UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII). 23nd session
Agenda Item 5(g): “thematic dialogue, including on the financing of Indigenous Peoples’ work and participation in the context of, inter alia, development, climate, environment and biodiversity”
Statement by
The Indigenous Peoples Rights International (IPRI)
Indigenous Peoples Rights International (IPRI) would like to comment on the risks and opportunities and provide recommendations with regards to this year’s thematic dialogue.
Despite our rights affirmed under international law to these lands, territories, and resources, and being custodians of these vast ecosystems, at IPRI we have documented numerous cases of criminalization, violence and impunity against Indigenous Peoples in fortress conservation and on the imposition of energy projects including mining for transition minerals.
On April 12-14, 87 Indigenous representatives from 35 countries in the seven socio-cultural regions of the world discussed the risks and opportunities of the Just Transition and agreed to a Declaration on Indigenous Peoples and the Just Transition which we will share to you and others.
We wish to highlight some key points of the Declaration:
We recognize and support the need to end fossil fuel reliance and shioft to renewable energy but the current trajectory of the energy transition fails to meet the criteria of justice, social equity, and environmental sustainability.
We know that more than 50% of the world’s transition minerals are in our territories, and a large percentage of renewable energy potential is also located” on our lands. “We are alarmed by the grave consequences of mining and deployment of renewable energy development in our territories without our FPIC, violating our rights to self-determination. The demand for mining of transition minerals and metals has huge potential for widescale water pollution and depletion, conflicts, and food insecurity. The expected investments in these areas will further aggravate our human rights situation, including the attacks against Indigenous Human Rights Defenders (IHRDs).
The Indigenous Peoples Declaration on the Just Transition calls upon the States:
- to Legally recognize, respect, guarantee and protect Indigenous Peoples’ rights as enshrined in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and other internationally recognized rights, including in the context of renewable energy and mining of transition minerals.
- Undertake reforms of laws, policies and procedures to end the criminalization of Indigenous Peoples; stop the attacks, assassination, violence, and repression of Indigenous Peoples’ rights defenders; and provide effective access to justice.
- Fast-track divestment from fossil fuels and redirect the funding and subsidies to support Indigenous Peoples self-determined renewable energy development.
- Ensure that energy transition initiatives, such as Just Energy Transition Partnerships, prioritize human rights, Indigenous Peoples’ rights, social equity, cultural integrity, and environmental protection.
- Require corporations to respect Indigenous Peoples’ rights, including mandatory conduct of FPIC, adopt and implement social and environmental safeguards, and establish effective and accessible grievance mechanisms.
- Adopt laws, policies and procedures that address unsustainable consumption patterns and promote environmental stewardship among the global population.
- Provide direct, adequate and flexible funding, including access to climate financing mechanisms, and technical and legal capacity-building support to empower Indigenous Peoples to shape their own present and future in renewable energy development.
- Declare a ban on the expansion of mining in no-go zones, including culturally significant areas, such as sacred sites, livelihood areas, and other critical areas, as determined by Indigenous Peoples exercising their FPIC; this must include a ban on the ocean floor for deep sea minerals.
- Adopt mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence regulation that requires the incorporation of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples throughout the due diligence process in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs).
- Ensure the full and effective participation of Indigenous Peoples in the development of guidance for the implementation of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises on Responsible Business Conduct.
Finally, as the consequences of the energy transition is profound to Indigenous Peoples, critical for our collective survival, resilience and development, we strongly recommend to the Permanent Forum to organize an expert workshop of Indigenous Peoples and the Energy transition and Transition minerals next year and to adopt this as the theme for next year’s session.
Thank you
