UNEP recognizes the importance of Indigenous Peoples’ participation as well as the valuable inputs that these holders of indigenous knowledge – gained through trans-generational experiences, observations, and transmission - can contribute to sustainable ecosystem management and development.
On the other hand, their close relationship and dependency on functioning ecosystems have made many Indigenous Peoples extremely vulnerable to changes and damages in the environment. Logging, mining activities, pollution and climate change all pose increasing threats to indigenous livelihoods and their survival.
UNEP’s engagement with Indigenous Peoples
UNEP’s Indigenous Peoples focal point
Recognizing the specific importance of Indigenous Peoples and their communities, UNEP has a dedicated full-time focal point on Indigenous located within the organization’s Ecosystem Division. The focal point is the main liaison officer for Indigenous Peoples and any related activities on indigenous issues and with Indigenous Peoples within UNEP. Indigenous Peoples can contact the focal point at any time regarding UNEP’s work programmes, project activities, participation in conferences, collaboration to workshops and meetings as well as the accreditation of Indigenous Peoples organisations and networks to the UNEA. Please write to civil.society@unep.org and add in the subject line: Indigenous Peoples focal point.
United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII)
Within the UN system, the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII), an advisory body to the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) established in 2002, is the main and central forum to discuss indigenous issues related to economic and social development, culture, the environment, education, health and human rights. The Inter-Agency Support Group (IASG) on Indigenous Issues was established to support and promote the mandate of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues within the United Nations system. UNEP, represented by its IP Focal Point, and other key staff of the organization, including from the Civil Society Unit, is an active participant and contributor to the UNPFII.
The Forum usually meets for 10 days in April/May each year, at the UN Headquarters in New York. UNEP actively contributes to the forum by providing up to date information on how our organization works to protect and advance the rights of Indigenous Peoples. Read UNEP’s report to the 23rd Session of the UNPFII here.
Participation of indigenous peoples in UNEP governance
UNEP recognizes the importance of participation of Indigenous Peoples in the organisation’s governance and decision-making. This is why UNEP engages with indigenous groups by giving them a role to voice their perspectives as early as possible in policy-making and decision-making processes. This is largely done through accredited representatives of the Indigenous Peoples Major Group. Indigenous Peoples are also represented in UNEP’s Major Groups Facilitating Committee with two Indigenous Peoples Co-Facilitators elected for a period of two years. To access the bios and email addresses of the current elected coordinators, please follow this link.
UNEP’s events, programmes and initiatives with Indigenous Peoples and their communities
7th Global Environmental Outlook (GEO-7)
GEO is a consultative and participatory process to prepare an assessment of the state of the environment, the effectiveness of the policy response to address these environmental challenges, and possible pathways to achieve various internationally agreed environmental goals. The GEO products inform environmental decision-making and aims to facilitate the interaction between science and policy.
The upcoming GEO-7 is for the first time incorporating Indigenous knowledge and has opened a call for nominations of representatives from Indigenous Peoples, Indigenous Youth and Elders, Indigenous Knowledge holders and Local Knowledge holders to participate in a series of four Indigenous Knowledge and Local Knowledge dialogues to support the GEO-7 assessment. These representatives will be asked to contribute their expertise, understanding and insights to the process of GEO-7. Selected representatives may be asked to work closely with the GEO-7 Indigenous Knowledge and Local Knowledge Taskforce, Co-chairs of the assessment and the UNEP Secretariat to ensure an assessment that incorporates Indigenous knowledge into GEO-7, to be published in 2026.
As part of the nomination process, we request you to send in the letter(s) of nomination or letter(s) of support from your institution/ Indigenous elder and either a CV(s) or Personal Profile to facilitate an effective selection process. All information and documents should be uploaded on the dedicated nomination portal available here. The call for nomination will be open until Tuesday 30 January 2024 Midnight EAT.
For additional information or any questions related to this call for nominations, please reach out to unep-ewad-geohead@un.org with the subject IK & LK Dialogues Call for Nominations.
