Forests & Indigenous Voices | July 2026

Open call to join the FSC-IF Council and other news

FSC IF

Open Call to Join the FSC Indigenous Foundation Council

The FSC Indigenous Foundation (FSC-IF) has opened a call for nominations to join its Council for a three-year term beginning in 2026. This call seeks to appoint one Indigenous member from Central America, South America, or the Caribbean who will bring Indigenous Peoples’ perspectives to the Foundation’s strategic direction and contribute to strengthening forest governance at the global level.

Candidates must be endorsed by an Indigenous organization, council, network, or traditional authority and have demonstrated experience in Indigenous Peoples’ rights, forest governance, land and territorial issues, biodiversity, or related fields.

Applications are open until 26 July 2026 at 5:00 p.m. (UTC-05:00). The full call for nominations, eligibility requirements, and application instructions are available on the Foundation’s website.

Details

Indigenous Voices Shape Climate Finance at the FRLD board meeting

Indigenous Peoples are reshaping the conversation on climate finance.
At the Ninth Meeting of the Board of the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD), Indigenous Peoples called for climate finance that respects Indigenous rights, strengthens participation, and reaches communities directly.

UNCCD 17th session of the Conference of the Parties

The FSC Indigenous Foundation will participate at the UNCCD COP17, the world’s leading conference on desertification, land degradation, and drought, to amplify the voices of Indigenous Peoples in global discussions on land restoration and sustainable land management.

Visit the UNCCD COP17

Website

New UN Guidance on Free, Prior and Informed Consent

A new report provides practical guidance on implementing FPIC in business activities. Developed by the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights, the publication outlines how States and companies can better respect Indigenous Peoples’ rights throughout the lifecycle of business projects.

Explore the report

Indigenous Peoples Call for Rights-Based Climate Finance at Ninth FRLD Board Meeting

Putting Indigenous rights at the center of climate finance

FSC IF

Photos by FRLD, Kalea Aquino

Manila, Philippines | 8–10 July 2026

The Ninth Meeting of the Board of the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD) brought together Board members, governments, Indigenous Peoples, civil society, and international organizations in Manila, Philippines, to advance decisions on one of the world’s newest climate finance mechanisms.

Established under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement, the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage aims to provide financial support to countries and communities facing the irreversible impacts of climate change. As climate-related disasters become more frequent and severe, the decisions made by the Board will shape how resources are mobilized, governed, and delivered to those most affected.

FSC Indigenous Foundation participated in the meeting through Kalea Adrienne Aquino, Regional Focal Point for Asia and the Pacific, who followed the negotiations and supported the participation of the Indigenous Peoples’ Organizations (IPO) Constituency.

Indigenous Peoples call for meaningful participation and direct access

In its closing statement, delivered by Kalea, the IPO Constituency welcomed the opportunity to engage in the Board’s work while expressing concern that several key decisions were adopted without adequately reflecting Indigenous Peoples’ rights or participation.

The statement reaffirmed that Indigenous Peoples are rights-holders, recognized under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and ILO Convention No. 169, and emphasized that rights to lands, self-determination, and Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) are legal obligations, not discretionary commitments. Guided by the principle “Nothing about us, without us,” the Constituency called for Indigenous Peoples to be meaningfully involved in all decisions affecting their communities.

The Constituency also highlighted four key priorities for the Fund moving forward:

Increase the scale of climate finance to reflect the growing needs of communities experiencing loss and damage, with greater contributions from historically high-emitting countries.

Establish direct access to funding for Indigenous Peoples’ organizations and communities, reducing reliance on intermediary institutions.

Embed Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) within the Fund’s Results Management Framework to ensure activities affecting Indigenous territories respect Indigenous Peoples’ rights.

Strengthen Indigenous participation by adopting the Active Observer Policy, enabling Indigenous Peoples to engage more effectively and transparently in Board decision-making.

Looking ahead to the Tenth Board Meeting (B10) in Barbados, the IPO Constituency called for concrete progress on these priorities, emphasizing that climate finance must be rights-based, accessible, and accountable to the communities most affected by climate change.

For Indigenous Peoples, responding to loss and damage is not only about mobilizing financial resources. It is about ensuring that climate finance respects Indigenous rights, recognizes Indigenous governance systems, and reaches the communities that have long safeguarded the world’s ecosystems while bearing a disproportionate share of the climate crisis.

Missed the discussion? Watch the recording of Day 3 of the Ninth Meeting of the Board of the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD).

Watch now

New UN Guidance Strengthens the Implementation of Free, Prior and Informed Consent in Business Activities

Read the complete report

FSC IF

The United Nations Working Group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises has released a new report providing comprehensive guidance on the right of Indigenous Peoples to Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) in the context of business activities.

