Indigenous Peoples in the Rio Conventions

The report details the evolving role of Indigenous Peoples in the Rio Conventions, highlighting a shift from being viewed as stakeholders to recognized rights holders. Key 2024 achievements include the creation of a permanent Subsidiary Body on Article 8(j) under the CBD, the extension of the Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform (LCIPP) mandate under the UNFCCC, and the establishment of two separate caucuses for Indigenous Peoples and local communities under the UNCCD. Despite these procedural gains, the report identifies persistent challenges, including limited direct access to funding and the ongoing tension over the use of human rights language and terminology in international environmental governance.

• In 2024, the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) established a permanent Subsidiary Body on Article 8(j) to replace the temporary Ad Hoc Open-Ended Working Group, providing a dedicated platform for Indigenous Peoples and local communities in biodiversity decision-making.
• The CBD's Cali Fund, created via a multilateral benefit-sharing mechanism for digital sequence information (DSI) on genetic resources, intends to allocate at least 50% of its funding to the self-identified needs of Indigenous Peoples and local communities.
• Under the UNFCCC, the Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform (LCIPP) and its Facilitative Working Group (FWG) represent a unique institutional model with equal representation between Indigenous Peoples and parties.
• At COP 29, the UNFCCC extended the mandate of the FWG and adopted a third work plan for 2025–2027, which includes developing an ethics protocol for the use of Traditional Knowledge and holding annual gatherings of knowledge holders.
• The UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) established two distinct caucuses—one for Indigenous Peoples and one for local communities—at COP 16 in 2024 to better recognize their unique perspectives and contributions to combating land degradation.
• The 2022 Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) marked a significant shift toward a rights-based approach, including safeguards for the rights of Indigenous Peoples over lands, territories, and resources.
• Direct access to funding remains a critical and unmet demand for Indigenous Peoples across all three Rio Conventions, as they currently receive only a small fraction of available global environmental finance.
• There is ongoing international contention regarding the terminology used to describe Indigenous Peoples, specifically whether they should be grouped with 'local communities,' a practice the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) argues undermines their distinct legal status.
• Despite international procedural advances, Indigenous Peoples face increasing threats at the national level from authoritarian regimes and the expansion of mining for critical minerals needed for the energy transition, which risk creating 'sacrifice zones' on their lands.

APA

Tsioumani, E., Bansard, J., & Chasek, P. (2025). Indigenous Peoples in the Rio Conventions. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2025-07/indigenous-peoples-in-rio-conventions.pdf

Chicago

Tsioumani, Elsa, Jennifer Bansard, and Pamela Chasek. Indigenous Peoples in the Rio Conventions. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2025. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2025-07/indigenous-peoples-in-rio-conventions.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Tsioumani |first1=Elsa |last2=Bansard |first2=Jennifer |last3=Chasek |first3=Pamela |title=Indigenous Peoples in the Rio Conventions |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=July 2025 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2025-07/indigenous-peoples-in-rio-conventions.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{tsioumani2025indigenous, author = {Tsioumani, Elsa and Bansard, Jennifer and Chasek, Pamela}, title = {{Indigenous Peoples in the Rio Conventions}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2025}, month = jul, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2025-07/indigenous-peoples-in-rio-conventions.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }