Ensuring that recognition and support for indigenous peoples’ rights, priorities and perspectives are central to the discourse, design and funding of Nature-Based Solutions within key climate policy fora [G-2001-56489]
29 September 2020 – 30 September 2021
Background
Indigenous peoples are one of the most, if not the most, vulnerable to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, given their continuing marginalization. This is doubles, if not triples the burden that indigenous peoples are already experiencing due to climate change impacts. In this current crisis, there is a huge potential for Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) to contribute to addressing many of the impacts of the pandemic. This will include not only supporting communities’ abilities to address immediate impacts of the pandemic but more importantly, in helping create a more sustainable and resilient post-COVID world. For indigenous peoples, this potential can only be genuinely realized if framed and implemented by states correctly. This would mean an NBS that is human-rights-centered and that recognizes and supports indigenous peoples’ rights including their rights to their lands, forests and territories; their traditional knowledge, practices and innovations; and their overall contributions to sustaining and maintaining the environment, including to climate adaptation and mitigation.
At global level, efforts are underway to operationalize NBS. The UNFCCC’s Standing Committee on Finance is preparing for its next Forum in 2020 that will look into Financing Nature-Based Solutions. The SCF provides advise to the UNFCCC Conference of Parties (COP) and ultimately to the Green Climate Fund (GCF). In fact, in the GCF, there is a growing momentum of NBS as a key factor in the future GCF portfolio. The Fund is currently developing its various sectoral guidance that aims to guide Accredited Entities (AEs) in preparing their portfolio. One of the sectoral guidance being developed is a guidance on land and forests, which is looking at Nature-Based Solutions as a potential theme for GCF proposals.
Prior to the pandemic, there have been efforts by some indigenous peoples’ organizations to feed into the discussions and initiatives on NBS being undertaken globally.[1] While Tebtebba believes that indigenous peoples are actually practicing NBS already, a comprehensive understanding of indigenous peoples’ organizations on NBS as defined by external actors, is still lacking. In the same manner, a synergized action and strategies on how to engage with bodies pushing NBS still need to be developed.
In the GCF, its Indigenous Peoples Policy, in our view, captures the spirit and intent of what NBS is for indigenous peoples.[2] Its full and effective implementation will support and strengthen recognition of IP perspectives and priorities in NBS. As such, it is critical to look at how the Fund has been implementing its own Indigenous Peoples Policy in terms of assessing, approving and monitoring approved funding proposals. However, there remains a gap in terms of understanding the entire GCF portfolio to date in relation to indigenous peoples as there is no complete picture as to how many projects are going to be implemented in IP territories, what these projects look like and how they are likely to impact indigenous peoples. This project therefore aims to address these problems by working towards ensuring that recognition and support for IP rights, priorities and perspectives are central to the discourse, design and funding of NBS within key climate policy fora, in particular, in the GCF and SCF.
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[1] This include Climate Action Summit 2019, UN Convention on Biological Diversity, UNEP, IUCN, to name a few.
[2] The GCF IP Policy aims to, among others, “support and promote the welfare, positive contributions and leadership of indigenous peoples to climate change mitigation and adaptation, based on their traditional knowledge systems, livelihoods, sustainable resource management systems and practices, in a manner that is accessible, rights-based, gender-responsive, culturally appropriate and inclusive.”
The Project
The project shall have 2 components with the following activities and outputs:
Policy Briefs
Publications
The Contributions, Perspectives and Recommendations of Indigenous Peoples on Nature-Based Solutions (Infographic)
The term “nature-based solutions” is being projected as a new and innovative way to put people and nature together while providing solutions to the climate change crisis. According to the proponents of the NBS terminology, NBS is an approach that seeks to protect, to sustainably manage and restore natural and modified ecosystems that address societal change effectively and adaptively while simultaneously providing human well-being and biodiversity benefits. It is a terminology that is coined and defined at the 2016 World Conservation Congress by the members of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It was coined, defined and adapted by the IUCN through a resolution.
This infographic attempts to capture the results of the scoping study and also put forward recommendations towards the operationalization of Nature-Based Solutions respecting human rights, including indigenous rights.
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Contributions, perspectives et Recommandations des Peuples Autochtones en Matière de Solutions Fondées sur la Nature (SFN)
L’expression « solutions fondées sur la nature » est présentée comme un nouveau moyen innovant permettant de rapprocher l’homme et la nature tout en apportant des solutions à la crise du changement climatique. Selon les promoteurs de la terminologie SFN, il s’agit d’une approche qui vise à protéger, à gérer durablement et à restaurer les écosystèmes naturels et modifiés qui répondent aux changements sociétaux de manière efficace et adaptative tout en offrant simultanément des avantages en ce qui concerne le bien-être humain et la biodiversité. Cette terminologie a été inventée et définie par les membres de l’Union internationale pour la conservation de la nature (UICN) lors du Congrès mondial de la nature de 2016. Elle a été inventée, définie et adaptée par l’UICN au moyen d’une résolution.
Cette infographie tente de saisir les résultats de l’étude exploratoire et propose également des recommandations en vue de l’opérationnalisation des Solutions fondées sur la nature tout en respectant les droits de l’homme, y compris ceux des peuples autochtones.
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Las contribuciones, Perspectivas y Recomendaciones de los Pueblos Indígenas sobre las Soluciones Basadas en la Naturaleza
El término “soluciones basadas en la naturaleza” se proyecta como una forma nueva e innovadora de unir a las personas con la naturaleza y aportar soluciones a la crisis del cambio climático. Según los promotores de la terminología de las SBN, éste es un enfoque que busca proteger, gestionar de forma sostenible y restaurar los ecosistemas naturales y modificados que abordan el cambio social de forma eficaz y adaptativa, proporcionando al mismo tiempo beneficios para el bienestar humano y la biodiversidad. Es una terminología acuñada y definida en el Congreso Mundial de la Naturaleza de 2016 por los miembros de la Unión Internacional para la Conservación de la Naturaleza (UICN). Fue acuñado, definido y adaptado por la UICN a través de una resolución.
Esta infografía trata de recoger los resultados de los estudios de casos y también de presentar recomendaciones para la puesta en marcha de soluciones basadas en la naturaleza que respeten los derechos humanos, incluidos los derechos de los indígenas.
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The Contributions, Perspective and Recommendations of Indigenous Peoples on Nature-based Solutions: Global Synthesis
The scoping study on Indigenous Peoples and Nature-based Solutions is meant to provide an evidence-based narrative that demonstrates how Indigenous peoples are key actors and partners in climate action through nature-based solutions. It also presents an opportunity to enrich the discussions that will strengthen NBS that advance and engage Indigenous peoples and to generate support from all stakeholders in promoting and protecting Indigenous peoples’ rights.Download
The Contributions, Perspective and Recommendations of Indigenous Peoples on Nature-based Solutions (ENGLISH)
The scoping study on Indigenous Peoples and Nature-base Solutions is meant to provide an evidence-based narrative that demonstrates how Indigenous peoples are key actors and partners in climate action through nature-based solutions. It also presents an opportunity to enrich the discussions that will strengthen NBS that advance and engage Indigenous peoples and to generate support from all stakeholders in promoting and protecting Indigenous peoples’ rights.Download
The Contributions, Perspectives and Recommendations of Indigenous Peoples on Nature-based Solutions (with papers in EN, ES and FR)
The scoping study on Indigenous Peoples and Nature-base Solutions is meant to provide an evidence-based narrative that demonstrates how Indigenous peoples are key actors and partners in climate action through nature-based solutions. It also presents an opportunity to enrich the discussions that will strengthen NBS that advance and engage Indigenous peoples and to generate support from all stakeholders in promoting and protecting Indigenous peoples’ rights.Download
Videos
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Go to IP Tracker website:
Indigenous Peoples and the Green Climate Fund: Challenges and Recommendations
Nature-Based Solution and Indigenous Peoples
Indigenous peoples are one of the most, if not the most, vulnerable to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, given their continuing marginalization. This is doubles, if not triples the burden that indigenous peoples are already experiencing due to climate change impacts. In this current crisis, there is a huge potential for Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) to contribute to addressing many of the impacts of the pandemic. This will include not only supporting communities’ abilities to address immediate impacts of the pandemic but more importantly, in helping create a more sustainable and resilient post-COVID world. This video material was produced to increase awareness and understanding of indigenous peoples on Nature-Based Solutions. It also proposed indigenous peoples’ perspectives on critical elements that NBS should take into account including, but not limited to, human and indigenous peoples’r ights, their rights to their lands, forests and territories; their traditional knowledge, practices and innovations; and their overall contributions to sustaining and maintaining the environment, including to climate adaptation and mitigation.This information material was produced by Tebtebba and Elatia with support from the Climate and Land Use Alliance (CLUA).
Increase understanding and awareness of indigenous peoples on Nature-Based Solutions underpinned by respect and recognition for rights of indigenous peoples to their lands, territories, forests and resources and their traditional knowledge and innovations and engage key civil society proponents of NBS to inform understanding and strategy on NBS.
