Background
In the face of compounding and overlapping climate, environmental, and humanitarian crises, we are experiencing an unprecedented loss of lives and livelihoods. This not only leads to grave humanitarian consequences, but also the degradation of ecosystems – deepening people’s exposure to natural hazards, climate shocks, reducing access to safe and sufficient natural resources, and undermining the foundations for recovery and long-term development. These pressures are most acute in fragile, and conflict affected settings, not only due to climate impacts but also exacerbated by prevailing social and political tensions.
As we celebrate International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples on 9 August, we are reminded that Indigenous Peoples and local communities are often on the frontlines of these intersecting crises. They are also vital knowledge holders and leaders in responding to them – often the first to act and the last to leave. Their traditional ecological knowledge, spiritual and cultural relationships with the land, and community governance systems offer crucial insights for climate adaptation, peace-making, and disaster risk reduction.
Nature-based solutions (NbS) – actions that protect, sustainably manage, and restore ecosystems to address societal challenges – are gaining traction in humanitarian programming. When grounded in Indigenous and local knowledge (ILK) and ecosystems-based approaches, these solutions will be more effective, equitable, and lead to more sustainable outcomes, particularly in areas where traditional ecological knowledge is deeply embedded in local communities.
The Commitment 3 of the Climate and Environment Charter for Humanitarian Organizations, calls on the humanitarian sector to embrace leadership and experience of local actors and communities, to learn from local, traditional and indigenous knowledge on mitigation and adaptation measures, including nature-based solutions. It is imperative that we invest in locally led durable responses and ensure meaningful and inclusive participation and leadership of local actors and people we serve in the design, management, implementation and evaluation of our programmes.
Objective
This webinar, co-convened by the Climate and Environment Charter for Humanitarian Organizations, Ecosystems Works for Essential Benefits (ECOWEB) Philippines, Manipur Women Gun Survivors Network, the Global Alliance of Indigenous Peoples, Gender Justice, and Peace and the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) will bring together Charter Signatories and partners to explore how NbS and ILK can be effectively integrated in humanitarian programmes. It will share good practices, lessons from the field, and resources/tools for programme design. The session will also provide a space to reflect on how we acknowledge the unique cultures, histories, and rights of Indigenous and local actors by actively engaging and taking leadership from communities in all stages of planning and implementation, rather than simply consulting them on projects that affect them.
This webinar aims to:
Explore challenges faced by Charter Signatories in accessing funding for integrating NbS in programming, including access to resources and funding for locally-led climate and environmental action.