What’s at stake for Indigenous Peoples in Rio+20?

Joan Carling, Secretary General, Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP) explains what’s at stake in Rio+20 for indigenous peoples in a one-minute video prepared for the Asia Pacific Major Group meeting on Rio+20 to be organized in Seoul 17-18 Oct 2011 by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Regional Office for the Asia and the Pacific. The script of the video is provided below:

What’s at stake in Rio +20 is the future of more than 400 million indigenous peoples collective survival, dignity and sustainable development in accordance to their distinct cultures, identity and ways of life.

Indigenous peoples have the least ecological footprint but are seriously suffering from the adverse impacts of climate change. At the same time, indigenous peoples belong to the 15% poorest of the poor. Conversely, their rights especially to land, territories and resources are systematically violated in the name of development.

Indigenous peoples voices must be heard through their full and effective participation in meetings related to Rio+20. This is to ensure the recognition and protection of their rights, to contribute their traditional knowledge and sustainable resource management practices, and their views and perspectives on achieving sustainable development and green economy.

Be part of this process.