North America

Notice on Co-moderator for Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue in Bonn, May 2018

From the IIPFCC-GSC Co-chairs: In accordance with the proposed timeline, with a deadline of the 23rd of April, the regions had an opportunity to comment on the selection of Mr. Roberto Múkaro Borrero as co-moderator, and with the assumption that no objection is a signal of support, Mr. Borrero has been confirmed as the Co-moderator for the workshop to be held in exactly one week. Now we should be looking at the design and substance of this workshop, and we look to Roberto to start the process of gathering input from the regions. 

Terms of Reference for Co-Moderator
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At COP23, Moving toward Greater Engagement with Indigenous Peoples

As an advisor to the Métis National Council, I was part of Canada’s delegation to the recent Twenty-third Conference of the Parties (COP23) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It took place November 6–17 in Bonn, Germany, and was presided over by Fiji.

The Métis National Council represents the Métis Nation at national and international levels. The Métis are one of three Indigenous peoples that are recognized in the Canadian Constitution. The Métis Nation is seeking a greater and more meaningful role in addressing and managing climate change. Nationally, this means engaging with the Canadian government on a nation-to-nation, government-to-government basis.

Internationally, this could mean attending international fora such as COP23 to participate in international climate change discussions. The Métis National Council’s objective for going to COP23 was to launch the Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform. Paragraph 135 of Decision 1/CP.21, agreed in Paris during COP21, established the platform, which “recognizes the need to strengthen knowledge, technologies, practices and efforts of local communities and indigenous peoples related to addressing and responding to climate change and establishes a platform for the exchange of experiences and sharing of best practices in mitigation and adaptation in a holistic and integrated manner.”

Climate change is a priority for the Métis Nation, whose relationship to the lands and resources on its traditional territory is at the core of Métis Nation identity. Métis people and other Indigenous peoples live and work on the land and feel the first effects of climate change. Water levels rising in the Pacific, ice melting in the Arctic, and forest fires and floods displacing people are but some examples. It is critical that the Indigenous peoples’ voices are heard, and the Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform can be the vehicle for achieving this.

The International Indigenous Peoples’ Forum on Climate Change (IIPFCC) was established in 2008 as the caucus for Indigenous peoples participating in UNFCCC processes. This group was present at COP23. They are organized by seven regions: Africa, the Arctic, Asia, North America, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Pacific, and Russia and Eastern Europe. The IIPFCC worked long and hard to achieve consensus on launching the platform and I felt honoured to have met and worked with them throughout this process.

I worked closely with my counterparts from the Assembly of First Nations (AFN), the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK), and the Inuit Circumpolar Council Canada (ICC Canada). We attended meetings with the IIPFCC, developing positions and trying to achieve consensus, observing informal negotiations, and participating in informal sessions and other side negotiations. Canada worked closely with the Métis National Council as well as with the AFN, the ITK and the ICC to develop negotiating positions. The negotiators worked hard to represent our interests.

After many twists and turns, the decision to begin operationalizing the platform was approved by COP23. The draft decision’s preamble recalls the United Nations Declaration on Indigenous Peoples and emphasizes “the role of local communities and indigenous peoples in achieving the targets and goals set in the Convention, the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and recognizing their vulnerability to climate change.”

The platform will deliver knowledge, capacity for engagement and climate change policies and actions, as stated in the draft decision’s paragraph 6. Among other things, the knowledge function should promote exchange of experiences and best practices respecting traditional knowledge, as well as practices and efforts of local communities and Indigenous peoples related to addressing and responding to climate change. The knowledge function is to take into account the free, prior and informed consent of the knowledge holders, their innovations and practices (para 6(a)). As for capacity for engagement, the platform “should build the capacities of indigenous peoples and local communities to enable their engagement in the UNFCCC process” (para 6(b)). Finally, the platform “should facilitate the integration of diverse knowledge systems…in a manner that respects and promotes the rights and interests of local communities and indigenous peoples” (para 6(c)).

The Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform is a stepping stone to greater engagement of Indigenous peoples and local communities where these voices can be heard. The platform’s first activity will be a multi-stakeholder workshop on implementing the functions referred to in paragraph 6. The Métis Nation hopes to be a part of the full “operationalization” of the platform and of a future where Indigenous peoples are heard by all parties.

PROGRAM

INTERNATIONAL LAW

The opinions expressed in this article/multimedia are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of CIGI or its Board of Directors.

About the Author

Traditional Knowledge and Climate Change

September 11-12 2017, Indigenous Peoples from all regions met with States, UN bodies (UNFCCC and UNESCO) in Ottawa Canada to continue discussing the implementation of operative paragraph 135 of the United Nations Paris Agreement.  OP 135 recognizes the need to strengthen Indigenous Peoples’ “knowledge, practices, innovations and efforts” and also calls for the development of a new Traditional Knowledge Exchange Platform to mitigate Climate Change.

In this and other dialogues, IITC has continued to call upon States to change the policies and practices that undermine Indigenous Peoples ability to practice and protect their traditional knowledge in their homelands. These include industrial agriculture using GMO’s and pesticides, habitat destruction, restrictions on access to traditional lands and water, Treaty violations and continued fossil fuel development, as well as failure to implement Indigenous Peoples’ rights to Free Prior and Informed Consent and Cultural Heritage, among others.

IITC also continued to underscore the need to include Indigenous Traditional Knowledge holders, elders and practitioners in the development and implementation of the new Exchange Platform.  For example the participants in the 3rd International Indigenous Peoples Corn Conference, March 7 – 9, 2017, Tecpan, Guatemala, affirmed “that the new Platform for Traditional Knowledge Exchange under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is developed with the full and equal participation of Indigenous Peoples from all regions and especially our knowledge holders and traditional food producers and in a manner that fully respects our rights, traditional indigenous sciences and the richness of our ancestral knowledge” (from The Declaration of Tecpán).

The development of the Traditional Knowledge Exchange Platform will be a focus for IITC’s and other Indigenous Peoples’ participation in the 23rd Conference of the Parties of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change which will take place in Bonn Germany from November 6-17, 2017.

Source: https://www.iitc.org/traditional-knowledge-climate-change/

A message from Jesse Young, Office of the Special Envoy for Climate Change, U.S. Department of State

A message from Jesse Young, Office of the Special Envoy for Climate Change, U.S. Department of State: Please join U.S. Special Envoy for Climate Change Jonathan Pershing for an after-action conference call with civil society organizations on the outcomes of COP-22 in Marrakesh, Morocco. For both those that joined us in Morocco and those that did not, this call will be a useful opportunity to discuss the lay of the land now that the meeting has wrapped.

Tuesday, Nov. 22, 11:00 AM [EST]

Dial-in (U.S.): (800) 230-1093              Confirmation Number: 407249

 

COP22 comes to a close

 Prayer circle in solidarity with the Standing Rock Tribe in front of the UNFCCC Conference site on November 15th, 2016 in Marrakech, Morocco. Photo credit: Kayla Faith

 Prayer circle in solidarity with the Standing Rock Tribe in front of the UNFCCC Conference site on November 15th, 2016 in Marrakech, Morocco. Photo credit: Kayla Faith

  By India Logan-Riley, Aotearoa, Pacific Indigenous Peoples Delegation

The first Conference of the Parties since the creation and entering into force of the Paris Agreement has come to a close. Although there are many aspects of the negotiations that concern the International Indigenous Peoples Forum on Climate Change, this particular CoP has seen large step forward for our engagement with the UNFCCC process.

Systemi n olonia arrier ull, ffectiv n eaningfu articipatio it h NFCCC

structur n ecisio akin rocesse ontinue halleng ha ndigenous Peoples meet. ecisio , ar 3 a mportan ste orwar ncludin ndigenou eople h NFCC tructur n ecisio akin rocesses. Th IPFCC wer nthusiasti bou h reation, tructur n mplementatio hi latform.

As of the closing plenary, the Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples platform was made official. The CoP President announced the following decision regarding the platform:

•        To adopt an incremental approach to developing the local communities and indigenous peoples platform, referred to in decision 1/CP.21 paragraph 135, with a view to ensuring its effective operationalization;

•        To request the Chair of the SBSTA to initiate the process to develop the local communities and indigenous peoples platform, which will include convening an open multi-stakeholder dialogue at SBSTA 46 on the operationalization of the platform to be co-moderated by the Chair of the SBSTA and a representative of indigenous peoples organizations;

•        To invite Parties and other stakeholders to submit, by 31 March 2017, their views on the purpose, content and structure of the platform in order to inform the multi-stakeholder dialogue;

•        To request the secretariat to prepare a report on the multi-stakeholder dialogue, which should also draw on the submissions;

•        To also request the SBSTA to consider the report at SBSTA 47 under a new agenda item "local communities and indigenous peoples platform" and conclude its consideration at SBSTA 47 by forwarding recommendations  for  operationalization of the platform  to COP23.

Th latfor as been stablishe ecognitio h ee trengthe h nvolvemen f knowledge, echnologies, ractice n ffort ndigenou eople l limat hange action, n o h xchang xperience n harin es ractice itigatio nd adaptatio olisti n ntegrate anner.

This process over the last two weeks has not been smooth. There were times when we had to remind those involved that Indigenous Peoples in a way that is consistent with UNDRIP and other international legal expectations. However, we applaud the commitment to actioning this platform and look forward to the full, effective and meaningful partnership with the UNFCCC moving forward.

  

Last session of the Indigenous Peoples Caucus at COP 22 held in the city of Marrakech, Morocco

Last session of the Indigenous Peoples Caucus at COP 22 held in Marrakech, Morocco, November 18, 2016

Last session of the Indigenous Peoples Caucus at COP 22 held in Marrakech, Morocco, November 18, 2016

A message from Adelfo Regino, Latin American Caucus: During the last session of the Indigenous Peoples Caucus at COP 22, held in Marrakech, Morocco, we had a dialogue with government representatives from Ecuador, Guatemala and Australia.

In this meeting we have be made aware of the proposal being made by the President of COP 22 regarding the establishment of a “Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform” in this Climate Change process. I have attached the text, which is only available in English. We are looking for a way to translate into Spanish.

We will be attentive to the evolution of the negotiations in this last day of session. Let's hope there's good news for the Indigenous Peoples of the world.

Indigenous Womens’ Day at COP22

By Genevieve Northey

On Wednesday, 16th November, the Women and Gender Caucus held the second Indigenous Womens’ Day at COP22. All seven regions of the world was represented in the room, with a panel discussion taking place with women from the Arctic, Pacific, Latin America Africa and Asia speaking on their own experiences from the home region.

Although from different and diverse regions of the world, the themes had the common thread of protecting their environment and culture to preserve their way life. The speakers also reiterated the importance of Indigenous women having a space in which to participate in a meaningful way with their governments and in high-level discussions, like those taking place at COP22, on the issue of climate change.

Indigenous women are proud to be part of the solution for Climate Change, through their traditional knowledge and infinity with the environment, which has been passed down through the generations.

The group called on more capacity building funds for indigenous women, so they may participate fully in the high-level meetings and negotiations with the required technical skills. They also called on the need to involve more young indigenous women to come forward and join the constituency to be present to carry the torch forward into the future.

Join the biggest family photo in UNFCCC history for unity and action!

Spread the word!!!! Share this message with everybody!!

Join the biggest family photo in UNFCCC history for unity and action!

We hope you will join us around the message that #WeWillMoveAhead with climate action and climate justice here and beyond COP22. 

 What: Gathering for what will be the biggest ever UNFCCC family photo, around unbranded giant banners that read "We Will Move Ahead"

WhenFriday at 12.45 pm

 WhereIn front of conference center entrance - outside, next to the flags

(don't worry, security promised us they will have extra staff to ensure we can out and back into the venue very fast).

 Why: To send an image to the world that we, the global community, are determined to move on and win the fight against climate change. (And we won't let anyone sabotage the transition to a climate resilient future).

 Message: #WeWillMoveAhead

 Organisers: The photo opportunity is organised by Greenpeace but it will be an unbranded activity open for all COP22 delegates.

 Come over and call on everyone - Let's close COP22 with a message of hope, unity and action to the world! 

Message from: Emily Hickson <ehickson@climatenetwork.org>

Oxford University calling on UNFCCC to halt the marginalisation of Indigenous Peoples

Oxford University Researchers have released a new report calling on UNFCCC to halt the marginalisation of Indigenous Peoples at its annual COP negotiations.

The report identifies three tiers of marginalisation for Indigenous Peoples at the international climate negotiations. 