Published under the Human Rights Council agenda item on the promotion and protection of all human rights, the report examines how States and businesses can better respect, protect, and fulfil Indigenous Peoples’ right to FPIC throughout the entire lifecycle of business projects.

FPIC is a fundamental right recognized under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). It ensures that Indigenous Peoples have the opportunity to make informed decisions about activities that may affect their lands, territories, resources, cultures, and ways of life. Respecting FPIC is essential for protecting Indigenous Peoples’ rights, and for fostering trust, preventing conflict, and supporting more equitable and sustainable development.

The report is publicly available and can be accessed free of charge through the United Nations website. For now, it is only written in English.

Readers are encouraged to explore the full publication and download the document to learn more about the recommendations and practical guidance it offers for strengthening the implementation of Free, Prior and Informed Consent in business activities.

READ FULL REPORT

June News & Indigenous leadership

Advancing Indigenous leadership at global climate engagements

FSC IF

FSC Indigenous Foundation Recognized by Premios Verdes

The FSC Indigenous Foundation’s pilot project, Boosting Indigenous Nature-Based Business Models, was recognized among the Top 500 sustainability initiatives in Latin America and the Caribbean by Premios Verdes. Developed with Indigenous communities in Darién, Panama, the project promotes sustainable livelihoods through Indigenous-led nature-based solutions.

Strengthening Indigenous Perspectives in FSC

In parallel with the 49th Annual National Indian Timber Symposium in Keshena, Wisconsin, the FSC Indigenous Foundation hosted a meeting for nominating the FSC Permanent Indigenous Peoples Committee (PIPC) member of the U.S. region.

Coordinated by Satnam Manhas and team, alongside PIPC Chair David Flood, with participation from Lorraine Rekmans (FSC International Board member), the gathering brought together Indigenous leaders to learn more about the FSC, the role of the PIPC as an advisory committee within FSC, and the importance of Indigenous leadership in responsible forest stewardship.

There were stories shared by the Canadian Indigenous attendees about their experience with FSC, sparking thoughtful discussions.

At the end of the meeting, U.S. Indigenous participants determined a nomination process that reflected their own community values and decision-making traditions, reinforcing the importance of self-determination in Indigenous governance.

The meeting strengthened relationships and encouraged knowledge sharing across regions.

GEF Assembly, Uzbekistan

“Conservation finance must be decolonized to ensure lasting impact.” — Minnie Degawan, Kankanaey-Igorot.

At the 8th GEF Assembly in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Minnie joined a global dialogue on strengthening inclusive biodiversity finance and ensuring resources reach Indigenous Peoples and local communities on the ground.

The discussion explored what a rights-based approach to biodiversity finance looks like in practice, how meaningful participation can be strengthened in decision-making processes, and how the effectiveness of biodiversity finance can be measured beyond project approvals and financial delivery.

Organizers: CBD Women, Global Youth Biodiversity Network, and the International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity.

Indigenous leadership at the UNFCCC SB64

FSC Indigenous Foundation (FSCIF) participated in the 15th Session of the Facilitative Working Group (FWG 15) of the Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform (LCIPP) and the 64th Sessions of the UNFCCC Subsidiary Bodies (SB64) during the month of June.
Critical discussions happened on equitable climate finance, Indigenous Peoples’ participation in decision-making, traditional knowledge systems, rights-based approaches to climate data, and pathways to end deforestation.

Hindou Ibrahim’s clear message during discussions on the COP30 Brazil Presidency Roadmap to Halt and Reverse Deforestation and Forest Degradation by 2030

“The Roadmap should help translate the recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ and Local Communities’ roles into practical delivery.”

Read her:

Message

London Climate Action Week LCAW

London Climate Action Week (LCAW) is a key moment in the global climate calendar, bringing together governments, civil society, Indigenous Peoples, and other stakeholders to strengthen collaboration and shape the climate agenda between COPs. It is essential that Indigenous Peoples’ perspectives are part of these conversations, as their knowledge, leadership, and rights are critical to advancing effective and equitable climate solutions.

This week, Minnie is participating in several meetings and dialogues throughout LCAW, including discussions on the three Rio Conventions and the importance of a more integrated approach to climate change, biodiversity conservation, and land degradation through Indigenous Peoples’ perspectives.

Stay tuned next week for Minnie’s reflections on the three Rio Conventions!

Call for Futures 2027: Youth Voices for a Better Future

The Voice of Future Generations (VoFG) launched the Call for Futures 2027, inviting young people worldwide to share ideas and solutions for a more sustainable future. The initiative encourages youth engagement in global discussions on environmental stewardship, social justice, and intergenerational collaboration.
Deadline: June 30, 2026

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