WORKING WITH INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE HOLDERS TO ADVANCE EQUITABLE AND INCLUSIVE NATURE AND CLIMATE INITIATIVES

This guide, developed by the International Institute for Sustainable Development in collaboration with Indigenous organizations and Global Affairs Canada, provides principles and actions for ethically engaging Indigenous Knowledge Holders in nature and climate initiatives. It emphasizes a rights-based approach, the necessity of free, prior, and informed consent, and the importance of building long-term, reciprocal relationships to avoid colonial extractive patterns of knowledge acquisition.

• Indigenous Knowledge is defined not merely as a set of information, but as a dynamic system of thought encompassing biological, physical, cultural, and spiritual phenomena. It includes multigenerational observations and skills transmitted often orally, and is supported by educational, historical, governance, and legal structures.
• Global environmental frameworks, including the Rio Conventions, the Paris Agreement, and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, formally recognize the role of Indigenous knowledge. These frameworks mandate that such knowledge be accessed only with free, prior, and informed consent and that the rights of Indigenous peoples be respected during implementation.
• To avoid the 'colonial logic of extraction' and the commercialization of spirituality, non-Indigenous entities must establish trust and reciprocal relationships before launching initiatives. This requires recognizing Indigenous Knowledge Holders as specialists and respecting their sole authority to determine if and under what conditions their knowledge is used.
• Indigenous women are identified as particularly vulnerable to climate change due to their spiritual relationship with the land, household roles, and financial difficulties. The guide recommends prioritizing their leadership and participation from the start of project design and using special budget allocations for women's advisory councils.
• Equitable governance requires formal government-to-government dialogue mechanisms and sufficient consultation timelines to allow for translation into Indigenous languages and travel to consultation sites. The guide warns against confusing participation in consultations with the expression of consent.
• There is a need for direct, long-term funding mechanisms for Indigenous peoples to bypass intermediaries and support the intergenerational transmission of science. Funding should adopt an integrated landscape approach, such as the Cri concept of wâhkôhtowin, which emphasizes interconnection between natural systems.

APA

V., L., E., M., T., R., G., R., W., O., & G., E. (2026). WORKING WITH INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE HOLDERS TO ADVANCE EQUITABLE AND INCLUSIVE NATURE AND CLIMATE INITIATIVES. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2026-05/savoir-autochtone-initiatives-climat-nature.pdf

Chicago

V., Lo,, Myers, E., Rainville, T., Reed, G., Ou, W., and Exell, G. WORKING WITH INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE HOLDERS TO ADVANCE EQUITABLE AND INCLUSIVE NATURE AND CLIMATE INITIATIVES. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2026. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2026-05/savoir-autochtone-initiatives-climat-nature.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=V. |first1=Lo, |last2=E. |first2=Myers, |last3=T. |first3=Rainville, |last4=G. |first4=Reed, |last5=W. |first5=Ou, |last6=G. |first6=Exell, |title=WORKING WITH INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE HOLDERS TO ADVANCE EQUITABLE AND INCLUSIVE NATURE AND CLIMATE INITIATIVES |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=2026 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2026-05/savoir-autochtone-initiatives-climat-nature.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{v2026working, author = {V., Lo, and E., Myers, and T., Rainville, and G., Reed, and W., Ou, and G., Exell,}, title = {{WORKING WITH INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE HOLDERS TO ADVANCE EQUITABLE AND INCLUSIVE NATURE AND CLIMATE INITIATIVES}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2026}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2026-05/savoir-autochtone-initiatives-climat-nature.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }