The Andean Wetlands Alliance recognizes the danger behind the narratives of the energy transition model promoted by the Global North that pushes alleged climate solutions without adequately addressing the root causes of the global climate, biodiversity and pollution crises, nor does it sufficiently  take into account their negative impacts. We fear the irreparable  impact on the Andean wetlands ecosystem and the communities who inhabit them, a region rich in some of the most looked-after critical minerals (such as lithium), erroneously called "the lithium triangle", with unique characteristics such as extremophiles, paradoxically, which if we lose we reduce mitigation capacities, and which play a crucial role for adaptation to climate change due to their key function in water regulation

The event seeks to discuss the impacts of energy transition and offer perspectives to ensure that energy transitions do not deepen injustices or put at risk not only the Andean wetlands ecosystems - which are home to enormous and unique biodiversity - but also the local indigenous communities who protect and preserve them maintaining the ecological balance. It also seeks to provide elements to deepen the content of the duty of States Parties to “respect, preserve and maintain the traditional knowledge of indigenous communities regarding the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity” (article 8j), in a context in which indigenous peoples, whose territories overlap with lithium reserves, have seen atrocious violations of their human rights.

Organizations that form the Andean Wetlands Alliance (in alphabetical order):

Interamerican Association for Environmental Defense - AIDA

Provincial Assembly of Catamarca - PUCARÁ

Bolivia Documentation and Information Center - CEDIB

EMPODERATE, Human Rights Collective

Fundación Ambiente y Recursos Naturales - FARN

FIMA

Formando Rutas

Fundación Tantí

ONG Defensa Ambiental