Plans of Peru’s new administration spur concern among environmentalists
Keiko Sofía Fujimori Higuchi from the Popular Force Party was sworn in as the new president of Peru on July 28. Fujimori, who has pledged to tackle insecurity using greater force and militarization, narrowly defeated her left-wing opponent Roberto Sánchez by fewer than 50,000 votes on June 7. The new president has promised to expand […]
Peru’s new president, Keiko Fujimori, has sparked concern among environmentalists and Indigenous leaders following her July 28 inauguration. Fujimori, of the Popular Force Party, secured victory over her left-wing rival, Roberto Sánchez, by a margin of less than 50,000 votes. Her administration has made pledges to boost fossil fuel production and mining operations nationwide, which has raised apprehensions regarding the state of the Peruvian Amazon and Peru's climate commitments under the Paris Agreement.
The country submitted its initial Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) in 2016, followed by updates in 2020 and 2025. These commitments encompass promoting renewable energy sources, enhancing sustainable transportation, curbing deforestation, safeguarding natural areas, and supporting Indigenous and local communities. However, experts and activists express unease concerning Fujimori's intention to expand energy resource exploration and extraction, including the encouragement of new development sites within the Amazon and the northern coast.
Matsés Indigenous leader Leo Chuma Teca Beso remarked to Mongabay, "The current government appears pragmatic in their decisions, driven primarily by a desire for development while disregarding the potential impacts on Amazonian populations."
Written by urgent.news from Mongabay's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
