Guide on Climate Change and Indigenous Peoples

indigenous peoples rooted in premoderncomplex of belief-knowledgepractices.• Indigenous and local communitieshave a unique contribution to makein mitigation initiatives as stewardsof biodiversity. Since some mitigationmeasures such as biofuels haveundesirable direct and indirectconsequences, such as monocultureexpansion and associated decline inbiodiversity and their food security,their full and effective participationis crucial in the elaboration of Statedevelopedmitigation measuresto ensure that such schemes donot negatively affect vulnerablecommunities (UNPFII, 2008, p. 7).Traditional knowledgeis an inseparable partof indigenous and localcommunities’ culture,social structures, economy,livelihoods, beliefs,traditions, customs,customary law, health andtheir relationship to thelocal environment. It is thetotality of all such elementsthat makes their knowledge,innovations and practicesvital in relation to biologicaldiversity and sustainabledevelopment (UNPFII,2008, p. 5).PART VI: Climate Change, Biodiversity and Indigenous Peoples 107