UN Report: Indigenous Protectors Underfunded in Climate Fight

A new United Nations report, released this week, has starkly highlighted a profound global imbalance: Indigenous Peoples, who comprise only six percent of the world's population, are the custodians of an astonishing 80 percent of the planet's remaining biodiversity, as reported by waateanews.com on Friday. This critical role in environmental stewardship is severely undermined by a lack of financial support.

Despite their immense contributions to global ecological health, these communities receive less than one percent of international climate finance, according to the UN report. This significant disparity underscores a fundamental inequity in global climate action, as noted by Adventure.com on November 5, 2025.

The report, titled "The State of the World's Indigenous Peoples," warns that current climate action is not only progressing too slowly but is also fundamentally unfair. It criticizes the consistent sidelining of Indigenous communities from crucial climate decisions, a point emphasized by UN News on April 24, 2025.

This marginalization extends to the implementation of so-called "green solutions," which often proceed without the meaningful involvement or consent of Indigenous populations. Such practices risk replicating historical patterns of exclusion and exploitation, according to un News.

Furthermore, the report details instances where Indigenous communities are displaced by green energy projects, such as wind farms and solar plants, without their free, prior, and informed consent. Narasha Community Development Group highlighted similar concerns regarding geothermal projects in Kenya, which have led to forced displacement.

Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, Chair of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, stated in the report's foreword that Indigenous Peoples are "custodians of the natural world" and are committed to maintaining planetary balance. The report reinforces calls for genuine partnership and consent-based processes, not top-down climate solutions, as waateanews.com reported.

The findings underscore an urgent need for a paradigm shift in how climate finance is allocated and how Indigenous communities are integrated into global environmental strategies. WWF noted on December 9, 2025, that a truly just energy transition requires recognizing Indigenous Peoples as partners, not obstacles.

• Historical Context and Effectiveness of Indigenous Stewardship: Indigenous Peoples have long demonstrated highly effective approaches to environmental stewardship, rooted in millennia-old traditions of sustainable land management. Research, including a study published in Environmental Science & Policy, indicates that lands managed or co-managed by Indigenous communities often harbor higher biodiversity than even protected areas, as reported by Amazon Frontlines.

• Key Stakeholders and Recommendations: The UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) plays a crucial role, advising the UN Economic and Social Council on Indigenous matters. The UNPFII has consistently urged for direct funding to Indigenous communities and for the recognition of Indigenous governance systems, as detailed by IWGIA on April 25, 2025.

• Implications of Funding Disparity: The severe underfunding of Indigenous-led initiatives has profound implications, potentially undermining global efforts to combat climate change and biodiversity loss. The Rainforest Foundation US noted on August 19, 2025, that this contradiction is intimate to those working in the field, as systemic barriers prevent effective forest protectors from accessing needed resources.

• Green Energy Projects and Human Rights: The push for renewable energy, while vital, has paradoxically led to human rights violations against Indigenous Peoples. Reports from Narasha Community Development Group and WWF highlight instances of forced displacement and lack of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) for projects like wind and geothermal farms, particularly in regions like Southeast Asia.

• Indigenous Knowledge as a Climate Solution: Indigenous knowledge systems are increasingly recognized as invaluable for developing effective climate strategies. The UNFCCC emphasized on August 8, 2025, that Indigenous knowledge, rooted in stewardship and deep ecological understanding, offers unique insights into climate adaptation and mitigation, providing dynamic frameworks for resilience.

• Challenges in Climate Finance Mechanisms: Current international climate finance mechanisms often fail to reach Indigenous Peoples directly, with funds frequently channeled through multiple intermediaries. A report by the Rainforest Foundation US on August 19, 2025, pointed out that these systemic barriers, including incompatible eligibility criteria and power imbalances, keep funding concentrated away from those on the ground.

• Recent Pledges and Remaining Gaps: While there have been some positive developments, such as the renewed US$1.8 billion Forest and Land Tenure Pledge announced at COP30 in Belém, significant funding gaps persist. undp reported on December 9, 2025, that this pledge aims to secure Indigenous and community forest rights, but direct access remains a critical challenge, as highlighted by Down To Earth on September 29, 2025.

• Call for a Fundamental Policy Shift: Experts and Indigenous leaders consistently advocate for a fundamental shift in global climate policy. UN News reported on April 24, 2025, that Indigenous Peoples should be at the forefront of climate action, not just as stakeholders, but as indispensable leaders whose knowledge and rights are fully integrated into decision-making processes.