Hosted by the Global Alliance of Territorial Communities during New York Climate Week 2024, the Shandia Forum will bring together Indigenous Peoples and Local Community leaders with government, philanthropy, and private sector leaders to reshape climate and biodiversity financing.
During the Forum we will build momentum for the policies and pledges Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities need to protect their rights and territories. We will address methods for tracking financing and showcase the great progress done by indigenous and community-led funds.
Throughout three days during New York Climate Week, the forum aims to recenter Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities in climate and biodiversity financing, proving once again their vital role as forest and biodiversity guardians.
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We are strengthening direct regional and national funding mechanisms, fostering capacity-building, facilitating experience exchange, and enhancing dialogue with donors and partners like the Forest Tenure Funders Group (FTFG) and the Forest & Climate Leaders Partnership (FCLP).
By bringing together leaders from governments, philanthropies, and the private sector, the Forum aims to reshape global financing strategies. The discussions will focus on ensuring that IP&LCs receive the resources they need to continue their critical work, which is not just a matter of justice but a strategic imperative for the planet’s future.
The forum is a vital gathering that addresses the profound inequalities and challenges faced by Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IP&LCs) in accessing climate and biodiversity financing.
Despite being the most effective stewards of the planet’s remaining forests and ecosystems -with 36% of the world’s intact forests under indigenous stewardship- IP&LCs continue to receive only a small fraction of the funds needed to protect their lands and sustain their livelihoods.
The Forum provides a crucial platform for discussing these issues, emphasising the need for more direct funding mechanisms that prioritise IP&LCs’ leadership in climate action and biodiversity conservation.
Establish and grow their own funding mechanisms, implementing initiatives that respond to on the ground needs.
Foster meaningful dialogue with governments in the Forest & Climate Leaders Partnership and the Forest Tenure Funders Pledge group to advance the policy.
Enhance tracking of financial flows by establishing a single metric to track investment to the territories.
Showcase the significant progress made by IP&LC-led mechanisms as a result of increased direct investments and inspire further investments for upscaled implementation of community-led projects.
Prioritize the commitment to direct funding to IP&LCs in the construction of the new FTFG Pledge.
Establish the GATC as a decision-making partner in the FCLP, especially in topics regarding funding for territorial rights in the participating countries.
Spotlight the Brazilian and Congo Basin fund, both of them are currently developing as part of the Shandia network of funds.
Consolidate the crucial role of the Shandia Platform as a promoter of knowledge exchange between mechanisms, articulator of various tropical forest peoples, facilitator of new mechanisms, and a key player in climate and biodiversity financing negotiations.
Collaborate with multi/bilateral actors and civil society organizations to implement a common framework for tracking funds for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities, building on the progress made in this regard over the past year.
Exchange processes and experiences among IP&LC-led mechanisms in a peer-to-peer learning methodology, inspiring more action in the funding landscape.
Systematize best practices in funding centered on women, girls, and youth, as a foundation for constructing a policy paper that can serve as a model for IP&LC mechanisms and future policy initiatives.
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Rainforest Foundations US is our fiscal sponsor. For any letters and parcels, please direct to:
Rainforest Foundation US
P.O. Box 26908
Brooklyn, NY 11202