Asia report on climate change and indigenous people

The impacts of climate change are severe for at least 260 million indigenous peoples in Asia. The effects of warming temperature, extreme weather events, unpredictable seasons and sea level rise include loss of lives and property, loss of traditional livelihoods, food insecurity, environmental degradation, loss of biodiversity and related indigenous knowledge systems and practices, worsening health problems and disruption of indigenous communities’ social and cultural life.

While States are obliged to come up with National Action Plans to address the issue of climate change, it appears that not all governments in Asia have developed plans, policies and measures towards decreasing greenhouse gas emissions and preparing their citizenry to adapt to the consequences of climate change. Moreover, there are hardly any programs directed at the particular problems and situations faced by indigenous peoples in relation to climate change. Much less can you find meaningful participation of indigenous peoples in the formulation of government plans and strategies addressing climate change. Many Asian States still fail to fully recognize indigenous peoples and to acknowledge their valuable contribution to climate change mitigation and adaptation.

 

This report is a summary of national reports of indigenous peoples from 12 countries in Asia and the results of the regional  preparatory meeting of Asia indigenous peoples for the 21st Session of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of Parties (COP21).

This regional preparatory meeting, which was organized by Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP) on September 16-18, 2015 in Chiang Mai, Thailand, was participated by 30 selected indigenous peoples’ representatives coming from Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Thailand, Lao PDR, Taiwan/China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal, the Philippines and Vietnam, including  representatives of regional networks of indigenous women, indigenous youth and indigenous persons with disabilities