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

The document outlines a framework for the ethical mobilization of Indigenous knowledge in climate and nature projects, emphasizing rights-based approaches, the necessity of free, prior, and informed consent, and the importance of direct funding and leadership for Indigenous peoples, particularly women and youth.

• Effective collaboration with Indigenous Knowledge Holders requires a rights-based approach that adheres to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the principle of free, prior, and informed consent.
• There is a critical need to move away from colonial extractive logics and the commercialization of Indigenous spirituality, ensuring instead that Indigenous peoples maintain sovereignty over their knowledge and determine the conditions of its use.
• Indigenous women are more vulnerable to climate change due to their spiritual relationship with the land, household roles, and financial difficulties; therefore, projects must prioritize their leadership and specific needs through dedicated budget allocations.
• To ensure genuine partnership, funders and organizations should establish direct, long-term funding mechanisms for Indigenous peoples, specifically supporting youth to facilitate the intergenerational transmission of Indigenous science.
• Building trust with Indigenous communities is a long-term process that often exceeds the typical lifespan of a project and is most successful when led by Indigenous individuals rather than non-Indigenous consultants.
• Global environmental frameworks, including the Rio Conventions, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, and the Paris Agreement, increasingly recognize the essential role of Indigenous knowledge in biodiversity conservation and climate adaptation.

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} }