Context

Indigenous peoples and local communities have the knowledge amassed through generations of close contact with nature. The inclusion of such knowledge can contribute to overcoming the combined challenges of climate change, food security, biodiversity conservation, and combating desertification and land degradation (IPCC, 2020), and increase prospects for climate resilient development (IPCC, 2022). This is particularly relevant for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region where communities are at the front lines of climate change impacts.

At the same time, the process of developing and implementing climate policies and actions remains scope to strengthen the engagement of indigenous peoples and local communities.

The global community could unlock fundamental changes in its interaction with nature and accelerate collective progress towards meeting the Paris Agreement commitments and reserve biodiversity decline, through meaningful and equitable engagement of the knowledge systems, values and practices of indigenous peoples and local communities.

Purpose

• To exchange experiences and observations of climate change impacts on livelihoods and ecosystems in the MENA region, and foster inclusive and equitable partnership between indigenous peoples, local communities, Parties and other relevant entities in the global effort to address climate change;
• To engage with concrete practices of indigenous peoples and local communities related to collective stewardship of nature and strengthened climate action;
• To amplify the voices of indigenous peoples and local communities to inform the design and implementation of climate policies and actions.