Across the world, Indigenous environmental advocates are defending ecosystems, protecting ancestral lands and promoting traditional knowledge as powerful solutions to today’s environmental challenges. Her successful legal action became a major victory for Indigenous land rights and rainforest conservation. In the Philippines, Joan Carling, a member of the Kankanaey community, has spent decades advocating for Indigenous rights and environmental protection. Sonia Guajajara made history as Brazil’s first Minister of Indigenous Peoples after years of activism defending Indigenous communities and the Amazon rainforest. As the world marks the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples on 9 August, their efforts highlight the importance of supporting Indigenous communities as essential partners in building a sustainable future.