Statement of indigenous peoples and local communities on the last IPPC report on climate change

A large group of indigenous and community organizations and networks—representing 42 countries —has issued a statement highlighting the scientific evidence that they are the best guardians of the forest. The statement also lays out 6 recommendations for how policymakers can support their vital role. Materials can be viewed at www.IPCCresponse.org in English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese.

This tatement is a response to the 2019 IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) Special Report on Climate Change and Land. For the first time, the IPCC officially recognizes that Indigenous Peoples and local communities play a crucial role in preserving ecosystems and preventing deforestation and that recognizing their rights is vital to combatting climate change and securing our collective future. This is something that all indigenous peoples have been saying for long, and to have it affirmed by IPCC is a major step forward at a time when numerous forest dwellers, including the India’s Adivasis, face unprecedented threat to their forest and land rights.