- Indigenous Peoples and local communities are growing in prominence and are increasingly seen as important agents of change rather than just as vulnerable groups.
- It is necessary to reconcile moves towards jurisdictional approaches to sustainability with the desire to ensure that benefits flow directly to Indigenous Peoples and local communities.
COP26 added momentum to some important shifts in the engagement of Indigenous Peoples and local communities and a focus on their rights. Momentum has been building since 2016, when the International Union for Conservation of Nature made the landmark move of creating a new category of membership for Indigenous Peoples’ organizations.
Representatives of Indigenous Peoples and local communities were prominent in a range of COP26 events, notably in discussions in which these groups have typically had limited involvement, such as on finance and land use.
The discourse about Indigenous Peoples and local communities is shifting within COP negotiations and more broadly in climate and conservation discussions. Having long been treated as vulnerable stakeholders, Indigenous Peoples and local communities are increasingly seen as crucial agents of change and potent allies of efforts to protect forests.
Reflecting this trend, a group of countries and private foundations committed at COP26 to provide US$1.7 billion to support Indigenous Peoples and local communities and strengthen their forest tenure rights.
Another initiative launched at COP26 is the Peoples Forests Partnership. By 2030, it aims to channel US$20 billion of private finance a year to Indigenous Peoples and local communities for forest conservation and restoration.
“At COP26, for the first time, we elders and leaders of indigenous communities were able to show to the whole world how Indigenous Peoples, with our customary institutions, governance systems, cultural practices, knowledge and values, are contributing to climate change resilience and sustainable management of resources and biodiversity. I consider this a key outcome of COP26.” — Pasang Dolma Sherpa, Executive Director, Center for Indigenous Peoples' Research and Development, Nepal
The experts noted a growing emphasis on Indigenous Peoples and local communities in REDD+ projects in terms of their participation, sharing in benefits and seeking their free, prior and informed consent. At the same time, however, there is a move towards jurisdictional-level accounting of emissions reductions. This is a logical process because embedding REDD+ efforts at jurisdictional scales within national greenhouse gas inventories allows for the systematic accounting of emissions reductions against targets in a Nationally Determined Contribution. But this shift raises questions about the role of Indigenous Peoples and local communities.
In the context of jurisdictional REDD+ initiatives, such as the LEAF Coalition, there is an ongoing discussion about whether subnational governments are interested and able to meet the high expectations and safeguards relating to Indigenous Peoples and local communities. The experts said there is a need for more strategic thinking and greater detail at the international level on how to harmonize practical yet robust accounting mechanisms in the land-use sector while still ensuring the maximum necessary safeguards.
Further research is needed to demonstrate that strong and clear tenure rights for Indigenous Peoples and local communities can deliver multiple benefits in the region, hopefully addressing barriers to their receiving earmarked funds.
“When talking about engagement of Indigenous Peoples and local communities, we should not look at it from the perspective of monetary benefits only but rather that their traditional stewardship can be supported through non-market-based approaches and adoption of human rights-based approaches promoting their social, cultural skills and knowledge.” — Pasang Dolma Sherpa, Center for Indigenous Peoples' Research and Development, Nepal