COP28: Brazil Asks for Direct Financing to Indigenous Peoples

At the 28th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28), Brazilian Indigenous Peoples Minister Sonia Guajajara called for conservation resources to go directly to Indigenous communities.

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"It has already been demonstrated that indigenous peoples are the best guardians of the forests, so it is crucial that commitments are made in this meeting to ensure that climate financing and conservation funding go directly to indigenous peoples," she stated.

The Indigenous leader, who is leading the negotiations for the Brazilian delegation following President Lula da Silva's visit to Dubai, emphasized the need for direct investments to effectively implement policies and provide environmental support.

Minister Guajajara expressed hope that commitments made during COP28 would be honored between now and COP30, which is expected to take place in the Amazonian city of Belem do Para in 2025.

The text reads, "Historic day: on Dec. 5, for the first time in the COP meetings, the Day of the Indigenous Peoples was made official, recognizing the importance of the participation of these peoples. With Minister Sonia Guajajara as leader, Brazil stands out with the largest Indigenous delegation in history."

Nevertheless, she noted that it is still "too early" to evaluate the ongoing conference, where numerous announcements have already been made, including the new "Fund for Losses and Damages" for developing countries vulnerable to the effects of climate change.

The Brazilian minister concluded by stating that "direct funding is needed for them to implement" various strategies to enforce environmental policies.

Guajajara revealed that this year Brazil has sent its largest representation of Indigenous communities to any climate conference it has participated in.

In a recent report, the Global Alliance of Territorial Communities (GATC), representing Indigenous peoples and local communities from 24 countries with tropical forests, denounced that donors continue to use inadequate and outdated systems to document and deliver development aid.

Often, they channel funding for indigenous peoples and local communities through third parties, limiting the amounts reaching the intended final beneficiaries.

The global information systems on development aid through the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI) also "do not track funding for Indigenous peoples and local communities," according to GATC.