southern University, analyzes 89 new or expanding petrochemical facilities across five Texas regions.

The study reveals stark findings: 9 out of 10 facilities are planned in counties with higher concentrations of people of color and families living in poverty. Nearly half are in neighborhoods ranked among the worst 10% nationally for toxic air releases. Furthermore, 93% are near other high-risk chemical plants, significantly compounding the threat of explosions, leaks, and chronic disease.

A related documentary features residents detailing how this industrial expansion has profoundly altered the fabric of their communities.

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) addresses a critical digital gender gap. By 2025, an estimated 250 million fewer women than men will be connected to the internet. Maud Abaa underscores the vital importance of closing this disparity.

Discover more about ITU's efforts and initiatives by visiting their website: https://www.itu.int/160/.

On November 20, 2025, WECAN hosted the virtual event, "Global Voices and Women-Led Calls to Action in Response to COP30."

This conversation brought together women on the ground at COP30. They reported on negotiations, sharing highlights, report releases, and diverse global demands and calls to action.

From Belém and beyond, people's movements are actively responding to the escalating climate crisis, addressing the urgent needs of both people and the planet.

On Indigenous People's Day at COP30, WECAN participated in an action within the blue zone. There, we released our report, "Indigenous Rights are Vital to a Healthy and Just World: Guidance and Recommendations for the UNFCCC and Governments."

This report underscores a crucial message: Indigenous rights are a climate solution.

According to the IPCC, fossil fuels are responsible for nearly 75% of global CO2 emissions. Daniela Durán González, Head of International Affairs for Colombia's Minister of Environmental and Sustainable Development, emphasized that effective mitigation necessitates discussing a just and orderly transition away from fossil fuels.

At the COP30 closing plenary, several Parties, including Panama, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Colombia, formally objected to outcome documents on the Global Goal on Adaptation and the Mitigation Work Program. This alarm was raised due to the continued removal of language on transitioning away from fossil fuels, despite agreements made in the COP28 UAE Consensus. Recent texts still lack these crucial references.

The Amazon Rainforest, particularly in Ecuador, faces a critical tipping point from rampant deforestation and extractive industries. Ecuador's deforestation surged 80% from 2021, destroying 18,902 hectares. This crisis violates Indigenous rights, sacrifices global ecosystems, and puts Indigenous women land defenders at heightened risk.

The WECAN Indigenous Women of the Ecuadorian Amazon Reforestation and Forest Protection project, led by Kichwa Pueblo leader Patricia Gualinga, restores and defends 135,000 hectares of Sarayaku territory. This project safeguards endemic tree species through reforestation, forest monitoring, and advocacy, explicitly avoiding market-based mechanisms like carbon offsets. Learn more: wecaninternational.org/ecuador-en

At COP30 in Belém, Brazil, on November 17, 2025, WECAN hosted its formal UN Side Event, "Women for Climate Justice Leading Solutions." Women leaders globally presented climate justice strategies and solutions for a fossil fuel phaseout and a Just Transition.

Discussions covered vital areas including forest protection, feminist climate finance, Indigenous rights, and campaigns for government accountability. Diverse speakers shared critical updates and insights on the COP30 negotiations.

For more details on WECAN’s COP30 advocacy, events, and speakers, visit our website: https://www.wecaninternational.org/cop30

The Bullard Center for Environmental and Climate Justice at Texas Southern University released "Green Light to Pollute in Texas." This comprehensive report analyzes 89 new or expanding petrochemical facilities across five Texas regions.

Its stark findings reveal that 9 out of 10 facilities are planned in counties with higher concentrations of people of color and families in poverty. Nearly half are in neighborhoods among the worst 10% in the U.S. for toxic air releases. Furthermore, 93% are near other high-risk chemical plants, compounding threats of explosions, leaks, and chronic disease.

A related documentary features residents detailing how this industrial expansion has impacted their communities.

Texas is a global petrochemical hub, leading the U.S. in refining capacity and production. The Greater Houston area alone accounts for over 42% of the nation's base capacity.

This industrial concentration disproportionately affects fenceline communities, often low-income communities of color. They face increased health and environmental risks from facility expansions, which the Texas Commission for Environmental Quality frequently approves despite public resistance.

Inaam Chattha, who experienced eco-anxiety as a teen, channeled his concern into environmental activism, volunteering, and exploring the intersection of race, land, grief. Now a medical student, he authored children's books on eco-emotions and was named a Top 25 Under 25 Environmentalist by Starfish Canada.

In 2023, Chattha launched Green Mind, a national, youth-led initiative. It provides culturally grounded educational materials and a bilingual Climate Wellness Toolkit to help young people, especially from underrepresented communities, cope with climate anxiety and take action. The toolkit is used in Ontario classrooms for somatic grounding, journaling, and peer connection.

Sophie Tipper, passionate about environmental policy since middle school, joined the Colorado Youth Advisory Council (COYAC) in July 2023. Noticing youth were absent from state environmental task forces, she and Ashna Shah developed a policy memo recommending youth advisors for the Colorado Department of Public Health's Environmental Justice Board. This led to drafting SB25-055, a bill requiring two youth members on the board. Despite a sponsor's election defeat, Tipper secured new support, and the bill was introduced to the Colorado legislature in January 2025.

SB25-055 subsequently passed and was signed into law by Governor Jared Polis in May. Tipper, now drafting a plastic pollution bill, believes youth advocacy empowers young people to drive real policy change. She hopes to inspire similar youth-led environmental initiatives nationwide.

Lily YangLiu began activism at age 10, recognizing by 13 that youth voices were often tokenized. This sparked her commitment to inclusive political and environmental decision-making. She now leads K–12 Climate Literacy, developing early climate education for BC schools, and the Katija Hyoungjoo Neuber Institute, organizing youth delegations to the UN, IMF, and World Bank.

Her advocacy extends to YOUNGO, supporting 10,000 young climate advocates, and roles with Children First Canada and Youth Climate Corps BC. Named a Top 25 Woman of Influence in Canada, YangLiu believes "activism isn’t about noise; it’s about care, appreciation, and building inclusive communities," a principle guiding her work.

After the 2020 wildfires, Kyle Trefny became a wildland firefighter, connecting with peers passionate about transforming society's relationship with fire. This led him to co-found FireGeneration Collaborative (FireGen) in 2022. FireGen is a youth-led organization dedicated to shifting wildfire management from short-term disaster response to long-term resilience and Indigenous leadership.

Trefny co-led FireGen's national campaign, advocating for youth roles in policy. This resulted in FireGen members advising a federal commission and Director Ryan Reed becoming the youngest federal advisor in US history. Trefny has also been instrumental in shaping FireGen's vision and securing over $350,000 in grants, empowering youth and Indigenous voices for the future.

Joey Wu's personal experience with water scarcity in Taiwan ignited his passion for clean water access. Later, as an undergraduate, he designed a PFAS water filter. However, he learned that technical solutions alone are insufficient; they require community trust and socio-cultural buy-in for effective adoption.

In 2022, Wu launched Waterroots, a youth-led climate literacy initiative. It empowers young leaders in water-stressed regions to bridge the gap between technical solutions and community needs, inspiring locally-driven action. Waterroots has grown into a digital community with over 50 members across 25 countries, sharing their water stories through platforms like YouTube. Wu mentors these leaders, fostering global conversations on our shared planetary future.