You amplified voices

In 2022, International Rivers helped Indigenous and local partners demand a leadership role in multilateral decision-making

Brook Thompson and Danielle Frank are youth leaders, spearheading the fight for climate justice. Yurok and Hupa tribal members respectively, Brook and Danielle are deeply involved in the cultural and political issues of their communities.

At the COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, the two leaders shared their firsthand experiences of how dams on the Klamath River have choked it of life for the past century and threatened their traditional ways of life. "Cultures grew up on rivers without rivers, we would not exist,” Danielle said in her speech. Danielle and Brook joined other delegates in advocating for climate financing for Indigenous groups and for the explicit inclusion of their rights in the cover text of the conference proceedings.

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Although the Loss and Damage Fund established at COP27 is a major breakthrough for countries most affected by climate change, the proceedings do not go far enough in assuring Indigenous Peoples' rights, and the struggle continues.

Nevertheless, there is good news to celebrate. In 2022, the historic decision was reached to remove four dams on the Klamath River — the largest dam removal in history. This monumental step not only represents a triumph for Brook and Danielle's communities, but also serves as a tipping point of river restoration globally and demonstrates unequivocally the central importance of Indigenous activism as part of that effort.