INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AND TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE IN THE CONTEXT OF THE UN FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE

This briefing, produced by the International Indigenous Peoples’ Forum on Climate Change (IIPFCC) and the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), compiles the decisions and conclusions of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that reference Indigenous Peoples and traditional knowledge. It serves as a reference tool to remind State Parties of their commitments to respect Indigenous rights and integrate traditional knowledge into climate mitigation and adaptation policies.

• Indigenous Peoples are disproportionately affected by climate change due to their dependence on fragile ecosystems, yet they contribute minimally to greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, climate policies can inadvertently harm them through forced relocations for infrastructure projects or new restrictions on their relationship with natural ecosystems.
• The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) process has increasingly recognized the value of Indigenous Peoples and their traditional knowledge, with more than 60 decisions or reports from the Conference of the Parties (COP) and its subsidiary bodies containing explicit references to them since 2001.
• The Paris Agreement explicitly mandates that Parties, when addressing climate change, must respect and consider their obligations regarding the rights of Indigenous Peoples. It also specifies that adaptation actions should be guided by the best available science and, where appropriate, traditional knowledge and local knowledge systems.
• The Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform was established by Decision 1/CP.21 (2015) to facilitate the exchange of best practices and experiences regarding mitigation and adaptation. Its functions include promoting the protection of traditional knowledge—subject to free, prior and informed consent—and building the capacity of Indigenous Peoples to engage in the UNFCCC process.
• The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), adopted in 2007, establishes a universal framework of minimum standards for the survival and dignity of Indigenous Peoples. Key articles emphasize the right to self-determination, the right to not be forcibly removed from lands without free, prior and informed consent, and the right to maintain and control their traditional knowledge and intellectual property.
• Within the UNFCCC's Nairobi work programme on impacts, vulnerability and adaptation, there is a recurring emphasis on integrating indigenous and traditional knowledge and practices to improve the understanding of climate-related risks and the development of adaptation recommendations.
• In the context of deforestation and the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), UNFCCC decisions emphasize the need for the full and effective participation of Indigenous Peoples and the respect for their knowledge and rights, particularly through the 'Cancun Safeguards'.
• The International Indigenous Peoples’ Forum on Climate Change (IIPFCC), established in 2008, serves as the Caucus for Indigenous Peoples in UNFCCC processes, representing members from seven global regions: Asia, Asia-Pacific, Africa, Arctic, Latin America, North America, and Russia.

APA

Center for International Environmental Law (n.d.). INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AND TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE IN THE CONTEXT OF THE UN FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Indigenous-Peoples-and-Traditional-Knowledge-in-the-Context-of-the-UNFCCC.pdf

Chicago

Center for International Environmental Law. INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AND TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE IN THE CONTEXT OF THE UN FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE. n.d. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Indigenous-Peoples-and-Traditional-Knowledge-in-the-Context-of-the-UNFCCC.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Center for International Environmental Law |title=INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AND TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE IN THE CONTEXT OF THE UN FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE |url=https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Indigenous-Peoples-and-Traditional-Knowledge-in-the-Context-of-the-UNFCCC.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centerforinternationalenvironmentallawndindigenous, author = {{Center for International Environmental Law}}, title = {{INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AND TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE IN THE CONTEXT OF THE UN FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE}}, institution = {Center for International Environmental Law}, url = {https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Indigenous-Peoples-and-Traditional-Knowledge-in-the-Context-of-the-UNFCCC.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }