A recent study has shown that protecting land managed by Indigenous people in the Amazon rainforest can lower the number of diseases. The study looked at countries in the Amazon basin and found that breathing problems, like asthma, and insect-borne diseases, like malaria, happened less often in areas where Indigenous groups had legal rights to the land and kept the forest healthy. The results were shared before the United Nations climate meeting in Belem, Brazil, this November. Experts said the study shows why Indigenous leadership should be included in climate discussions. The Amazon is not only important for nature but also for people’s health. Indigenous knowledge has long taught that caring for the environment helps human life.

Researchers studied how forest cover and land rights are linked to health. They found that benefits were strongest when forest cover was more than 40 percent. However, they warned that the numbers should be viewed carefully because studies of this kind have limits. Scientists said the study is valuable for understanding how forests and health are connected. They also noted it may guide future research and global plans for protecting nature and people.