Executive Summary

Nature Based Solutions (NBS) is increasingly becoming a common feature in reference to a bundle of possible responses to the need for mitigation of and adaptation to climate change and enhancement of biodiversity conservation. NBS is broadly associated with “actions to protect, sustainably manage and restore natural or modified ecosystems that address societal challenges effectively and adaptively, simultaneously providing human well-being and biodiversity benefits.”

The growing interest on NBS arises out of an apparent ‘Climate Crisis’ in which around one million species already face extinction, many within decades, and the realization that only radical changes in the immediate future could help mitigate the crisis.¹ In addition, by 2030, the world is projected to face a 40% global water deficit under the business-as-usual (BAU) scenario and it is expected that climate change will exacerbate these conditions.²

The discourse on NBS raises broader fundamental questions around how humanity perceives nature and how it chooses to relate to it. Nature is generally accepted to be the cradle of life and that all life forms exhibit interdependence in complex ways. Beyond this utilitarian view of nature, nature is also associated with identity, spirituality, and sacredness particularly among indigenous peoples.

Indigenous peoples’ knowledge and community-based monitoring systems, traditional occupations, indigenous food systems, and basic survival are all grounded in nature-based solutions, regulated through customary systems of governance. Indigenous peoples’ NBS strategies are founded on key principles such as reciprocity (“returning the gift”) and mutuality; cultural identity and customary law; context-based relationality and local economies; community-based governance; and social justice inclusivity.

These sustainable uses and responses to climate change strategies by indigenous peoples constitute a missed opportunity in efforts to sustainable utilization and nature-based solutions to climate change. The recognition of indigenous peoples’ rights, the security of their lands and territories, the promotion of indigenous knowledge including CBMIS and Customary governance, their full and effective participation, their direct access to resources and capacity building are all critical in ensuring indigenous peoples’ contribution to NBS initiatives.

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¹ Indigenous environmental justice and sustainability, Deborah McGregor1 , Steven Whitaker2 and Mahisha Sritharan2 March 2020

² The United Nations World Water Development Reports (2014–2019)

“We are still experiencing stagnancy in the efforts to pursue recognition of our indigenous rights, although documents calling for this have been already submitted to the government.”

Krissusandi Gunui of Institut Dayakologi in Indonesia presented the current situation of indigenous peoples in their area, including the “systematic deforestation in their area” with indigenous lands fast-becoming oil palm plantations while palm oil prices continuing to increase. He also highlighted ID’s different achievements and challenges encountered in 2021 as well as their organization’s plans this 2022 during the two-day start-of-the-year meeting of Elatia partners virtually facilitated by Tebtebba and the Elatia Indigenous Training Institute on 31 January and 7 February 2022 with support from Brot fur die Welt.

Krissusandi Gunui, ID

Despite the insurmountable challenges experienced last year, however, the partners also enumerated their various achievements in relation to the continuous fight for the recognition, respect, and promotion of indigenous peoples’ rights. Joseph Ole Simel of Mainyoito Pastoralists Integrated Development Organization (MPIDO) in Kenya cited one victory. “Together with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the County Government of Kajiado’s Ministry of Land and Resources, we were able to find a cheaper and more efficient way for indigenous peoples to solve disputes regarding land and natural resources without necessarily engaging costly and complex lawyers (to represent us in court),” he pointed out. “[The use of] the Alternative Justice System, recognized by the Kenyan Constitution and traditionally used by indigenous peoples was agreed upon and adopted,” he shared.

Most of the partners shared on the current difficulties encountered by their communities due to the present COVID-19 pandemic. “There has been extreme drought and occurrence of forest fires, as well,” shared Mirtha Pereira Giménez of the Federación por la Autodeterminación de los Pueblos Indígenas (FAPI), adding that indigenous peoples have died due to the disease during the height of its onslaught last year in Brazil. “The country is also experiencing a second wave of COVID at the moment,” she said.

Mirtha Pereira Giménez, FAPI

“Around 70% of Baka people are internally displaced people (IDPs) because of the pandemic and (ongoing) conflicts in Cameroon,” Bouba Njobdi of Lelewal Foundation reported. “We supported those who were trapped in the conflict area,” he asserted, mentioning that their organization focused efforts on calling for strengthened IDP, human, and indigenous peoples’ rights as well as the provision of capacity-building activities including those related to (a) livelihood through heightened promotion of local products and (b) tailoring workshops including the purveyance of sewing machines and tailoring materials.

Kimaren Ole Riamit of the Indigenous Leaders Enhancement Partners (ILEPA) in Kenya echoed a similar situation in their communities as he narrated that “teenage pregnancies, school drop-outs, and land rights violations are still rampant and consistent problems” in Kenya, which became more prevalent due to the limitations caused by the pandemic.

Kimaren Ole Riamit, ILEPA

Nevertheless, many partners expressed their hopeful outlook for this 2022 as they stated the numerous plans that they have in their respective organizations. Gideon Sanago of PINGO’s Forum in Tanzania, for instance, reflected the plans of other Elatia partners as he enumerated their organization’s goals for this year which included further localizing the Indigenous Peoples’ Sustainable Self-Determined Development (IPSSDD) Framework in their communities, participating in various local, national, and global processes, and providing support to different civil society organizations (CSOs) and indigenous peoples organizations (IPOs) in the country, among others.

Preity Gurung of the Center for Indigenous Peoples’ Research and Development (CIPRED) in Nepal emphasized the need to sustain the promotion and protection of indigenous practices, land tenure rights, and community forestry activities, among others. Pasang Dolma Sherpa of CIPRED added that increasing the efforts toward better collation of disaggregated data on indigenous peoples is vital in support of “our call for the inclusion of traditional knowledge in the creation of policies.”

Preity Gurung, CIPRED

Elatia, a Maasai term that means “neighborhood,” is a network of indigenous peoples organizations all over the world, established in 2008, working towards promotion, recognition and fulfillment of indigenous rights through meaningful and active participation in all the different political arenas, levels, processes, and platforms.

General description

The Governing Instrument of the Green Climate Fund (GCF), in its chapter X, establishes that "the Board of Directors will agree on and adopt environmental and social safeguards of best practices, which will be applied to all programs and projects financed with the Fund's resources."

At its seventh meeting in May 2014, the Board adopted the Performance Standards for Environmental and Social Sustainability of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) Performance Standards as the interim Environmental and Social Safeguards of the GCF. The interim ESS was to be used by the GCF until the GCF-specific ESS was fully developed.

The initial guidance framework for the GCF accreditation process states that, in relation to the development of the GCF ESS, once the GCF has accumulated a history of experience and lessons learned, an in-depth review will take place.

The process is that the GCF must establish a balance without contradictions between the Indigenous Peoples Policy, the Gender Policy and the Environmental and Social Policy, specifically considering the safeguards (ESS) in order to ensure that the climate financing that this organization grants, does not harm  Indigenous and local communities or ecosystems.

With the three aforementioned Policies, the GCF ensures standards that include, in a coordinated and comprehensive manner the following: equitable management of environmental and social risks; the importance of fully and effectively involving Indigenous peoples in the design, development and implementation of strategies and activities; and  incorporation of the the gender perspective from the beginning of its operations as an essential element of decision-making for the deployment of its resources.

An important aspect to mention—and that should not be overlooked—is that, although it is true that the GCF is responsible for ensuring that these policies are reflected in the concept notes and proposals for financing and action plans, the AE is directly responsible for implementing them in the country level

In this sense, Indigenous Peoples Organizations (IPOs) are interested and wish to accompany the development of the discussions on the in-depth review of the ESS, in order to ensure the rights of Indigenous Peoples. In this document, we intend to develop annotations on the ESS as a contribution to the in-depth review process.