Indigenous Peoples and Environmental Governance

Indigenous peoples, also known as First Nations, are the original inhabitants of a given land or region. They have a deep cultural, spiritual and historical connection to their traditional lands, which often include protected areas such as national parks, wilderness areas, and wildlife reserves. They also have a unique understanding of their environment and the ecological systems that support their traditional ways of life.

Despite this, Indigenous peoples have often been excluded from decision-making processes related to environmental governance, and their rights and interests have not been adequately protected. This has led to negative impacts on their communities and traditional ways of life, including displacement, loss of land, resources, and cultural heritage.

There is a growing recognition of the need to involve and respect the rights of indigenous peoples in environmental governance. This includes recognizing their rights to land, resources, and self-determination, obtaining their free, prior and informed consent, and involving them in decision-making processes. This approach, known as "indigenous-led conservation" or "community-based conservation," recognizes that indigenous peoples are not only affected by environmental governance but also key actors in it.

Indigenous peoples also bring unique and valuable knowledge and perspectives to environmental governance, such as traditional ecological knowledge, which is the knowledge and understanding of the environment that is passed down through generations.

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Indigenous Peoples and Environmental Governance

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