Ingrid Melchor

A Mexican environmental activist leading efforts against illegal mining and advocating for indigenous rights, her actions have inspired global environmental movements.

Ingrid Melchor is a Mexican environmental activist and biologist who has become a prominent figure in the fight against illegal mining and the protection of indigenous rights in Mexico. Born in 1985 in the state of Chiapas, Melchor’s early work as a field biologist exposed her to the devastating impacts of unregulated mining on local ecosystems and communities. In 2021, her advocacy reached a global stage when she was awarded the UNEP’s Earth Champions Prize for her campaign against the Cinco Saltos mining project threatening the ancestral lands of the Mayan Tzeltal people. Her grassroots organizing, including protests and legal challenges, successfully halted the project and inspired similar movements across Latin America.

Melchor’s approach combines scientific rigor with community empowerment. She founded Proyecto Fronteras, an NGO focused on environmental justice, which uses satellite imagery and participatory mapping to document illegal mining activities. Her work has been featured in National Geographic and BBC News, highlighting how her efforts bridge indigenous knowledge with modern environmental science. In 2023, she collaborated with the Mexican Senate to draft new legislation criminalizing illegal mining practices, a first for the region.

Beyond Mexico, Melchor has advised the UN on Indigenous-led conservation strategies and spoke at the 2024 COP29 climate summit in Dubai. Her advocacy for the rights of Guardianes de la Selva (Forest Guardians) has led to UNESCO recognizing Mexico’s Montes Azules reserve as a World Heritage Site. Despite death threats from mining cartels, Melchor remains a vocal advocate for environmental justice, stating, “The forests are our lungs, and protecting them is a fight for humanity’s survival.”