Indigenous people must be part of the solution to climate change. This is because you have the traditional knowledge of your ancestors. The important value of that knowledge simply cannot—and must not—be understated. You are also essential in finding solutions today and in the future. The Paris Climate Change Agreement recognizes this. It recognizes your role in building a world that is resilient in the face of climate impacts

Humans need to be humbler when interacting with the natural world. We cannot stop sunrise or sunset, nor can we impact winter or the winds. We need to avoid human exceptionalism and stop neglecting nature, whose laws are stronger than those laws of humans.

Biodiversity thrives in the care of Indigenous communities. As much as 80% of the world’s remaining forest biodiversity lies within Indigenous Peoples’ territories, and Indigenous and community lands store at least 24% of the above-ground carbon in the world’s tropical forests