International Indigenous Peoples Forum on Climate Change (IIPFCC) Statement for AWG-KP Contact Group on “Taking Stock” , UN UNFCCC CMP 6/COP 16 –

Presented by Tarcila Rivera Zea, Quechua (Peru) Foro Internacional de Mujeres Indigenas, December 7th, 2010
Indigenous Peoples attending this Conference recognize and appreciate the importance of several references to the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in document CRP 2, in particular in the section regarding forests and REDD. However, we affirm our strong commitment to the inclusion of human rights and specifically the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as recognized in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in the final text under Shared Vision. We thank the states which have continued to advocate for this, and we request that other states also make this a priority in the negotiations during the rest of this week.

At this opportunity for “Taking Stock” we reiterate our urgent call upon the Parties to produce, at the very least, a framework for a legally-binding outcome which will be agreed at COP 17 for a further commitment period for Annex I Parties. The political will and moral obligation of States, especially those that are most industrialized, must take the form of stringent, legally-binding commitments to reduce emissions while there is still time to act.

Indigenous Peoples reaffirm our support for a binding aggregate emissions reduction target for developed countries (Annex 1) of at least 50% below 1990 levels by 2020 and at least 95% by 2050. This binding agreement must support using a fund-based approach as an alternative to market-based financial mechanisms for mitigation to enable implementation of projects based on sustainable development models with the full and effective participation of Indigenous Peoples based on free prior and informed consent. Thank you.