Guide on Climate Change and Indigenous Peoples

6What advice or recommendationshas the UN Permanent Forum onIndigenous Issues provided onREDD/REDD+?• The 7th Session of the UNPFII in 2008 hadclimate change as its special theme. To preparefor the discussions on this, two members of thePermanent Forum were appointed as specialrapporteurs to develop a paper on the theme.This report is entitled “Impact of Climate ChangeMitigation Measures on Indigenous Peoples and onTheir Territories and Lands.” 5• This Report elaborated how indigenous peoples are impacted by climatechange and by climate change mitigation actions. As most indigenouspeoples are ecosystem peoples, they are in the frontlines of the impactsof climate change. The recommendations included the need to developa human rights based approach and an ecosystem approach to solvingthe climate change crisis.Impact of Climate Change Mitigation Measures onIndigenous Peoples and on Their Territories andLands [E/C.19/2008/10]• Indigenous peoples do not only suffer from climate change (a problem of whichthey did not create) but they can also provided solutions to this problem.• They have demonstrated their capacity to adapt to climate change for millenniaand this is the reason why they are still surviving.• Thus, it will benefit the UNFCCC and the world at large if the activeparticipation of indigenous peoples in the global, national and local processeson climate change are ensured.• The final report of the 7th Session came up with recommendations onREDD which are in Paragraphs 44 and 45 [E/C.19/2008/13].• During COP14 in Poznan in 2008, the integration of language on theneed to respect and protect indigenous peoples’ rights in REDD waspushed by indigenous peoples and friendly states. The UNPFII Chairspoke at the opening of the COP on 2 December 2008 where shereiterated the recommendation from the 7th Session of the Forum:PART V: REDD/REDD+ and Indigenous Peoples 57