Advancing Support for Indigenous Peoples’ and Local Communities’ Tenure Rights and their Forest Guardianship Glasgow COP26, November 2021.
With reference to the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use of 2 November 2021 and its commitment ‘to working collectively to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030 while delivering sustainable development and promoting an inclusive rural transformation’;
We, the Ministers and representatives of the countries and organisations listed below:
Recognise the critical guardianship provided by Indigenous Peoples and local communities in protecting tropical forests and preserving vital ecosystem services, and the global contribution they make to climate change mitigation, biodiversity preservation, and inclusive and sustainable development.
Acknowledge the land and resource rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities, in accordance with relevant national legislation, the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and other international instruments, as applicable, and that, despite the important role they play in protecting forests and nature, only a small fraction of these communities enjoy secure rights to own, manage, and control land and resources and have access to the support and services required to protect forests and nature and pursue sustainable livelihoods.
Note with concern the rising cases of threats, harassment and violence against Indigenous Peoples and local communities.
Welcome the political leadership and steps taken by many countries to recognise and protect Indigenous Peoples’ and local communities’ land and resource rights, in accordance with relevant national legislation and international instruments, as applicable.
Welcome the initiatives and efforts of Indigenous Peoples and local communities in securing the legal recognition of land and resource rights and in strengthening their institutions, organizations and networks to support concerted action to protect their land, forests and resources.
Commit to renewed collective and individual efforts to further recognise and advance the role of Indigenous Peoples and local communities as guardians of forests and nature, in partnership with governments and other stakeholders, with a particular focus on strengthening land tenure systems, protecting the land and resource rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities, and protecting indigenous and community defenders of forests and nature.
Commit to promote the effective participation and inclusion of Indigenous Peoples and local communities in decision-making and to include, consult and partner with them in the design and implementation of relevant programmes and finance instruments, recognising the specific interests of women and girls, youth, persons with disabilities, and others often marginalised from decision-making.
We are demonstrating our commitment today by announcing an initial, collective pledge of $1.7 billion of financing, from 2021 to 2025, to support the advancement of Indigenous Peoples’ and local communities’ forest tenure rights and greater recognition and rewards for their role as guardians of forests and nature. We call on other donors to significantly increase their support to this important agenda.
This financing will be directed at:
- channelling support to Indigenous Peoples and local communities, including through capacity building and financial support for group activities, collective governance structures and management systems, and sustainable livelihoods;
- activities to secure, strengthen and protect Indigenous Peoples’ and local communities’ land and resource rights, including, but not limited to, support to community-level tenure rights mapping and registration work, support to national land and forest tenure reform processes and their implementation, and support to conflict resolution mechanisms.
Endorsed by: Federal Republic of Germany
Kingdom of Norway
Kingdom of the Netherlands
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United States of America
Ford Foundation
Good Energies Foundation
Oak Foundation
Sobrato Philanthropies
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation
The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
The Christensen Fund
Children’s Investment Fund Foundation
The Protecting our Planet Challenge:
Arcadia
Bezos Earth Fund
Bloomberg Philanthropies
Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation
Nia Tero
Rainforest Trust
Re:wild
Wyss Foundation
Rob and Melani Walton Foundation