Full report is available here: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2870412 
Policy brief here: bit.ly/2fI1jR9

In a new working paper released today, researchers at the University of Oxford are calling on the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to address the marginalisation of Indigenous Peoples. They warn that if the leading international climate body continues to marginalise Indigenous knowledge and adaptations, attempts to solve the climate crisis will be in vain.

Oxford University researchers have identified three tiers of marginalisation that exist at UNFCCC COP events, including COP22 taking place in Marrakesh this week:
·      Politically, Indigenous Peoples are not allowed to self-represent; they are simply ‘observers’ to the negotiations. The nation states speaking on their behalf are responsible for their historical and current political marginalisation.
·      Geographically, the space offered to Indigenous Peoples is outside the main negotiating space of the conference.
·      Economically, Indigenous Peoples attendance is restricted by lack of finances. Developed nations and wealthy lobbyists thus dominate the space; Indigenous Peoples often cannot afford translators.

The new paper argues that solving the climate crisis will be unfeasible without the direct input of Indigenous Peoples and their knowledge. Yet, as the paper points out, the marginalisation faced at annual UNFCCC COP events inhibits this. Further, it goes against International human rights, including the right to self-determination.

Lead author Claudia Comberti says: “Rather than acknowledging the key role Indigenous Peoples should play in creating climate solutions, they are segregated at the climate negotiations and not allowed to self-represent. The UNFCCC needs to change this if it is to create fair and adequate solutions to climate change.”

The paper notes that Indigenous Peoples represent the majority of the world’s cultural diversity. Collectively they hold a wealth of environmental knowledge and adaptation strategies that are crucial to addressing climate change. Indigenous Peoples are also experiencing climate change first, and most strongly than other populations.

The paper proposes four actions to radically improve the situation:
1)   Grant Indigenous Peoples full member status at the UNFCCC, so they can self-represent.
2)   Appoint Indigenous Peoples as experts in negotiations around Adaptation and Loss & Damage
3)   Direct and restructure financial streams to increasing autonomy and voice of Indigenous Peoples – including the Green Climate Fund, and finance for translators and travel
4)   Commit to respecting Indigenous Rights and International human rights – an international agreement that the current situation undermines.

The full paper, released today, is based on several months of research, including interviews and observations at previous UNFCCC COP events.

For full article see: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2870412
Policy brief: http://www.eci.ox.ac.uk/publications/policy-brief-pdf/20161116_IP-marginalisation_CComberti.pdf

Agenda for the last day of the COP22 meeting in Marrakesh: Friday, November 18, 2016.

Selection of events

08.00 – 10.00 Arabian Room (Blue zone) 
Indigenous Peoples' Global Caucus Meeting

10.30 – 11.00 Indigenous Peoples’ Pavilion 
Briefing for the Indigenous Peoples' Caucus

11.15 – 12.15 Indigenous Peoples’ Pavilion 
Affordable Green Energy for Poor Communities 
Organizers: Varhad Capital Pvt Ltd (Green Banking Initiative)/Gravity Power

12.30 – 14.00 Indigenous Peoples’ Pavilion 
Lessons from the Canadian Arctic on Adapting to Climate Change 
Organizers: McGill University/Inuit Circumpolar Council, Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated, University of Sunshine Coast

14.15 – 15.15 Indigenous Peoples’ Pavilion 
Organic Value Chains with Moroccan Communities 
Organizers: High Atlas Foundation

15.30 – 18.30 Indigenous Peoples’ Pavilion 
Ancestral techniques of the oases for the management of natural resources 
Organizers: Association Oasis Ferkla pour Environnement et Patrimoine/RADDO,RARBOSM

Agenda prepared by DOCIP

Indigenous Peoples Caucus Reiterates Position on Proposed Platform

The Indigenous Peoples Caucus reiterated their consensus position to the President of COP22, Moroccan Foreign Minister Salaheddine Mezouar at the meeting of the Indigenous Caucus this morning. Hamza Tber, Chief of Staff,&nbsp;Multilateral Negotiatio…

The Indigenous Peoples Caucus reiterated their consensus position to the President of COP22, Moroccan Foreign Minister Salaheddine Mezouar at the meeting of the Indigenous Caucus this morning. Hamza Tber, Chief of Staff, Multilateral Negotiations, Kingdom of Morocco accompanied the COP President at the Caucus. 

