Peoples Forests Partnership Welcomed Four Leading Indigenous Organizations as New Members at COP-27

In Coming Weeks, Additional Indigenous Organizations and Companies are Expected to Join the Coalition to Scale Direct Climate Finance to Communities

November 23, 2022 / On November 14, 2022 in the COP27 in Sharm El Sheik, the Peoples Forest Partnership celebrated its Second General Assembly and reviewed membership applications from several Indigenous and local community organizations seeking to join the Partnership.

The Peoples Forests Partnership is a major global initiative to rapidly scale up climate finance going directly to Indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs). The Partnership launched a call in advance of COP27 for new membership applications from Indigenous organizations, conservation groups, companies, investors, and NGOs who support the growth of equitable and high-integrity community-based carbon projects and will commit to the Partnership’s principles.

Member organizations will have opportunities to participate in direct dialogues between IPLCs, carbon project developers, and funders, as well as access to technical support, information, and other resources.

From left to right: Alex Abramonte (CONAP), Deborah Sanchez (AMPB), Regan Pairojmahakija (RECOFTC), Magaly Sebastian (CONAP), Oseas Barberan (CONAP), Beto Borges (Forest Trends), Carla Cardenas (Forest Trends), Gustavo Sanchez (AMPB), Anna Lehman (Wildlife Works), Lola Piyaguaje (CONFENIAE), Malavika Prassana (Wildlife Works), Rocío Escudero (CONAP), Domingo Peas (Cuencas Sagradas), Belén Pàez (Cuencas Sagradas)

New members will join Peoples Forests Partnership founding members including the National Organization of the Indigenous Peoples of the Colombian Amazon (OPIAC), the Mesoamerican Alliance of People and Forests (AMPB), RECOFTC, Forest Trends, the Center for Indigenous Peoples' Research and Development, Wildlife Works, Everland, and GreenCollar.

Indigenous Peoples organizations applying for membership at the General Assembly included:

• Confederación de Nacionalidades Indígenas de de la Amazonia Ecuatoriana (CONFENIAE)

• Confederación de Nacionalidades Amazónicas del Perú (CONAP)

• Sacred Headwaters Initiative, from Ecuador and Perú

• Ixtlan de Juarez from Oaxaca Mexico

• Regional Committee of Parcerías of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities

• IPACC, Indigenous Peoples of Africa Coordinating Committee

• Tribes and Nature Defenders from Philippines

• Banyang MBO Bassosi, Landscape Forest Management Association from Bangem Cameroon

NGO Pachamama Foundation and Colombian private sector project developer Biofix also submitted applications for membership.

The Assembly voted to accept CONFENIAE, CONAP, Sacred Headwaters Initiative and Pachamama, all of which had representatives present. Evaluation of the remaining applications will proceed after the COP. The Assembly required the Peoples Forests Partnership Secretariat, NGO Forest Trends, to schedule virtual meetings with the organizations and companies that have applied to hear directly from them about their interest to participate in Peoples Forests Partnership.

Domingo Peas (Cuencas Sagradas)

Indigenous Leaders that were present in the Assembly expressed:

“We are so happy for the invitation. We receive in our communities companies that have been offering money and that ask for signatures on contracts to sell our carbon. However, we don’t trust them and their intentions. When I found the Peoples

Forests Partnership, I knew immediately that this initiative will be respectful with our rights and this is an Initiative that we can trust.”

-Oseas Barberan, President of Confederación de Nacionalidades Amazónicas del Perú (CONAP)

From left to right: Oseas Barberan (CONAP), Belén Pàez (Cuencas Sagradas), Lola Piyaguaje (CONFENIAE)

“For Indigenous Peoples it is important to learn from the different initiatives that are working with carbon projects to be able to understand better and take informed decisions, or design our own initiatives, because we are the ones who are working day by day conserving the forest and providing a service to mitigate climate change.”

-Lola Piyaguaje, Vice President of the Confederación de Nacionalidades Indígenas de de la Amazonia Ecuatoriana (CONFENIAE)

“I am happy to see so many applications from Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities today. It triggers a huge responsibility for us - the private sector - to channel financing that respects the rights of indigenous peoples and respects IPLCs as peers in this Initiative.”

-Mike Korchinsky, Founder and CEO, Wildlife Works

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About the Peoples Forests Partnership:

The Peoples Forests Partnership is a major global initiative to rapidly scale up climate finance going directly to Indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs). Launched at COP26, the Peoples Forests Partnership aims to use the voluntary carbon markets to assure equitable, accessible, and culturally appropriate investment partnerships with IPLCs to protect the environment, while setting the best-in-class standard for forest communities to engage with climate finance. The Peoples Forests Partnership is aiming to mobilize $20 billion annually by 2030 in direct private investment in community-driven forest conservation and restoration projects.

For enquiries about the Peoples Forests Partnership and the application process, contact:

Carla Cardenas, Senior Manager, Peoples Forests Partnership & Climate Policy Advisor, Forest Trends / ccardenas@forest-trends.org