Our Pledge:
A Call for a Bold New Future
Listen to the voices of Indigenous Peoples, local communities and Afro-descendant Peoples as they share their experiences, challenges, and reflections on the Forest Tenure Pledge and direct funding.
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“Indigenous People have been using their traditional lifestyle. They have been using their traditional knowledge to conserve and protect their environment over the years.”
Our Pledge
For centuries, Indigenous Peoples, local communities, and Afro-descendant Peoples have been the guardians of our planet’s biodiversity and climate. The solutions they offer are among the most effective in the world.
Balkisou Buba, Vice National Coordinator of REPALEAC, Cameroon.
The Indigenous Peoples Forest Tenure Pledge marked a significant step forward in recognizing the critical role of traditional peoples in climate solutions. COP26 was a watershed.
After several years of advocating and demanding direct resources for climate action, Indigenous Peoples achieved an unprecedented victory: renewed hope and the possibility to protect their territories and ways of life.
It meant that the world was starting to recognize their role in fighting climate change. It brought additional funding and attention, and motivated the creation of mechanisms and guidelines by communities.
“The significance was that for the first time we recognised that Indigenous Peoples are key, are critical, are essential to solving the climate challenge.”
Darren Walker, President of the Ford Foundation
These steps taken forward since 2021, need a continuous strand of support, as well as greater ambition, in order to reach humanity’s targets to tackle the climate crisis.
If their territories have stood amongst the best protected on Earth with the amount of resources that have reached them, imagine what they could do with increased support?
We must build on this momentum to secure a future where nature thrives and communities prosper.
We must ensure that Indigenous, Afro-descendant and local communities have greater control over their territories, their livelihoods, and climate funds.
Let’s chip in.
Let’s do what must be done.
Let’s see a bold new pledge.
Our pledge.
“It’s urgent because things are moving. We’ve seen all the climate crises all over the world, like flooding, wildfires. It’s not waiting for us. It’s happening. We have seen all the killing and criminalization of land rights defenders. It’s not waiting. So that’s why it’s very urgent to get this pledge, get it out there.”
Solange Badjiaki-Badji, President and Coordinator of the Rights and Resources Initiative.
Direct Funding to Indigenous Peoples, local communities, and Afro-descendant Peoples to support their self-governance systems, tenure rights, and sustainable livelihoods.
Recognition of Territorial Rights to safeguard nature through traditional knowledge.
Support for Community-Led Conservation Initiatives that prioritize biodiversity conservation and climate resilience.
Join us in calling for
Transparent and Accountable Governance Mechanisms to ensure that funds are used effectively and efficiently.
The Journey of the Indigenous Peoples Forest Tenure Pledge
The Pledge has been paramount. Explore its transformative milestones, from its roots in decades of Indigenous advocacy to its historic launch at COP26, through ongoing implementation and future aspirations. Discover key moments, resources, and voices that drive global efforts for forest tenure and community-led conservation.
Preparation
The Indigenous Peoples Forest Tenure Pledge is deeply rooted in decades of struggle. For years, Indigenous Peoples and local communities have tirelessly advocated for direct funding and their land and human rights to be recognized.
1992
2014
Announcement
At the Climate Change COP26 in Glasgow, the Indigenous Peoples Forest Tenure Pledge was announced—a groundbreaking commitment to channel $1.7 billion to IPLC land tenure and resource rights by 2025. This historic moment was made possible through collaboration between governments and philanthropies, marking a significant step forward in recognizing IPLCs as central to climate and conservation solutions.
2022
2023
2024
Implementation
Implementation of the Indigenous Peoples Forest Tenure Pledge began in earnest following its announcement. Each year has brought new challenges and opportunities to advance IPLC rights, strengthen land tenure, and channel funding directly to communities. Annual reflections at global convenings, such as UNFCCC and CBD events, have provided platforms to share progress, refine strategies, and amplify successes.
Our Pledge
As the Indigenous Peoples Forest Tenure Pledge nears its conclusion, this section offers reflections on its achievements and outlines key recommendations for the future. With IP/LC/ADP-driven solutions at the forefront of biodiversity and climate strategies, the pledge’s legacy sets the stage for new commitments at COP30 and beyond.
Explore the experiences and reflections of Indigenous Peoples, local communities and Afro-descendant Peoples on securing land tenure, protecting nature, and advocating for direct funding.
Help spread the message for a #BoldNewPledge
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Testimonies
“We complement each other, Indigenous Peoples and donors. We have different capacities, different abilities, different purposes, different roles.”
“We have to be realistic. It's not enough. We have to double down and re-commit ourselves to this idea, this idea that the solutions lie with local people.”
“This is the first step that needs to be broken, this paradigm that indigenous peoples are incapable, and their funders need to be very clear about this.”
“Funding with Purpose has shown that since 2020, we have 36% of increased funding going to Indigenous Peoples and local communities, and 72% of that funding came from the 1.7 billion pledge. That's a big beginning and I think we should be seeing more of that.”
“Our role in conservation goes far beyond leaving the land alone, it is a role, much more of use and management.”
“It is important that we strengthen our collaboration and cooperation based on the relation of solidarity, transparency and accountability in real terms.”
“It is important that we strengthen our collaboration and cooperation based on the relation of solidarity, transparency and accountability in real terms.”
“The Tenure Facility is designed to make sure that funding for land rights, dedicated for land rights especially, is channeled directly to Indigenous Peoples’ organizations that are working hard to secure it.”
“I think the trust is in the evidence. You know, there are many, many studies out there that show that places where there is tenure security are better protected.”
“You really need to have a more, I would say, amplified vision of the world and the relation between different ecosystems than only look in on a particular area.”
“I feel that we are also at this opportune moment to be able to bring these initiatives closer and to empower Indigenous women in the different political, economic and cultural contexts.”
“Although it's true that the peoples and communities have never acted based on profit, investments are still needed to achieve these goals.”
“I think we're making a step in the right direction. We just have to keep walking.”
“When we have the resources, people can better walk on the ground, people can better continue using their traditional knowledge, conserving the place, protecting the areas, protecting the wildlife, as well as all the animals and biodiversity species that are found in the forest.”
“We need to start building and gaining those spaces where we were excluded from historically. And one of these spaces is the funding landscape.”
“First of all, the question is that we all need to be involved in governance. Trust comes through participatory governance. That's an important element.”
“These financial mechanisms, whether at the territorial, macro, regional, or national level, are being positioned as complementary, not adversarial, mechanisms. We call it a large ecosystem of indigenous funds that can complement each other, while maintaining autonomy.”
“The communities that the money should go to, let us be part of this conversation.”
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