"Statement of the IIPFCC at the Joint Opening Plenary at COP27", 07 Nov 2022

Climate change is a matter of life and death. State actions have fallen far short, Greenhouse gas emissions and global temperatures are increasing, threatening genocide for Indigenous Peoples in Africa, the Arctic, Coastal, Small Island and all other ecosystems. Indigenous Peoples’ rights are inherent, collective and internationally recognized, including rights to life, self-determination, lands and territories, food systems, and free prior and informed consent. We will not allow these rights to be diminished by conflating us with minorities, vulnerable groups or local communities. We have the right to full and direct participation, including our youth, women, persons with disabilities and knowledge holders, in all UNFCCC bodies and processes including the new Article 6 grievance mechanism and the creation of a new financing mechanism accessible to Indigenous Peoples from all regions and eco-systems. Carbon markets and offsets, geo-engineering, “Net Zero” frameworks, “Nature-based solutions”, “ecosystem services” do not cut emissions and are new forms of colonization... The Paris Agreement also commits States to respect, promote and consider their obligations to the rights of Indigenous Peoples in climate action. The Global Stock Take must focus on implementation of these commitments...