International Indigenous Peoples Forum on Climate Change

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The International Indigenous Peoples Forum on Climate Change (IIFPCC) is the representative body of indigenous peoples participating in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Contents

History

The Indigenous Women’s Biodiversity Network was formed in 1998 during COP4. [1] The network was at COP13 in 2007. [2]

Indigenous peoples began engaging with the UNFCCC in 2000, [3] during a Subsidiary Bodies meetings in Lyon, France on September 8, 2000. [4] NGOs with UNFCCC observer status nominate participants for sessions of UNFCCC bodies. [5] Capacity building for indigenous peoples to engage with United Nations processes and natural resource management, including promoting traditional knowledge, has supported increasing participation. [6] [7]

Representatives said IIFPCC proposals were mostly ignored at the 2010 United Nations Climate Change Conference that resulted in the Cancún Agreement, [8] in which the need for safeguards for local communities in REDD+ was documented in Annex 1.

Indigenous representatives developed the Oaxaca Action Plan of Indigenous Peoples: From Cancún to Durban and Beyond, a plan for indigenous peoples’ advocacy and lobbying from COP17 through to the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples at UN Headquarters in 2014. The plan aimed to address the lack of implementation of elements of the Cancún Agreement about indigenous peoples’ human rights and their participation in making climate change policies. [5]

The IIFPCC has asked the SBSTA for more effective participation of indigenous peoples and respect for indigenous traditional knowledge in REDD+ monitoring systems. [9] It has articulated links between climate change mitigation and adaptation projects and human rights. [10] It has called for the Green Climate Fund to be more transparent and for greater financial support of indigenous peoples' natural resource management, monitoring and participation in governance. [11]

As we always reiterate, most of the remaining forests in the world today are found in Indigenous Peoples’ customary-owned or managed territories, lands and resources. In addressing climate change, we insist that non-carbon benefits and non-market approaches should be supported in all aspects of the process and should be interconnected with the UNFCCC REDD+ safeguards as agreed to by the Parties in Cancun.

Non carbon benefits should be defined within a human rights framework including respect for, and recognition of, the rights of indigenous peoples to lands, territories, natural resources, self-determination, and our unique world views, traditional knowledge and customary governance systems in relation to the forests with our immeasurable cultural and spiritual values for sustenance consistent with the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).

Parties to the Convention must implement the safeguards adopted in Cancun, as these are mandatory and essential to the success of REDD+ implementation in all phases. In addition, community-based monitoring and information systems by indigenous peoples are equally important as an effective way to monitor the non-carbon benefits and implementation of safeguards.

— Grace Balawag of Tebtebba and the Indigenous Peoples Partnership on Climate Change and Forests, speaking on behalf of the IIFPCC [12]

A new global UNFCC initiative is underway to reduce greenhouse gas emissions released during deforestation, due to a concern that current regulations restrict the ability of native people to regulate the forests that are on their own land. The initiative is called Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation in Developing Countries. The UNFCC hopes that this initiative may lead to billions of dollars of annual payment for carbon emissions avoided by conservation efforts. [13]

Notable people

Kera Sherwood-O’Regan from Te Waipounamu has been involved from COP23 in this work. [14] In 2023 she and her work were recognised as one of the BBC 100 Women in 2023. [15]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kyoto Protocol</span> 1997 international treaty to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

The Kyoto Protocol (Japanese: 京都議定書, Hepburn: Kyōto Giteisho) was an international treaty which extended the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that commits state parties to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, based on the scientific consensus that global warming is occurring and that human-made CO2 emissions are driving it. The Kyoto Protocol was adopted in Kyoto, Japan, on 11 December 1997 and entered into force on 16 February 2005. There were 192 parties (Canada withdrew from the protocol, effective December 2012) to the Protocol in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change</span> International environmental treaty

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is the UN process for negotiating an agreement to limit dangerous climate change. It is an international treaty among countries to combat "dangerous human interference with the climate system". The main way to do this is limiting the increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. It was signed in 1992 by 154 states at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), informally known as the Earth Summit, held in Rio de Janeiro. The treaty entered into force on 21 March 1994. "UNFCCC" is also the name of the Secretariat charged with supporting the operation of the convention, with offices on the UN Campus in Bonn, Germany.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earth Summit</span> 1992 United Nations conference

The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), also known as the Rio de JaneiroConference or the Earth Summit, was a major United Nations conference held in Rio de Janeiro from 3 to 14 June 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Center for International Forestry Research</span>

The Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) is a non-profit scientific research organization that conducts research on the use and management of forests with a focus on tropical forests in developing countries. CIFOR, which merged with World Agroforestry on Jan. 1, 2019, is the forestry and agroforestry research center of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), a network of 15 research centers around the world that focus on agricultural research for sustainable development, working closely with governments and other partners to help develop evidence-based solutions to problems related to sustainable agriculture and natural resource management.

