Amazon Sacred Headwaters Initiative: Initial Results and Contributions to Global Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation

This report outlines an initiative developed since 2018 to protect a bi-national Amazon region spanning Ecuador and Peru through indigenous-led governance and ecological planning. It describes the context of collaboration among indigenous organisations, governments, and supporting partners, alongside initial data collection, mapping, and legal analysis efforts. The scope includes conserving extensive rainforest territories, preventing extractive activities, and advancing alternative development pathways aligned with indigenous life plans. Methods involve participatory assemblies, geospatial analysis, and alliance-building. The document highlights expected outcomes such as reduced deforestation, avoided carbon emissions, strengthened stewardship, and the development of a regional ecological-economic plan supported by coordinated funding, research, and communication strategies.