Fonda joins Indigenous-led effort to protect the Amazon amid rising threats from oil expansion
Lago Agrio, Ecuador — Amazon Frontlines is honored to announce that acclaimed actor, lifelong activist, and Academy Award-winning actor Jane Fonda has joined the organization as an Honorary Board Member—marking a powerful new chapter in the global movement to defend the Amazon rainforest and the Indigenous peoples who have safeguarded it for generations.
Fonda’s decision follows a recent visit to the Ecuadorian Amazon, where she met with Indigenous leaders resisting oil drilling, mining, and deforestation. The experience deepened her commitment to amplifying their leadership at a critical moment for the planet.
“I have marched for peace, for justice, and now I stand with Indigenous Peoples for the Amazon,” said Fonda. “The Amazon is not for sale—not to oil companies, not to miners, not to loggers. It is the beating heart of the planet, and defending it is the responsibility of us all.”
Scientists warn the Amazon is approaching a tipping point: if 20–25% of the forest is destroyed, it could collapse into a dry savannah, releasing catastrophic levels of carbon and accelerating global climate breakdown. More than 15% has already been lost.
The announcement comes amid intensifying global pressure to expand fossil fuel production. Following recent disruptions to global oil supply, governments and investors are increasingly turning to the Amazon as a new frontier for extraction—accelerating plans across the region. In Ecuador, proposed oil expansion overlaps with Indigenous territories across the southern Amazon, raising serious concerns about human rights, irreversible ecological harm, and the dismantling of constitutional safeguards. Indigenous leaders warn these decisions are moving forward without genuine consent, placing entire ways of life at risk.
“Jane’s commitment comes at a decisive moment for the Amazon and our climate,” said Mitch Anderson, Executive Director and co-founder of Amazon Frontlines. “For more than a decade, we have worked alongside Indigenous peoples to defend their lands and rights, and we have seen the power of alliances—when frontline leadership is matched with global solidarity. Jane brings not only her voice, but her deep integrity, her ability to mobilize millions, and her willingness to listen and act. That is exactly what this moment demands.”
For Indigenous leaders, her commitment reflects a growing global recognition that their struggle is inseparable from the future of the planet.
“Our fight in the Amazon is a fight for life—for our peoples, and for the Earth,” said Nemonte Nenquimo, co-founder of Amazon Frontlines and a leader of the Waorani Nation. “We are defending the forest not only for ourselves, but for all humanity. When allies like Jane stand with us, it shows the world that we are not alone, and that together, we can protect what remains and build a different future.”
Founded in 2014, Amazon Frontlines works in partnership with Indigenous nations across the Upper Amazon to secure land rights, defend human rights, and protect rainforest territories from industrial extraction. Together with its Indigenous partner, the Ceibo Alliance, it supports Indigenous-led strategies that combine organizing, territorial defense, legal advocacy, and technologies such as GPS mapping and drone surveillance. This work has contributed to major climate victories, including halting oil and mining projects threatening millions of acres of primary rainforest, advancing Indigenous sovereignty, and earning international recognition, such as the Hilton Humanitarian Prize, UN Equator Prize and the 2020 and 2022 Goldman Environmental Prize.
Indigenous territories remain the most effective barrier against deforestation and a proven climate solution—yet they face escalating threats from extractive industries. Fonda’s appointment reflects a broader push to build alliances across cultures and borders to confront the climate crisis.
“The science is clear—we cannot expand fossil fuel extraction and still have a livable future,” Fonda added. “What I saw in the Amazon changed me. The leadership of Indigenous peoples offers a path forward. Now it’s up to all of us to listen, to stand with them, and to act.”
Amazon Frontlines is calling on governments to uphold Indigenous rights, on financial institutions to divest from destructive industries, and on people around the world to take action—supporting frontline communities, amplifying their voices, and helping stop new oil expansion in the Amazon.
About Amazon Frontlines
Amazon Frontlines is a nonprofit organization that works alongside Indigenous peoples to defend their rights to land, life, and cultural survival in the Amazon rainforest. Through long-term partnerships, the organization supports Indigenous-led solutions to protect biodiversity, uphold human rights, and confront the climate crisis at its roots.
Contact
Raúl Estrada
raul.estrada@amazonfrontlines.org
