Indigenous and Afro-descendant communities in Central America are not only resisting climate collapse, land dispossession and challenging governance systems—they are rebuilding futures rooted in ancestral knowledge and peacebuilding traditions.

This dynamic panel explores how forest communities across Latin America are responding to the climate crisis with resistance, innovation and respect. From regenerative agriculture and ancestral stewardship to regional advocacy ahead of COP30 in Brazil, panelists will share lessons from community-led responses that challenge extractive systems, build local adaptive capacity and reimagine resilience. Drawing on Christian Aid’s work with partners across the region and the Adaptation Fund, this session will spotlight strategies for unlocking climate finance, building movement power and ensuring that climate action in Latin America is just, equitable, adaptive and locally led.