IIPFCC proposed elements for an outcome of the informal consultation on the indigenous peoples platform:

- An incremental approach led by the SBTA chair and a representative of Indigenous Peoples appointed by the Indigenous Peoples themselves who will serve as co-facilitators.

- Invite submissions by parties, Indigenous Peoples and observers by 31 March 2017 on the purpose, content and structure of the indigenous peoples´ platform to inform the dialogue and the process.

- Convene 3 consultations, to be conducted by the co-facilitators during May sessions on the operationalization of the platform, including purpose, content and structure.

- Request the co-facilitators to present the outcomes of the consultations for the consideration and adoption at the COP23.

- Request the secretariat, under the guidance of the co-facilitators, to operationalize the platform taking into account the submissions and the outcomes of this dialogue.

We remain available if you require any further information. We are committed to several bilaterals with a number of Parties throughout the day to reiterate our position.
— Ghazali Ohorella to Hamza Tber, Chief of Staff Multilateral Negotiations, Kingdom of Morocco

Action for Standing Rock today

From Alberto Saldamando: Please don’t forget the Indigenous Standing Rock action today,

Ruego no se les olvide la acción Indigena Standing rock ahora.

13:30, RESAURANTS

We would like to have at least one speaker from each region speak

Quisiéramos tener por lo menos un orador por cada región.

Speak to Alberto after the Caucus meeting to line up speakers.

Hablen con Alberto después de la reunión del caucus para establecer los oradores.

 

 

Maatalii Okalik Statement at COP22 High Level Plenary

Maatalii Aneraq Okalik,&nbsp;president of the National Inuit Youth Council with the honorable Catherine Mary McKenna&nbsp;PC MP, Canadian Minister of Environment and Climate Change

Maatalii Aneraq Okalik, president of the National Inuit Youth Council with the honorable Catherine Mary McKenna PC MP, Canadian Minister of Environment and Climate Change

"Qujannamiik ammalu unnukkut. Maatalii Aneraq Okaliujunga.

Warm thanks and good evening. My name is Maatalii Aneraq Okalik, and I am the president of the National Inuit Youth Council within Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, and I am honored to participate at COP, on the Canadian delegation.

Your Excellencies, I commend the work of the parties on the collective effort towards climate action through the Paris Agreement.

Inuit youth in Canada are committed to continuing to exercise our Indigenous right to our culture, language, and way of life as entrenched in the Constitution and international declarations like the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

With your continued leadership that will define our future on climate action, I am hopeful that it is done in cooperation with Indigenous peoples, in platforms, and with respect to our rights, which ultimately support Indigenous self-determination.

Let’s do this together: our collective future depends on it.

Qujannamiik ammalu aakuluuvusi. Thank you."

#InuitYouth #CelebrateLife #ProudToBeInuk #Inuujugut #IndigenousYouth#IndigenousRights #IndigenousCOP22 #UNDRIP

Thousands Take to the Streets in Marrakech to Demand Climate Justice

Indigenous Peoples led Sunday's March in Marrakech, Morocco during the UNFCCC COP 22 Conference

Indigenous Peoples led Sunday's March in Marrakech, Morocco during the UNFCCC COP 22 Conference

On Sunday, November 13, 2016 thousands of Climate Justice allies around the world marched in the streets of Marrakech to call attention to their struggles, their innovative solutions, and to demand real action from the governments meeting at the UNFCCC COP 22 conference. The march was led by Amazigh Indigenous Peoples of Morocco and other parts of North Africa as well as by other Indigenous Peoples from around the world. 

Photo by Emily Arasim/ Women's Earth and Climate Action Network

An Address by John F. Kerry, Secretary of State of the United States of America on Global Climate Change

All registered participants at COP22  are cordially invited to: AN ADDRESS BY JOHN F. KERRY SECRETARY OF STATE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ON GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2016 1:00 P.M. – 1:45 P.M. Climate Action Arena, Area G COP Conference Center Marrakech Doors open at 12:45 p.m; please arrive no later than 12:45 p.m. 

Also, the U.S. Center event to discuss a mid-century strategy (along with Canada’s and Mexico’s) will be at 5:30 PM/17h30 tomorrow (Wednesday) as well. These events stream here, for those not on the ground.
 

