That the Senate—
underscores the urgency of protecting biodiversity in Latin America and the Caribbean, ending impunity for environmental crimes, protecting environmental and land defenders, and confronting risks and addressing threats to such actors;
urges governments in Latin America and the Caribbean to protect the rights of Indigenous peoples and other environmental and land defenders, including—
strengthening efforts and initiatives aimed at combating environmental crimes and protecting the territory of environmental and land defenders;
complying with commitments made under the Paris Climate Agreement, Convention 169 of the International Labor Organization, and the Escazú Agreement to pursue environmental justice and protect the rights of Indigenous peoples and other environmental and land defenders, particularly in relation to rights to land titling and prior consultation; and
implementing “Our Sustainable Green Future” commitments made at the Ninth Summit of the Americas to advance the protection of environmental and land defenders;
calls on the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, to support and assist governments in Latin America and the Caribbean in meeting regional and international standards and commitments for the protection of Indigenous peoples and other environmental and land defenders, including through—
capacity building initiatives aimed at strengthening networks of environmental and land defenders, Indigenous peoples, and civil society organizations;
providing technical assistance and other support to combat corruption within agencies dealing with forestry management and environmental crimes;
collaborating with law enforcement authorities, including through the sharing of intelligence, to help dismantle criminal groups responsible for committing environmental crime and violence against environmental and land defenders;
reinforcing the importance of free, prior, and informed consent of Indigenous peoples within such regional and international commitments;
promoting the participation of women, Indigenous peoples, Afro-descendant communities, environmental and land defenders, and other affected and vulnerable communities in regional and international forums related to human rights, environmental protection, and climate change; and
hosting summits and other multilateral forums, with the participation of governments in the region and relevant civil society organizations, to share the experiences of environmental and land defenders and advance solutions to protect biodiversity and confront impunity around environmental crime; and
calls on the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, in coordination with the Secretary of State, to develop comprehensive regional and subregional action plans with input from environmental and land defenders to counter environmental crime and attacks against environmental and land defenders in Latin America and the Caribbean, including by—
strengthening current programs in Brazil and Colombia;
expanding key pillars of ongoing programs to Mexico, Peru, Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador, where such initiatives are largely absent; and
ensuring that projects supported or funded by the United States Government in Latin America and the Caribbean take into account the protection of Indigenous peoples and environmental and land defenders.