NDCs in South Asia: Are Governments recognizing the rights, roles and contributions of Indigenous Peoples?

The Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP) partnered with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), through the UN-REDD Programme and the Forest Peoples Programme, on a study to shed light on how the rights, roles and knowledge of indigenous men, women, youth, and persons with disabilities are addressed in national-level climate policies and plans, such as nationally determined contributions (NDCs), REDD+ strategies, national adaptation plans, and relevant environmental laws in Asia.

Asia overview report 

The results of the study are documented in 10 country-level reports incorporating a gender perspective, which also identify Indigenous Peoples’ practices that are already contributing to the goals of the Paris Agreement. This South Asia regional report synthesizes the findings and recommendations from the country-level studies.

The South Asia report presents findings and key recommendations from Bangladesh, India and Nepal. The country reports and the regional report will serve as baseline documents for the Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP) and its member and partner organizations working on climate change and the rights of Indigenous Peoples. AIPP will annually update the country reports and the regional report to monitor the implementation of the NDCs at national level, and track regional and international climate-action commitments as they relate to the rights of indigenous men, women, youth, and persons with disabilities. The reports will also inform the discussions and plans of the Facilitative Working Group of the UNFCCC Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform.

Bangladesh

In this report, we review and analyse how the rights of Indigenous Peoples have been addressed in the key national climate change policies and programs in Bangladesh. Data and information were collected through a literature review and interviews with key informants.

We make several recommendations to the government of Bangladesh to ensure participation of Indigenous Peoples in formulating and implementing climate change and other national policies and programs.

India

This report presents the results of an analysis examining whether and to what extent India’s nationally determined contribution (NDC), REDD+ strategies, national adaptation plan, national and state action plans for climate change, climate policies and other policy responses consider, respect, incorporate and comply with the rights of Indigenous Peoples. Our analysis is in the context of the current legal status of Indigenous Peoples and their rights to governance, selfdetermination, autonomy, land and resources, and other key collective rights. We examine the impact of climate change on indigenous men, women, youth, and people with disabilities, and the extent to which these impacts are addressed in the policies, plans and programs responding to climate change. The extent of the engagement and involvement of Indigenous Peoples in formulating and executing these responses locally, regionally, nationally and internationally is also examined. Importantly, we describe in which way and to what extent the climate change responses, both mitigation and adaptation, benefit or negatively impact Indigenous Peoples. Their contribution and potential to contribute should inform the way forward.

Nepal

This report examines Nepal’s climate change policies from Indigenous Peoples’ perspective, in particular the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC)-2020, the Climate Change Policy-2019, and the REDD+ Strategies-2018. It points out the risks to, and opportunities for, Indigenous Peoples’ livelihoods, wellbeing and rights in the country’s climate action and policy implementation.