Our collective futures: Indigenous peoples partnering for lands and waters

The project aims to strengthen the climate resilience of Indigenous peoples in the Indo-Pacific through Indigenous-led climate action. Peer-to-peer learning between First Nations in Canada and abroad seeks to contribute to enhanced capacity to implement climate solutions for Indigenous peoples in particular women and youth. The project equips Indigenous peoples to organize strategize and lead actions at the local regional and international levels that address climate change and biodiversity. Strengthened partnerships aim to increase the use of nature-based solutions. These solutions aim to benefit climate change adaptation and biodiversity conservation. The project centers the self-determined priorities and needs of Indigenous peoples. The project aims to build on local partner Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact’s (AIPP) ongoing efforts to enhance knowledge-sharing and capacity-building among Indigenous peoples and their active participation in decision-making related to conservation and climate action. The project aligns with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous peoples. Project activities include: (1) convening knowledge circles on indigenous knowledge systems and indigenous governance as climate and biodiversity solutions; (2) identifying guidelines and tools that enable indigenous communities to participate in and lead climate action; and (3) supporting peer-to-peer knowledge sharing workshops between First Nations women and youth and Indigenous women and youth from Thailand and Nepal to empower Indigenous women and promote their climate leadership.

The expected outcomes of this project include: (1) increased use of gender-responsive nature-based solutions with biodiversity co-benefits for climate change adaptation by Indigenous peoples in the Indo-Pacific region with an emphasis on Thailand and Nepal; (2) increased empowerment and leadership of Indigenous peoples in the Indo-Pacific region with an emphasis on Thailand and Nepal particularly women and youth in implementing climate and biodiversity solutions in Thailand and Nepal; and (3) improved Indigenous partnerships for advocacy by Indigenous peoples from the Indo-Pacific region in multi-lateral environmental agreements on climate change and biological diversity.