Across the Brazilian and Colombian Amazon, organizations operating on the ground face an increasingly complex security and governance landscape. Persistent land conflicts, environmental degradation, threats to physical safety, and limited state presence create significant operational risks for actors working to promote sustainable development in the region.

These challenges are further intensified by global demand for high-value commodities—including timber, gold, beef, and soy—which continues to drive illegal activities and territorial disputes. In this context, criminal networks have expanded their influence, seeking to secure territorial control and political leverage through intimidation, corruption, and the capture of local governance mechanisms.

Evidence collected during the study suggests that civil society organizations experience these risks more directly than private sector actors. Many reported feeling particularly exposed to territorial insecurity and emphasized the urgent need to strengthen public institutions, improve governance frameworks, and support development strategies that reflect local social and economic realities.

The analysis draws on data gathered by the Igarapé Institute between October 2024 and April 2025 through an online survey and a series of interviews with key informants. Participants included representatives from research institutions, non-governmental organizations, and private sector entities active in the Amazon, all of whom shared perspectives on both the risks they face and the solutions they consider most viable.

Given the growing convergence of territorial, environmental, and governance-related challenges, the report highlights the need for a dual response. Strengthening formal state institutions remains essential, but it must be complemented by hybrid governance arrangements that recognize and incorporate local knowledge, actors, and institutional realities.

Ensuring the long-term resilience of the Amazon will require structured and responsible investments grounded in local contexts. Political commitments must be matched with the operational experience of organizations working in the region. At the same time, investors, public authorities, and philanthropic donors should integrate territorial and regulatory risk analysis into project design while investing in the institutional capacity of those responsible for implementation.

The recommendations presented in the report are directed at national and subnational governments, international donors, philanthropic institutions, and development partners—as well as the local communities whose livelihoods and future are closely tied to the protection of the forest.

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