April 2009: The seventh session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UN PFII), which took place from 21 April-2 May 2008, on the theme of “Climate change, biocultural diversity and livelihoods: the stewardship role report of indigenous peoples and new challenges,” recommended the preparation of a report on whether climate change policies and projects adhere to the standards set forth in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The nominated UN PFII special rapporteurs, Hassan Id Balkassm and Paimaneh Hasteh, have prepared a concept note for this study, which seeks to capture the concerns expressed by indigenous peoples at being excluded from the development of national policies and programmes on climate change and from participating in the international dialogue under the UNFCCC (E/C.19/2009/5). The concept note, which recommends a set of issues to be addressed in the report, will be considered by the eighth session of the UN PFII to be held at UN Headquarters, New York, US, from 18-29 May 2009.

The rapporteurs recommend that the report include information on principles of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples such as equality, freedom from discrimination, respect for and promotion of the rights of indigenous peoples, respect for prior and informed consent of indigenous peoples, and participation of indigenous peoples in all stages of decision-making. Issues regarding the standards, duties and obligations in the Declaration, the adherence of climate change policies to those standards, and the biding or voluntary nature of those standards will be explored.
Relevant parties and members of the PFII are invited to submit contributions and studies to inform the report before the end of August 2009. The final report is expected to be presented to the ninth session of the UN PFII. [Eighth session of the UN PFII website] [The concept note]