Live TODAY from #COP22 in Morocco

Don’t miss Environment and Climate Change Minister Catherine McKenna, along with Canadian youth delegates Maatalii Okalik, Dominique Souris and Meredith Adler live TODAY from #COP22 in Morocco. They’ll be talking youth and climate change, and why the global cooperation COP matters. 1:30PM EST today, right here!

Canada and the world

U.S. delegation briefing at COP-22, Tuesday, Nov. 15th, 2016

A note from Jesse Young, Office of the Special Envoy for Climate Change, U.S. Department of State: The senior leadership of the U.S. delegation at COP-22 will be holding a briefing for U.S. civil society organizations & non-profits. The briefing will take place at 6:30 PM on Tuesday, Nov. 15th -- in Meeting Room 12 (Purple/Area H) 

U.S. Civil Society Briefing - 1:00 PM ROOM 25

The senior leadership of the U.S. delegation here at COP-22 will be holding a briefing for U.S. civil society organizations. We hope you can join us from 1:00 to 2:00 PM (13h00 to 14h00) in Room 25 in the Meeting Room area. If a member of your COP delegation isn’t presently included on this mailing list, please let Catherine know at "Goldberg, Catherine A" <GoldbergCA@state.gov>

Note from Jesse Young, Office of the Special Envoy for Climate Change, U.S. Department of State, YoungJD1@state.gov

Report on Executive Secretary's briefing (Saturday Morning 10AM)

A Note from Alberto Saldamando: 

As I will be unable to attend the Caucus meeting Monday morning, I’m sending a brief report on the Executive Secretary’s briefing today. The important item is that although contact group meetings are open, sometimes they limit observer participation in order to preserve space for the negotiators. But when these meetings have space, even during the session, the chairs can open them up for observers.

Megumi has twitter account, @unfcccobservers and will try to inform when space allows observers that may open up during the meeting.

See you at the march tomorrow!

Alberto Saldamando, (415) 656-9198, Skype: alberto.saldamando, saldamando@sbcglobal.net

Report on Executive Secretary Briefing Saturday 12 Nov.

The Executive Secretary began her remarks by saying that in order to fulfill commitments in the PA need close contact with NGOs.

Each interest group was given an opportunity to ask questions:

Bingo began, but was also seconded by other interest groups, as to how to participate in the sessions of the COP, as experiencing many difficulties. Also inputs into substantive matters also difficult (finance, loss and damage, etc.)

Farmers only reflected disappointment in outcomes of SBSTA.

The Executive Secretary responded by saying that “rulebook” still being written. Although many important issues being discussed at COP where do have submissions from NGOS, the NGOs should foucs on National level in areas such as NDCs and finance. But do have access to meetings through system of badges, because must prioritize space for negotiators. All Plenary sessions open, and only contact groups are closed. Informals can also be open in accordance with SBI discussions. But some sessions very crowded, so need space, but will open when space is available.

Megumi has twitter account, @unfcccobservers and will try to inform when space allows observers that may open up during the meeting.

The Executive Sec. says she has observed much more willingness to have observer participation since her initial COP Cancun 2010.

RINGO Asked about individual submissions, not yet allowed.

Hassan represented IPOs and called for enhanced participation by IPOs in meetings, to allow interventions by IPOs at meetings.

TUNGOs wanted to be associated with technical groups and asked about the bike parking.

 The Executive Sed. response was that bike parking was a challenge. She said that we must see COP as process that continues all year. “we are talking about a structural transformation from coal” and other fossil fuels that will take time and is a very challenging scenario. She mentioned the Indigenous knowledge platform and her office’s efforts to make it happen. She and Megumi also spoke about non-party stakeholder submission due in February to present to the parties at the next intersessional. And if there are any other ideas, please submit them to us so that the secretariat can present them to the Parties.

Saudata representing the Women and Gender interest group asked about the support for women to participate in National level discussions, that it is very difficult in some countries for women to participate. There was no response to this queston.

The meeting closed with three Indigenous organizations and COICA presenting the Executive Secretary with a gift of a drum from the Amazon that represents the voices of youth, women and who present a holistic vision of solutions to climate change, and that we need access to funding in order to implement that vision.