Indigenous peoples disappointed by results

The representatives of the indigenous peoples at the World Climate Conference in Poznan have reacted with great disappointment to the final report on the so-called REDD-Process (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation). „The indigenous peoples were excluded by the stroke of a pen by the industrial countries although the survival of many indigenous peoples depends on the forests”, reported the Society for Threatened Peoples (GfbV) on Friday in Göttingen. It is precisely the indigenous peoples as „the guardians of the forests” with their traditional way of life who make an important contribution to the protection and maintenance of their natural environment and who ought to be involved when it is a matter of making vital decisons.

„It is clear that the governments want to take the decisions on the use or protection of the forests or barter with carbon dioxide certificates without asking the inhabitants of the forests. This is outrageous for the people involved”, criticised the GfbV consultant for indigenous peoples, Yvonne Bangert.

„The indigenous peoples were able to make it clear at the conference that their communities, which neither cause greenhouse gases nor destroy forests, are much more forcefully affected by storms, flood-waves, landslides, droughts or famines than any other population”, said Rebecca Sommer, who was sent by the GfbV to Poznan as an observer.

The International Indigenous Peoples´ Forum on Climate Change calls for the setting up of an emergency fund for the indigenous peoples as first victims of the climate change. The main claim of the Forum is however the implementation of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples passed by the UN General Assembly in 2007 in the framework of the Climate protocol. Here it was laid down that serious discussions with all affected communities are to be conducted against the change of climate. There are throughout the world about 5000 indigenous peoples with altogether 3.5 million members.