Indigenous Peoples across the globe face a range of threats from what they frequently describe as 'development aggression'. As they struggle to defend their land, much of it is in 'unspoilt' areas that are rich in natural resources, and so conflicts often arise with companies who want to exploit those resources - mostly without the consent of the Indigenous Peoples.

The main problems that Indigenous Peoples face are from interesting in oil, gas or mining that despoil their land, in the construction of large-scale dams that flood their land, in widespread logging that deforest their land. The creation of nature reserves or areas for tourism can see them ejected from or restricted in access to their own land. Finally agriculture, particularly intensive plantation agriculture or fish farming can cause similar problems to those listed above.

All of these activities can lead to conflict which leads to militarisation of their land, and in loss of livelihood or encroachment of settlements which can lead urbanisation. All of these activities can also be encouraged by multilateral development agencies such as the World Bank.