BY: DAZZLE LABAPIS

This is a developing story.

Photo courtesy of Dazzle Labapis, Programme Officer for Tenure Rights and Governance (NTFP-EP Asia)

The 2nd informal consultation on the Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform (LCIPP) was held last 05 June 2024, with the co-facilitator summarizing the highlights of the draft text of SBSTA 60 agenda item 7 (Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform) and invited parties to comment and reflect on the draft. Non-parties, particularly Indigenous Peoples Organizations (IPOs) were also given a time to comment and reflect as supported by EU and CANADA.

BOLIVIA recommended to strengthen the importance of LCIPP platform in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) process. They have wisdom and knowledge to support the effort of parties to address climate change in the context of living in harmony with nature. BOLIVIA also added, to scale up a little bit the articulation of the platform within the UNFCCC climate process.

BRAZIL underscored the challenges of Indigenous Peoples and local communities in terms of language barriers, limiting their participation. To address this issue, it was suggested that the Secretariat work closely with the Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform (LCIPP) to improve interpretation and make it more accessible to all.

UNITED STATES suggested to emphasize the alignment of the Facilitative Working Group (FWG) of LCIPP that is linked to the UNFCCC and the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA) decision.

EU and CANADA have expressed their support for giving a voice to Indigenous Peoples (IPs) and local communities (LC) in the decision-making process. The EU specifically emphasized the importance of focusing on the core mandate of the Facilitative Working Group (FWG) rather than adding additional activities, which could divert attention from the group’s key objectives.

CANADA suggested continuing the discussion on the draft text of SBSTA 69 agenda item 7 in an informal consultation, if possible, to review all the constructive inputs from the discussion. BRAZIL supported this suggestion. 

BRAZIL shared to discuss the role of local communities within the LCIPP, and welcome suggestions to further review the draft text. 

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES ORGANIZATIONS (IPO) expressed their concern that there is a conflation on the term of Indigenous Peoples (IP) and local communities (LC). They emphasized to amend the current practice of combining the term IP and LC in any decisions within the UNFCCC and uphold the clear distinction between the knowledge of Indigenous Peoples and local knowledge. 

It was decided that the review of the draft text will continue in informal consultation.

The 60th session of the UN Climate Change Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) and Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) from 3 to 13 June 2024 at the World Conference Center in Bonn Germany, is a preparatory meeting focusing on technical, scientific, and implementation of climate treaties ahead of the UN COP29 climate conference in November happening in Baku, Azerbaijan.