The Coalition for Rainforest Nations (CfRN) is an intergovernmental organization established by forested tropical countries to collaboratively reconcile forest stewardship with economic development. The Rainforest Coalition aims to bring together both developing and industrialized nations for the purpose of creating community-driven, environmentally sustainable growth.

The Global Forest Coalition (GFC) is a coalition of NGOs and indigenous peoples organizations engaged in the global policy debate related to forests.

After the 2007 United Nations Climate Change Conference held on the island of Bali in Indonesia in December 2007, the participating nations adopted the Bali Road Map as a two-year process working towards finalizing a binding agreement at the 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark. The conference encompassed meetings of several bodies, including the 13th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the third session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol.

Climate Justice Now! (CJN!) is a global coalition of networks and organizations campaigning for climate justice.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 United Nations Climate Change Conference</span> 16th meeting of UN Climate Change Conference in Cancun

The 2010 United Nations Climate Change Conference was held in Cancún, Mexico, from 29 November to 10 December 2010. The conference is officially referred to as the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 16) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the 6th session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties (CMP 6) to the Kyoto Protocol. In addition, the two permanent subsidiary bodies of the UNFCCC — the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) and the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) — held their 33rd sessions. The 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference extended the mandates of the two temporary subsidiary bodies, the Ad Hoc Working Group on Further Commitments for Annex I Parties under the Kyoto Protocol (AWG-KP) and the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action under the Convention (AWG-LCA), and they met as well.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Day of Forests</span> International day established by the United Nations

The International Day of Forests was established on the 21st day of March, by resolution of the United Nations General Assembly on November 28, 2013. Each year, various events celebrate and raise awareness of the importance of all types of forests, and trees outside forests, for the benefit of current and future generations. Countries are encouraged to undertake efforts to organize local, national, and international activities involving forests and trees, such as tree planting campaigns, on International Day of Forests. The Secretariat of the United Nations Forum on Forests, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization, facilitates the implementation of such events in collaboration with governments, the Collaborative Partnership on Forests, and international, regional and subregional organizations. International Day of Forests was observed for the first time on March 21, 2013.

The Verified Carbon Standard (VCS), formerly the Voluntary Carbon Standard, is a standard for certifying carbon credits to offset emissions. VCS is administered by Verra, a 501(c)(3) organization. Verra is a certifier of voluntary carbon offsets. As of 2020 there were over 1,500 certified VCS projects covering energy, transport, waste, forestry, and other sectors. In 2021 Verra issued 300 MtCO2e worth of offset credits for 110 projects. There are also specific methodologies for REDD+ projects. Verra is a program of choice for most of the forest credits in the voluntary market, and almost all REDD+ projects.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Nations Climate Change Conference</span> Yearly conference held for climate change treaty negotiations

The United Nations Climate Change Conferences are yearly conferences held in the framework of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). They serve as the formal meeting of the UNFCCC parties – the Conference of the Parties (COP) – to assess progress in dealing with climate change, and beginning in the mid-1990s, to negotiate the Kyoto Protocol to establish legally binding obligations for developed countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Starting in 2005 the conferences have also served as the "Conference of the Parties Serving as the Meeting of Parties to the Kyoto Protocol" (CMP); also parties to the convention that are not parties to the protocol can participate in protocol-related meetings as observers. From 2011 to 2015 the meetings were used to negotiate the Paris Agreement as part of the Durban platform, which created a general path towards climate action. Any final text of a COP must be agreed by consensus.

Free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) is aimed to establish bottom-up participation and consultation of an indigenous population prior to the beginning of development on ancestral land or using resources in an indigenous population's territory. Indigenous people have a special connection to their land and resources and inhabit one fifth of the Earth's surface. Such areas are environmentally rich in both renewable and non-renewable resources. The collective ownership style of most Indigenous Peoples conflicts with the modern global market and its continuous need for resources and land. To protect Indigenous Peoples' rights, international human rights law has created processes and standards to safeguard their way of life and to encourage participation in the decision-making process. One such method is the process of FPIC. There is criticism that many international conventions and treaties require consultation, not consent, which is a much higher threshold. Without the requirement for consent, indigenous people cannot veto government projects and developments in their area that directly affect their lives and cultures. FPIC allows Indigenous Peoples to have the right to self-determination and self-governance in national and local government decision-making processes over projects that concern their lives and resources.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference</span> Diplomatic summit resulting in the Paris Agreement

The 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP 21 or CMP 11 was held in Paris, France, from 30 November to 12 December 2015. It was the 21st yearly session of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the 11th session of the Meeting of the Parties (CMP) to the 1997 Kyoto Protocol.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deforestation and climate change</span> Interactions between deforestation and climate change

Deforestation is a primary contributor to climate change, and climate change affects the health of forests. Land use change, especially in the form of deforestation, is the second largest source of carbon dioxide emissions from human activities, after the burning of fossil fuels. Greenhouse gases are emitted from deforestation during the burning of forest biomass and decomposition of remaining plant material and soil carbon. Global models and national greenhouse gas inventories give similar results for deforestation emissions. As of 2019, deforestation is responsible for about 11% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Carbon emissions from tropical deforestation are accelerating.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 United Nations Climate Change Conference</span> Diplomatic summit concerning greenhouse gas emissions effects

The 2016 United Nations Climate Change Conference was an international meeting of political leaders and activists to discuss environmental issues. It was held in Marrakech, Morocco, on 7–18 November 2016. The conference incorporated the twenty-second Conference of the Parties (COP22), the twelfth meeting of the parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP12), and the first meeting of the parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA1). The purpose of the conference was to discuss and implement plans about combatting climate change and to "[demonstrate] to the world that the implementation of the Paris Agreement is underway". Participants work together to come up with global solutions to climate change.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Action for Climate Empowerment</span>

Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) is a term adopted by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It refers to Article 6 of the Convention's original text (1992), focusing on six priority areas: education, training, public awareness, public participation, public access to information, and international cooperation on these issues. The implementation of all six areas has been identified as the pivotal factor for everyone to understand and participate in solving the complex challenges presented by climate change. The importance of ACE is reflected in other international frameworks such as the Sustainable Development Goals ; the Global Action Programme for Education for Sustainable Development ; the Aarhus Convention (2011); the Escazú Agreement (2018) and the Bali Guidelines (2010).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sustainable Development Goal 13</span> UN goal to combat climate change

Sustainable Development Goal 13 is to limit and adapt to climate change. It is one of 17 Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015. The official mission statement of this goal is to "Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts". SDG 13 and SDG 7 on clean energy are closely related and complementary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">REDD and REDD+</span> Climate change mitigation policy

REDD+ is a framework to encourage developing countries to reduce emissions and enhance removals of greenhouse gases through a variety of forest management options, and to provide technical and financial support for these efforts. The acronym refers to "reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries, and the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests, and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries". REDD+ is a voluntary climate change mitigation framework developed by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). REDD originally referred to "reducing emissions from deforestation in developing countries", which was the title of the original document on REDD. It was superseded by REDD+ in the Warsaw Framework on REDD-plus negotiations.

In international law, a development safeguard or simply safeguard is a restraint on economic development to protect communities from development aggression.

References

  1. ↑ "Indigenous Women's Biodiversity Network". Indigenous Women's Biodiversity Network. Retrieved 2023-12-01.
  2. ↑ "Indigenous Women's Biodiversity Network" (PDF). Indigenous Women’s Biodiversity Network. 2007. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  3. ↑ "Declaration of the first international forum of indigenous peoples on climate change". International Indian Treaty Council. September 6, 2000.
  4. ↑ Johansen, Bruce E. (2003-01-01). Indigenous peoples and environmental issues : an encyclopedia . Greenwood Press. ISBN   9780313323980. OCLC   51559162.
  5. 1 2 "UN Framework Convention on Climate Change". International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA). Archived from the original on 2017-01-15. Retrieved 2013-11-12.
  6. ↑ Pasang Dolma Sherpa. "Education on Indigenous Peoples and Climate Change Strengths and Challenges" (PDF). UNFCCC.
  7. ↑ Abate, Randall; Kronk, Elizabeth Ann (2013). Climate Change and Indigenous Peoples: The Search for Legal Remedies. ISBN   978-1-78100-180-6.
  8. ↑ "Indigenous Groups Announce Grave Concern on Possible Cancun Outcome". International Indian Treaty Council. December 10, 2010.
  9. ↑ "REDD text is "insufficient and offensive": Closing Statement of the International Indigenous Peoples' Forum on Climate Change". REDD-Monitor. 9 January 2009.
  10. ↑ "Tenth session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) Contribution by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), February 2011" (PDF). United Nations. February 2011.
  11. ↑ "International Indigenous Peoples Forum on Climate Change (IIPFCC) Open Statement on the Green Climate Fund (GCF) UNFCCC COP18/CMP8, Doha, Qatar" (PDF). 7 December 2012.
  12. ↑ "International Indigenous Peoples' Forum on Climate Change (IIFPCC) Statements at the 38th sessions of the Subsidiary Bodies to the UNFCCC, Bonn, Germany June 2013". 10 June 2013.
  13. ↑ Danver, Steven Laurence (2013-01-01). Native peoples of the world : an encyclopedia of groups, cultures, and contemporary issues. Vol. 3. M.E. Sharpe, Inc. pp. 777–778. ISBN   9780765682222. OCLC   798498968.
  14. ↑ "Kera Sherwood-O'Regan". Right Here, Right Now Global Climate Summit. 2022-06-24. Retrieved 2023-11-29.
  15. ↑ "NZ climate advocate named in BBC's 100 Women of 2023 list". 1 News. Retrieved 2023-11-29.
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