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