The Indigenous Peoples’ Biocultural Climate Change Assessment Initiative (IPCCA) seeks to link traditional and western knowledge in order to influence local, national and international levels of decision-making on Climate Change adaptation. Under the IPCCA model, Local Assessments have been carried out by project partners in Peru, Panama, Ecuador, North-West America, Finland, Africa, India, Thailand, China and the Philippines, under the coordination of the IPCCA Secretariat, hosted by the Asociacion ANDES, in Cusco, Peru. 

The desire to influence policy took representatives of the IPCCA and ANDES to the COP21 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Paris in November and December 2015. This event brought together world leaders and policy makers, as well as a large number of indigenous, farmer and environmental groups. IPCCA and ANDES shared their experience and perspectives at a number of events, including:

· November 26-27 –UNESCO side event “Resilience in times of uncertainty: Indigenous Peoples facing climate change”

· November 28 – December 1 – side event “Convention of the guardians of mother earth”, hosted by the French organization for Indigenous Peoples Planete Amazon

· December 1 – “International Network of Living Labs of Climate Change and Adaptation”, workshop organized by IPCCA and ANDES, with the Peruvian Ministry for Environment

· December 1 – IPCCA hosted an event in the Indigenous Pavilion, in the Climate Generations Space, open to public

· December 3 - “Indigenous Knowledge and Climate Futures: The IPCCA Synthesis Report”

· December 4 – “Integrating ecosystem- and community-based adaptation for systemic solutions”, organized by Norwegian organization focusing on Climate Change, Bellona/CICERO

· December 7 - side event organized by International Institute of Environment and Development (IIED)

· December 8 – “Supporting poor, vulnerable and indigenous communities”, hosted by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)

· December 8 – panel presentation at event hosted by The Consortium for the sustainable development of the Andean eco-region (CONDESAN)

Thanks to these capable presenters, the IPCCA and ANDES were well represented at the COP 21:

· Alejandro Argumedo (IPCCA and ANDES, Peru)

· Krystyna Swiderska (IIED, UK)

· Mindahi Bastida (Center for Earth Ethics, Columbia University, USA)

· Ben Orlove (School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University, USA)

· Yiching Song (Chinese Center for Agricultural Policy, China)

· Lino Mamani Huarka (ANDES, Potato Park, Peru)

· Kittisak Rattanakrajangsri (Indigenous Peoples Foundation for Education and Environment, Thailand)

Following the COP21, IPCCA, ANDES and partner organizations, including the International Network of Mountain Indigenous Peoples (INMIB), will continue to forge connections and promote sharing of knowledge between local communities, scientists and policy makers, to incorporate the concerns, knowledge and strategies of indigenous peoples and smallholder farmers in climate adaptation.

For more information, contact Alejandro Argumedo at (+51 84) 24 5021, or alejandro@andes.org.pe . 

For pictures of the events and more details:

IPCCA on Facebook 

ANDES on Facebook