Advisory Board of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration
The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030 is a global initiative which aims to prevent, halt, and reverse the degradation of ecosystems on every continent and in every ocean. Indigenous Peoples representatives and experts have been elected to participate in the Advisory Board, of the Decade. This allows Indigenous Peoples to become integral partners in restoring our planet’s ecosystems and the Decade presents a unique opportunity for Indigenous Peoples to contribute their invaluable knowledge and stewardship towards a sustainable future.
Of important initiatives, the Advisory Board issued a Call to Action in which recognizing and securing the rights of Indigenous Peoples to their land, territories, knowledge, and resources, and elevating their leadership and roles as agents of change at all stages of restoration, was a key component.
Another significant initiative is the UN Decade Restoration ‘Challenge’ under its Action Plan, focusing on restoring equitable land and resource rights to Indigenous Peoples while recognizing them as essential stewards of ecosystem restoration. This challenge aims to empower these groups by supporting locally led ecosystem restoration, securing land and territorial rights as the foundation for community-led restoration, and increasing global recognition of their pivotal role in restoration efforts.
To learn more about the challenge and Indigenous Peoples engagement in the UN Decade on Ecosystems Restoration, please write to restorationdecade@un.org.
Environmental Human Rights Defenders
The field of human rights obligations related to a clean, safe, healthy, and sustainable environment is expanding, and so is the need to protect environmental human rights defenders, many of which belong to Indigenous communities.
UNEP’s Defenders Policy promotes greater protection for individuals and groups, including Indigenous Peoples, who are defending their environmental rights, and identifies solutions to mitigate the abuse of environmental rights. Through the policy, UNEP seeks to support the upholding of environmental rights, and oppose the growing wave of violence against environmental defenders as well as the prevailing impunity with which these acts are being committed.
UNEP continuously strives to strengthen the enforcements of the environmental rule of law. In November 2023 UNEP published the report titled “Environmental Rule of Law: Tracking Progress and Charting Future Directions”. The Report includes many references to Indigenous Peoples and meaningful ways in which states can provide access to environmental information and enhance public participation in environmental decision-making for Indigenous Peoples and other groups at risk of being marginalized. The aim of the report is to strengthen the enforcement of the environmental rule of law to empower rights holders in their efforts to safeguard the planet.
Read more about UNEP’s work on Environmental Rights here.
UNEP environmental, social and economic safeguards
UNEP applies its Environmental and Social Sustainability Framework (ESSF) in the development and implementation of all UNEP-supported programmes and projects. This Framework sets minimum sustainability standards for UNEP and its implementing/executing partners. It enables UNEP to anticipate and manage emerging environmental, social and economic issues. The EESF includes important safeguard standards on Indigenous People to ensure the realization of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and other international instruments. For the operationalization of this commitment, UNEP developed the detailed guidelines on Indigenous Peoples and provided training on ESSF, that included the discussion on Indigenous Peoples and their human rights.
Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD)
UN-REDD is designed to use market and financial incentives in order to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases from deforestation and forest degradation. UN-REDD has a specific focus on Indigenous Peoples and offers their representatives four seats in its Policy Board. Moreover, they can engage with the Independent Advisory Group on Forests, Rights and Climate Change and voice out their opinions on specific projects. Free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) has been enshrined in specific guidelines. More information on how indigenous peoples can participate in UN-REDD and how FPIC is upheld can be found on the homepage.
Tools and resources
The Indigenous Peoples’ and Community Conserved Territories and Areas (ICCAs) and participating Indigenous Peoples have developed an interactive global database of territories and areas conserved by Indigenous Peoples (sometimes known as ICCAs or territories of life) that are self-identified and reported by ICCA custodians. Through building a knowledge base this project aims at putting Indigenous Peoples and their territories on the global map, thus leading to the acknowledgement of indigenous ways of conservation and their stronger participation in policy discussions about the same. 360 communities have self-reported data on their territories to the ICCA Registry, including over 1,700 protected areas in the registry. Additional information can be obtained from iccaregistry@unep-wcmc.org.
