Joint Position on Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities and Climate Change

Amazon Environmental Research Institute (IPAM) ~ Conservation International ~ Environmental Defense Fund ~ The Nature Conservancy

Joint Position on Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities and Climate
Change

Indigenous peoples and local communities depend on ecosystems and in particular, native forest for their livelihoods, using plants, animals and their products for food, clothing, fuel, medicine, and shelter. The economy, social organization, identity, and cultural and spiritual values of these communities are closely linked to their biological diversity.

However, territories and lands of both Indigenous peoples and local communities are often located in forested landscapes experiencing rapid social and economic change due to a combination of factors. These include the expansion of commercial farming and ranching, commercial logging, infrastructure development, mineral exploitation, immigration of settlers from other areas and climate change.

Many of the landscapes where Indigenous peoples and local communities live are critical to global conservation and climate change efforts. Indigenous peoples and local communities are engaged in discussions on climate change to a limited
extent both internationally and nationally. However, there are still information gaps on what threat global warming represents to their communities. There is a need to explore how REDD+1 mechanisms will impact Indigenous peoples and local communities, how they will ensure equitable distribution of benefits, and respect their rights. Additionally, Indigenous peoples and local communities are at the forefront of the issue of adaptation yet have rarely been included into the
discussions at the national and international level regarding the development of adaptation strategies and funding mechanisms.

Indigenous peoples and local communities, in the struggle for recognition of their basic human rights have made significant strides through international instruments such as the adoption of ILO Convention 169 and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). These internationally recognized instruments allow them to consolidate their traditional ways of life, address their land and resources rights, organization, and autonomous sustainable development of
their lands and territories, all of which are compatible with the efforts of environmental organizations.

The consolidation of these rights and their traditional ways of life are compatible with the objectives environmental organizations.
As such, we recognize that we have a common interest to search for the best approaches for the conservation of biodiversity and ecosystems that provide for vital services for human well-being.

As established in the Bali Action Plan, we also recognize that the needs of Indigenous peoples and local communities should be addressed when action is taken to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries. Moreover, these actions should ensure the full and effective participation of Indigenous peoples and local communities in the design and implementation of climate change mitigation and adaptation processes, mechanisms and activities

<<1 We support a mechanism that encompasses reduced emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD) as well as restoration, environmentally appropriate afforestation and reforestation, and conservation of carbon stocks from
the start of the mechanism and creates a pathway for including agriculture and other land use once capacity and credible methodologies exist to do so (REDD+).>>

including mitigation and adaptation funds; the recognition and respect for the rights of Indigenous peoples and local communities; and the equitable sharing of benefits. Furthermore in relation to REDD+, the SBSTA meeting at COP 14, included in their decision under methodological guidance:“Recognizing the need to promote the full and effective participation of indigenous people and local communities,’’ taking into account national circumstances and noting relevant international agreements2. Therefore, we recommend that:


The UNFCCC and member states ensure the recognition of the “lands, territories and resources which IP have traditionally owned, occupied or otherwise used or acquired” 3 in the implementation of any program that affects directly or indirectly indigenous peoples and local communities;


The UNFCCC and member states ensure that future REDD+ initiatives include the full and effective participation of Indigenous peoples and local communities;


A REDD+ framework embraces recognized rights instruments and the principles recognized under UNDRIP internationally, namely security of land tenure, resource rights, and traditional knowledge uses (and customary laws). These initiatives should also clearly include multiple benefits of forests for climate, ecosystems, and indigenous peoples and local communities; and


Parties assure the broad participation of Indigenous peoples and local communities in the design and development of their national REDD+ readiness strategies.

Additional Goals


The UNFCCC and member states recognize, respect and implement the principle of Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) in all Climate Change mitigation and adaptation processes, mechanisms, and activities impacting Indigenous peoples, local communities and other rights holders;


The UNFCCC and member states recognize and incorporate traditional knowledge and
practice as a fundamental resource in the development of mitigation and adaptation climate change strategies;


The UNFCCC and member states foster and create formal structures and mechanisms at
national and international scales that provide for the full and effective participation of indigenous peoples and local communities in climate change mitigation and adaptation mechanisms;


The UNFCCC establish a fund to support Indigenous peoples’ and local communities’ full and effective participation in all climate processes, including adaptation, mitigation, monitoring and transfer of appropriate technologies in order to provide funding for the, capacity-building, education, knowledge sharing, and skills transfer needed for such participation; and


The UNFCCC and member states recognize and support Indigenous peoples’ and local
communities’ own sustainable development process.

2 Decision number FCCC/SBSTA/2008/L.23, Annex, 1(c) in COP 14, Poznan
3 Art. 26, 1 UNDRIP