Nemonte Nenquimo

Waorani leader who legally protected 500,000 Amazon acres from oil drilling

Nemonte Nenquimo (b.1985) spearheaded a landmark victory for Indigenous rights and climate preservation. As co-founder of the Ceibo Alliance, this Ecuadorian Waorani woman organized aerial mapping of ancestral territories threatened by oil auctions.

Her 2019 lawsuit Waorani vs Ecuador set legal precedent by requiring Free Prior Informed Consent for extractive projects. The ruling protected 500,000 acres of rainforest and inspired similar actions across Latin America. Nenquimo's open letter to oil executives ('You only see dollars') went viral, earning her TIME 100 honors.

Through digital campaigns merging drone technology with oral histories, she's creating new models for Indigenous-led conservation. Her work proves that protecting 80% of Earth's biodiversity requires centering frontline communities in climate policy.