The Klamath River Accord is a landmark declaration to protect free-flowing rivers and recognize dam removal as a powerful solution for climate resilience and environmental justice. Created by Ríos to Rivers and the Rivers for Climate Coalition—with input from Tribal / Indigenous youth advocates and river defenders—the Accord was inspired by the historic removal of dams from the Klamath River, a major milestone for river restoration, salmon recovery, and Indigenous cultural revitalization. This collective statement outlines key commitments to stop new dam construction, support Indigenous rights, and restore rivers worldwide.

This Accord was formally presented on July 13, 2025, during the Global Free Rivers Symposium, following the first-ever month-long descent of the undammed Klamath River by Tribal and Indigenous youth from Ríos to Rivers’ Paddle Tribal Waters program. That journey marked a historic return to ancestral waterways and served as a powerful act of reclamation, resistance, and hope.

We now carry this Accord into global decision-making spaces—including COP30 in Brazil—as part of our UnDam the UN campaign. By elevating this collective vision at climate conferences and multilateral forums, we aim to influence international policy, support Indigenous rights, hold leaders accountable, and usher in a future where rivers run free and communities lead the way in protecting them.