For the first time, more than 900 lawmakers from across the world have come together to push for a fossil-free Amazon, presenting coordinated national proposals in Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia. The move marks a powerful call to halt oil and gas expansion in one of Earth’s most critical ecosystems ahead of COP30 in Brazil.
The initiative, led by the network Parliamentarians for a Fossil-Free Future, released its findings at Brazil’s National Congress in Brasília on October 7. The report links fossil fuel extraction in the Amazon to deforestation, pollution, ecosystem damage, and violence against Indigenous and local communities. Lawmakers are urging for a “no-expansion zone” to protect the rainforest, which scientists warn is nearing an irreversible tipping point.
Currently, oil and gas exploration spans 1.3 million square kilometers of the Amazon double the size of France with most new projects in early bidding or study phases. Nearly half of the region traceable crude exports go to U.S. refineries, mainly in California. Despite heavy financing from Western banks, the report found that only a small fraction of resources are directed toward repairing damaged ecosystems or supporting affected communities.
Since the 1990s, the Amazon’s carbon absorption capacity has fallen by about 73%. If deforestation reaches 25%, scientists warn the forest could switch from absorbing carbon to emitting it, worsening the global climate crisis. “What is lacking is not scientific evidence, but political will,” said Gisela Hurtado Barboza of Stand.earth.
In Peru, MP Ruth Luque Ibarra has pushed for an immediate end to oil and gas extraction following protests from Indigenous groups facing decades of pollution and health crises. Indigenous leader Olivia Bisa Tirko, who continues to face threats for her activism, called the fight “a matter of survival.”
Colombia, under President Gustavo Petro, may be best positioned to lead the shift. The country has halted new oil drilling contracts and is investing in renewable energy, though enforcement remains uncertain. “If there’s a country where this can happen, it’s Colombia,” said MP Juan Carlos Losada.
In Brazil, MP Iván Valente’s bill seeks to ban new exploration and create an energy transition fund for the Amazon. But political resistance remains strong, with the government still auctioning oil blocks, even near Indigenous territories. “Only with popular pressure can we approve a proposal like this,” Valente said.
Ecuador parliamentarian Rosa Baltazar has proposed limits on new fossil fuel projects but faces resistance from the government, which continues to expand oil auctions despite a national referendum demanding protection of the Yasuní National Park. Bolivia MP Cecilia Requena has introduced a similar bill, calling fossil fuel dependence “unsustainable” as production declines.
While the success of these bills remains uncertain, their united message carries global weight. Lawmakers hope that COP30 in Belém will finally center the Amazon in international climate discussions. As Indigenous leader Olivia Bisa reminds, “Protecting water, forests, and biodiversity is protecting life itself. We all live from the same Earth.”