Climate Change Monitoring And Information Network

(New Animation Video) Rights in Action: Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) for Indigenous Peoples  Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP) has produced a community-friendly animation video on “Rights in Action: Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) for Indigenous Peoples”. The animation video explains the basic concept and principles of FPIC in a simple story of interaction between indigenous peoples and project proponent. Similarly, the video presents how indigenous peoples use their right to FPIC in reaching their collective decision either to give or withheld consent while dealing with the outside world, including project proponents, governments, development agencies and companies. Free, Prior and Informed Consent is an inherent and specific right of indigenous peoples in the exercise of their collective right to self-determination, which is enshrined in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). FPIC is a reiterative process under...

(New Comic Book) Rights in Action: Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) for Indigenous Peoples Free, Prior and Informed Consent is a mechanism and a process wherein indigenous peoples undertake their collective decision on matters that affects them, as an exercise of their right to their land, territories and resources, their right to self-determination and to cultural integrity. FPIC is an iterative process that should be undertaken in good faith to ensure mutual respect and meaningful participation of indigenous peoples in decision-making on matters affecting them. It requires the conduct of a series of consultations, dialogues, exchanges, and interactions between indigenous peoples and those requiring their consent and agreeement for the entire cycle of a project from planning, implementation and monitoring. Thus FPIC should ensure the full and effective participation of indigenous peoples in all project-related process that affect them.  

Animation Video OUR FOREST OUR LIFE! Indigenous Peoples and REDD+ in English, Thai, Khmer, Burmese and Spanish languages   This community friendly animation video explains the basic concept of climate change and its disproportionate impacts to Indigenous Peoples (IP). It elaborates on the international agreement to mitigate the impacts of climate change, particularly REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation, and Conserving, Sustainably Managing and Enhancing Forest Carbon Stocks) and the key concerns of indigenous peoples.  The video also highlights the collective rights of indigenous peoples enshrined in United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).  Another highlight of the video is on the roles and contributions of indigenous women in the natural resource management.

Declaration of Civil Societies: The Government is Urged to Immediately Implement Constitutional Court Decision on Customary Forests The Constitutional Court on the judicial review of  Law No.41 of 1999 on Forestry has decided that Customary Forests are  no longer State Forests.   Jakarta, 27 May 2013 – The Indigenous Peoples' Alliance of the Archipelago (AMAN) and various civil societies issued a declaration urging Indonesian government to implement the Constitutional Court decision, including to settle conflicts related to customary forests and natural resources in the territories of indigenous peoples as well as to map indigenous territories. The declaration was issued in Jakarta on Monday (27/5). Initial support came from 20 civil societies of various sectors such as non-governmental organizations, mass media, private sector, academicians and individuals.Afterward AMAN is expecting to disseminate the d...

Constitutional Court Agrees on Judicial Review of UUK FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 16 May 2013 Contact Person: Mona Sihombing, 085217352162 Media Relations Staff - AMAN Constitutional Court Agrees on Judicial Review of UUK Jakarta, 16 May 2013 - Constitutional Court has accepted the Judicial Review of Act No. 41/1999 on Forestry (Undang-Undang Kehutanan or UUK) submitted by the Indigenous Peoples' Alliance of the Archipelago (AMAN), Thursday (16/5). AMAN warmly welcomes the decision announced in Plenary Hall of Constitutional Court. This ruling means that Customary Forest is not State Forest and that Indigenous Peoples of the Archipelago will get back their rights over their customary forests seized by the State through UUK. "AMAN submitted the judicial review in March 2012 and its series of sessions ended in June. Good things come to those who wait. About 40 millions Indigenous Peoples now are rightful over our cus...

Indigenous people’s rights and safeguards in projects related to reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation Summary   Activities related to reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation can have a profound impact on the rights and livelihoods of indigenous peoples. Depending on the rules in place globally and in each country, in particular those regarding access to information, free, prior and informed consent and governance, the impact may be positive or negative. The present report aims to summarize the current status of activities under the REDD-plus mechanism (reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries and the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks) and their possible impact on the rights and livelihoods of indigenous peoples. It considers the nature of potential benefits to indigenous peoples and how those benefits could be secured through the various safeg...

