Daria Egereva’s Letter Published in COP31 Climate Newsletter ECO
A letter from detention addressed to the International Indigenous Peoples’ Forum on Climate Change appears in ECO’s 10 November issue. The newsletter is produced by Climate Action Network during the UN climate negotiations.
As negotiations in Antalya address climate finance, the energy transition and the future of communities affected by climate change, ECO has published a letter from Daria Egereva, a Co-Chair of the International Indigenous Peoples’ Forum on Climate Change (IIPFCC), who remains imprisoned in Russia.
The editors made part of the newsletter’s third page available to the Indigenous Peoples Caucus to amplify its voice, noting that the contribution reflects the Caucus’s views. Publication in ECO helps bring Daria’s message to a wider audience of people following the climate negotiations.
A Voice from Detention
Daria addresses colleagues with whom she spent years preparing shared Indigenous positions for international negotiations. She regrets being unable to join them, help prepare their statement and take part in their familiar collective work.
Her letter connects personal memories with a reflection on her persecution. She sees it as a threat to the collective Indigenous voice at the United Nations — a voice built through discussion, agreed statements and years of cooperation.
Another central theme is solidarity: international support helps her maintain her connection with this community even in detention. Daria describes speaking about her colleagues at court hearings, feeling their support and urging them to continue their work.
Solidarity Becomes Part of the Climate Agenda
The letter’s inclusion in ECO matters. The newsletter addresses the substance of the negotiations: moving away from fossil fuels, financing adaptation and securing a just transition. Daria’s message is a reminder that behind these discussions are people who help communities participate in decisions.
For us, recognising traditional knowledge and the role of Indigenous Peoples is inseparable from protecting their representatives. When people who connect their communities with international processes face persecution, the possibility of free participation is also at stake.
Daria and Natalia Leongardt remain imprisoned. Keeping Daria’s place at the table, speaking out and publishing her letter help ensure that their absence does not become accepted as normal. International attention must be accompanied by a sustained demand for their release.
Download ECO — 10 November 2026 (English PDF)
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