Prince William's Brazilian conservation project celebrates indigenous people after Prince Harry's African Parks was hit by a scandal.
Prince William is launching a new project aimed at protecting Indigenous people in the Amazon, whom he described as “environmental defenders,” months after one of Prince Harry’s African charities acknowledged its rangers had abused Indigenous people.
William is launching a new initiative at the Wildlife Summit in Brazil on Tuesday, offering legal support and help to Indigenous people in the Amazon rainforest who are at risk from illegal loggers. The language used in promotional material seeks to frame such communities as “leaders, as well as rights-holders with their own solutions.” And William said: “We must protect the protectors—if we’re to ensure the future of these critical environments.” Why It Matters Prince Harry’s own efforts to promote conservation more than 4,000 miles away in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been controversial. African Parks, whose board he sits on, was forced to acknowledge its rangers had abused the Baka tribes people. Underpinning specific cases was a wider debate about what campaign group Survival International termed “fortress conservation,” a model which seeks to keep Indigenous people out of protected areas to prevent what African Parks argued was unsustainable hunting and poaching. William appears to have taken a very different approach in Brazil, celebrating the role the Indigenous communities play in protecting the rainforest that they have lived off for centuries. In part, the Prince of Wales may be addressing a different issue, logging, compared to Harry’s organization. However, William has nonetheless put himself in a position where he can stand on the same side as Indigenous people living a pre-industrial lifestyle, whereas Prince Harry has wound up on the opposite side to the Baka. L: Prince William in Guanabara Bay, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on November 4, 2025. R: Prince Harry in New York City on October 9, 2025. What To Know William’s project, according to the press release, aims to expand access to legal support and to establish “an emergency response fund to help individuals at risk to reach safety—whether through emergency evacuation, secure communications, safe houses or humanitarian aid.” Prince William said in a statement: “We cannot manage our forests while their protectors live in fear. And we cannot protect environmental defenders without securing the territories they defend. “This initiative means working in partnership with those who know the land best to strengthen Indigenous-led systems, deliver legal aid, and emergency support.” Prince Harry remains on the board of African Parks, which manages Odzala-Kokoua National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo. There, rangers have been tasked with keeping Baka tribespeople out of vast areas of rainforest that have been designated as protected. The organization announced an investigation by outside law firm Omnia Strategy in January 2024 after allegations of human rights abuses, including rape and torture. In May, African Parks said human rights abuses had taken place and vowed to strengthen its internal systems and apologized to victims. What People Are Saying A Kensington Palace press release said: “Indigenous Peoples and local communities are partners and leaders, as well as rights-holders with their own solutions. They have been protecting the Amazon and their ways of life for generations, and their stewardship has a clear, tangible impact. “This is demonstrated by the fact that deforestation in Indigenous lands is up to 83 percent lower than in unprotected areas of the Brazilian Amazon. However, these protectors face growing intimidation, violence and threats to life.” African Parks said in a statement in May: “African Parks acknowledges that, in some incidents, human rights abuses have occurred, and we deeply regret the pain and suffering that these have caused to the victims.” It said the investigation “also highlighted several failures of our systems and processes that were insufficient for the level of responsibility given to us, particularly in the early years of our management of Odzala.” Jonathan Mazower, communications director at Survival International, previously told Newsweek that there were problems with African Parks’ entire approach to conservation: “It’s a whole model of conservation which is based around taking Indigenous people’s land, turning them into protected areas, evicting the indigenous people and keeping them out through force.” What Happens Next Prince William is in Brazil for the Earthshot Prize, his flagship environmental initiative, which awards grants of £1 million to each of five innovative solutions to the climate emergency annually. The ceremony will take place at the Museum ...
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Meghan Markle faces 'fake' criticism after sharing Prince Harry kiss video during Dodgers celebrationFox News Channel offers its audiences in-depth news reporting, along with opinion and analysis encompassing the principles of free people, free markets and diversity of thought, as an alternative to the left-of-center offerings of the news marketplace.
Read more »
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Celebrate Dodgers' World Series Win with PDAMeghan Markle and Prince Harry were seen celebrating the Los Angeles Dodgers' World Series victory with a public display of affection. The couple watched the game's final moments, which saw the Dodgers defeat the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 7, alongside Markle's friend. Reactions on social media were mixed, with some criticizing the display as inauthentic.
Read more »
The real reason Prince Harry wasn't happy in Meghan Markle's cringey World Series videoPrince William and Prince Harry's rift explained – it’s all about Meghan
Read more »
Prince Harry's Response to US Citizen RumorsWill he still be a prince?
Read more »
Prince Harry Launches New Revenge Tour Set to Annoy RoyalsHarry announced a rival event hours after William landed in Brazil for this year’s Earthshot Prize.
Read more »
Prince Harry isn't loving Meghan Markle's recent posts of him and their kidsJustin Baldoni’s $400 million countersuit against Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds reaches its dramatic conclusion as a federal judge officially ends the case.
Read more »