Homenaje a los Guardianes de la Naturaleza

On 9 August 1994, the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples was established by the United Nations Assembly to commemorate and appreciate the cultural contribution and traditions that indigenous communities bring to the world. According to the World Bank, there are around 476 million people in the world who are considered indigenous, representing 6% of the world's population. Unfortunately, they are also part of the 19% of those in extreme poverty and with a life expectancy 20 years below the normal average. That is why they are considered vulnerable peoples. Importantly, indigenous peoples occupy only a quarter of the world's land area, they have managed to protect 80% of the world's remaining biodiversity. The following map shows the indigenous presence in the world (Credit: Landmark)

But they have a role beyond being ambassadors of culture and identity for their regions. They are one of the key players in the climate crisis that the world is facing and trying to find an early solution through rapid, inclusive and effective climate action in all countries, leaving no one behind. Let me give you an example of the social and environmental issues related to climate change. Only in 2020, the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation (MINAGRI) stated that Peru lost 51% of its glaciers due to global warming, a record in the last 50 years. So far, 2 glaciers have been extinguished out of the 18 in the Peruvian mountain ranges. An enigmatic example is the famous Pastoururi glacier which has retreated more than 650 metres, and even the local people have created "The Climate Change Route" to raise awareness among the tourists who visit every year (Credit: Viajes National Geographic).

The role that indigenous peoples play in the fight against accelerated and uncontrolled global warming is highly important. Not for nothing are they considered the "Guardians of Nature". In addition to safeguarding 80% of the world's remaining biodiversity, they represent an opportunity for the global community to reorient the way it interacts with nature and build resilience for all by collaborating and learning from their sustainable, natural and non-excessive circularity-oriented ways of life.

"Indigenous communities are actively involved in the management and care of our communities. This sustainable management of biodiversity will be passed on to our young people, who will continue to do so for a long time to come," said Dr Victoria Qutuuq Buschman, a holder of Arctic Inuit knowledge, speaking of the importance of involving indigenous experts in climate policy and action.

The importance and potential of indigenous practices have also been strongly recognised by the scientific community as key approaches for the development and implementation of countries' National Climate Action Plans (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) under the Paris Agreement.

"Indigenous peoples have faced adaptation challenges for centuries and have developed strategies for resilience in changing environments that can enrich and strengthen current and future adaptation efforts." - IPCC AR6

As the world scales up climate action, proven and demonstrated indigenous practices, such as those mentioned below, have an important role to play. The FAO lists some of them:

1. Their agricultural practices are resilient to climate change.

Over the centuries, indigenous peoples have developed farming techniques that are adapted to extreme environments, such as the high altitudes of the Andes, the dry grasslands of Kenya or the extreme cold of northern Canada. These time-tested techniques, such as terracing, which stops soil erosion, or floating gardens, which make use of flooded fields, mean that indigenous peoples have built systems that are appropriate for the increasingly intense weather events and temperature changes brought about by climate change.

2. They conserve and restore forests and natural resources.

Indigenous peoples feel connected to nature and feel part of the system in which they live. Natural resources are seen as shared property and are respected as such. By protecting natural resources such as forests and rivers, many indigenous communities help mitigate the effects of climate change.

3. Indigenous foods broaden and diversify diets

Today, the world relies heavily on a small set of staple crops. Wheat, rice, potatoes and maize account for 50% of our daily calories. With nutrient-dense native crops such as quinoa, oca and moringa, indigenous peoples' food systems can help the rest of humanity broaden its limited food base.

4. Indigenous foods are resilient to climate change

Many indigenous peoples live in extreme environments and have therefore chosen crops that are adapted to such conditions. Indigenous peoples often grow native species that are better suited to local contexts and are more resilient to drought, altitude, flooding or other extreme conditions. More widely grown in agriculture, these crops can contribute to increasing the resilience of agricultural production in the face of today's increasingly changing climate.

5. Indigenous territories hold 80% of the world's biodiversity

Biodiversity conservation is essential for food security and nutrition. The heritage of plant and animal species is found in forests, rivers, lakes and grasslands. By living a sustainable natural life, indigenous peoples preserve these environments, which helps to maintain the biodiversity of plants and animals in nature.

6. Indigenous peoples' lifestyles are adapted to the spaces they inhabit and are respectful of natural resources.

Indigenous peoples have adapted their ways of life to suit and respect their environment. In the mountains, the systems created by indigenous peoples conserve soil, reduce erosion, conserve water and reduce disaster risk. In the rangelands, indigenous pastoral communities manage livestock grazing and cultivation sustainably so that grasslands preserve their biodiversity. In the Amazon, ecosystems improve when indigenous people inhabit them.

THE GRATITUDE VIDEO:

Climate Change leads to an increase in very dangerous infectious diseases such as cholera, malaria or dengue fever, which normally indigenous communities who do not have access to medical care face. Another negative impact are the territorial displacements that occur due to biofuel projects or the so-called CDM projects that consist of forestation with pine and eucalyptus trees, which ends up displacing indigenous peoples from their territories, thus threatening the possibility of continuing their climate change mitigation strategies.

GREEN DREAMS recognises indigenous communities as key partners in the fight against hunger and in the search for solutions to climate change. Despite all the scientific research being carried out, a sustainable solution to either the climate crisis or the global malnutrition crisis cannot be secured in the long term without adequate guidance and support from indigenous peoples. None of this will be possible without the fulfilment and concrete legalisation of their rights as peoples by their governments and institutions. For these reasons, today on their day GREEN DREAMS would like to respectfully pay tribute to all indigenous peoples and has compiled some messages from volunteers around the world. We have called the video. "Video of Gratitude".

Thanks for reading!