Traditional Knowledge and Climate Science Tool Kit Indigenous communities have long, multi-generational histories of interaction with the environment that include coping with variability, uncertainty and change. However, climate induced impacts on their territories and communities are anticipated to be both early and severe due to their location in vulnerable habitats, including small islands, high altitude zones, desert margins and the circumpolar Arctic. Climate change poses a direct threat to many indigenous societies due to their continuing reliance upon resource-based livelihoods. At the same time, resilience in the face of a changing environment is embedded in indigenous knowledge and know-how, diversified resources and livelihoods, social institutions and networks, and cultural values and attitudes. Attentiveness to environmental variability, shifts and trends is an integral part of their ways of...

First Bulletion of Indigenous Peoples Working Group on REDD Plus in Cambodia (English and Khmer Languages) This is the first in a series of bulletins from the Indigenous Peoples (IPs) Working Group on REDD Plus. They will contain reports drawn from consultations and interactions – formal and informal – with IPs by IPs themselves, who live in 15 of Cambodia’s provinces. The aim of these bulletins is to share our collective views, concerns and recommendations as the Royal Government of Cambodia implements its roadmap towards a national REDD Plus programme strategy. The IP Working Group on REDD Plus comprises contacts from IP communities who have volunteered to assist in information dissemination, awareness raising and capacity building in respect of REDD Plus activities. Each bulletin will report our views about, and recommendations for, the National REDD Plus programme under six major themes. We believe that these will be relevant and crucial for all stakeholders to respect and p...

Press Conference: “HALT THE DISCUSSION AND LEGALIZATION OF THE DRAFT ACT ON ERADICATION OF FOREST DESTRUCTION (RUU P2H) Press Conference “HALT THE DISCUSSION AND LEGALIZATION OF THE DRAFT ACT ON ERADICATION OF FOREST DESTRUCTION (RUU P2H) Indigenous Peoples’ Alliance of the Archipelago (AMAN) Indigenous Peoples have long been urging the forest reform. In each Congress of the Indigenous Peoples of the Archipelago (KMAN), National Working Meeting of AMAN (Rakernas AMAN) and meeting of AMAN’s various level organizers, criticism directed at the Act No. 41/1999 on Forestry (UUK) is always present. The criticisms and urges voiced to reform forestry law started from UUK are based on the reality that since being legalized fourteen years ago, UUK has been practically traumatizing indigenous peoples. It has become a legal basis for the seizure of ancestral domains by the state, mostly followed by the criminalization of and violence against Indigenous Peoples. The state usually gives the seize...

Briefing on Indigenous Peoples on REDD Plus in Cambodia (English and Khmer Languages) What issues does REDD Plus address? Cambodia is rich in forest resources but these are diminishing. There is a link between forests and emissions of carbon dioxide, which is one of the `greenhouse gases’ that are damaging the earth’s protective ozone layer and allowing the sun’s rays to boost global warming. On the other hand, healthy and well-managed forests and ecosystems help to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. There is thus a clear international incentive for a mechanism such as REDD Plus that will enable the sustainable management of forests. How does REDD Plus work? The Cambodian Government is committed to combating climate change, and innovative financing in forestry is part of this. REDD is a UN initiative and stands for Reducing Emissions through Deforestation and Forest Degradation. In simple terms, the idea is that developed countries with high c...

Big agribusiness at the Cambodian forest frontier: will REDD+ be able to compete? Anna Bolin 14 Mar 2013 Pressure from the illegal cross-border timber trade with Thailand, Lao PDR and Vietnam has always been high on forests in Cambodia’s most remote north-east, east and western provinces. Additional pressures in these border areas stem from the activities linked to the military[1][i]. However, the strongest driver of deforestation in Cambodia is large-scale agribusiness, whose expansion is aided by the Royal Government of Cambodia’s policy of promoting agro-industrial plantations. This is often done at the expense of the country’s land tenure and protected area laws, as well as conservation and community forestry initiatives, such as REDD+ projects. Although figures vary total forest cover is estimated to be 57%, with an annual average deforestation rate of 0.8%. In the border areas deforestation rates have historically been above the national average, in so...