The Permanent Forum recognizes development of renewable energy sources but remains alarmed that irresponsible development related to green technology and the green transition, has led, at times, to violations of Indigenous Peoples’ rights, including mineral extraction and the building of hydroelectric dams and other large-scale infrastructure without the free, prior and informed consent of Indigenous Peoples. The Permanent Forum recommends that Member States provide the resources necessary to develop and implement Indigenous Peoples’ own free, prior and informed consent protocols in such contexts.
The Permanent Forum recognizes the importance of financing for Indigenous Peoples and appreciates the Global Environment Facility’s target of allocating 20 per cent of its funds to support initiatives for Indigenous Peoples. The Forum urges the Facility to create direct financing mechanisms for Indigenous Peoples.
The Permanent Forum recommends that States implement emission reductions to limit the increase in average global temperature to no more than 1.5oC to avoid the increased impact of climate change.
The Permanent Forum encourages the full participation of Indigenous Peoples in environmental assessment processes, including in the context of possible deep-sea mining, as such participation also guarantees the contributions of Indigenous Peoples’ knowledge. Given the length of the Arctic coastlines, Indigenous Peoples need to be involved in the monitoring of relevant international shipping routes and their impacts on marine biodiversity and seabeds.
The Permanent Forum encourages collaborative research initiatives for innovative solutions to environmental challenges that engage Indigenous Peoples as equal partners, respecting and integrating Indigenous Peoples’ knowledge systems with so-called “Western” scientific research and fostering mutual learning and respect between Indigenous Peoples and the mainstream scientific community.
The Permanent Forum again urges Member States to ensure that Indigenous Peoples are afforded full and effective participation in all planning and policy development to address climate change. Indigenous-led climate change policies incorporate the vital knowledge of Indigenous Peoples for land management and stewardship of natural resources while protecting health, equity, justice and sustainability. Principles of free, prior and informed consent must be followed in the development of all climate change policies and actions.
The Permanent Forum recognizes the efforts of the Green Climate Fund and its Indigenous Peoples’ advisory group, and recommends that the Fund develop a road map for dedicated, predictable funding for Indigenous Peoples, including through capacity-building at the national level to ensure that the Fund’s Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme2 supports Indigenous Peoples. The Forum requests a progress report at its next session in 2025.
The Permanent Forum invites the secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to share the findings of the next open multi-stakeholder dialogues on the operationalization of the local communities and indigenous peoples platform at the seventeenth session of the Forum. The Forum urges Member States to operationalize the platform in accordance with the provisions of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
The Permanent Forum is concerned about the impacts of climate change in the Sahel and Great Lakes regions, which have triggered armed conflicts and displacement, and heightened the vulnerability of Indigenous Peoples. The Forum calls for regional climate action.
The Permanent Forum encourages and commends the development and implementation of environmental monitoring systems led by Indigenous Peoples that utilize the knowledge of Indigenous Peoples and modern technology to oversee and manage natural resources effectively. Such approaches that are aligned with Indigenous Peoples’ autonomy objectives provide valuable data for global environmental efforts.
The Permanent Forum recommends that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change prepare a special report within its seventh assessment cycle, led by Indigenous academics, scientists and traditional knowledge holders, to assess the opportunities for and threats against Indigenous Peoples in the areas of adaptation, mitigation, and loss and damage.