“Climate change is devastating our community, causing widespread displacement,” said Dr. Jessica Hernandez, an Indigenous scholar, scientist, and advocate based in the Pacific Northwest. Speaking at COP29, she highlighted the impact of droughts, extreme weather events, and other climate-related challenges on Indigenous communities in Central America. “We are being forcibly displaced from our homelands. That’s why climate justice for Indigenous communities is critical.”
Mary Ann Lyons, an Indigenous rights activist, shared a similar sense of urgency during the conference in Baku. “I came from Turtle Island to address world leaders. We must create a protocol to protect the four elements: air, water, earth, and fire. We need to ensure the heartbeat of this planet continues before we exhaust the resources the Creator has entrusted to us,” she declared.
Indigenous Peoples, nearly half a billion across 90 nations, maintain profound cultural and spiritual connections to the Earth. They oversee 25% of the planet’s surface, including 36% of the world’s intact forests, critical for global biodiversity and climate stability. Their lands could contribute up to 37% of global CO2 mitigation by 2030. Despite this, their territories, cultures, and traditional knowledge are under constant threat. Alarmingly, about 20 Indigenous languages disappear annually, erasing unique wisdom. In 2023, around 200 environmental defenders were killed—half of them Indigenous people.
International law grants Indigenous communities the right to free, prior, and informed consent regarding activities on their lands, including mining and renewable energy projects. Yet, in 2022, Indigenous groups received only 2.1%—just $8.1 million—of the $494 million climate finance pledged at the 2021 U.N. climate conference.
This year brought record-breaking temperatures, catastrophic disasters, and intensifying conflicts, disproportionately affecting vulnerable regions like the Pacific. “Landlocked countries have options, but for us, leaving isn’t easy,” explained a Pacific Islander participant. “Our ties to our land are deeply rooted in tradition and history.”
Michael Jackson, a member of the Indigenous Iban community from Borneo, Malaysia, expressed pride in his heritage. “I am wearing the traditional Sarava from Orangulu. Through my culture, I spread the message: Our survival cannot be compromised.”
Despite these efforts, COP29 left Indigenous delegates disappointed. Over 170 Indigenous representatives and more than 600 Pacific Island delegates traveled to Baku, advocating for greater inclusion of Indigenous knowledge in climate policy, protection of tribal nations, and recognition of Indigenous rights. However, none of these priorities were achieved.
The absence of leaders from the world’s largest carbon-polluting nations—responsible for over 70% of global emissions—further dampened expectations. U.S. President Joe Biden, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz were among the key figures who skipped the event. As a result, COP29 failed to deliver on its promises, leaving Indigenous communities feeling overlooked once again.
Gideon Bachar, Israel’s climate change envoy, emphasized the need for global collaboration. “Addressing the climate crisis requires collective action,” he said, underscoring the urgency of unified efforts.
The only significant outcome of COP29 was the adoption of the Baku Workplan, which focuses on knowledge exchange, capacity building, and integrating diverse values into climate policies. Implementation is scheduled to begin in 2025, renewing hope for future progress.
Amid the disappointment, many are now pinning their hopes on COP30 in Brazil. Already being dubbed the “Indigenous Peoples’ COP,” the summit will take place in the Amazon basin, home to the world’s largest tropical rainforest and 305 ethnic groups. With Brazil hosting, expectations are high for greater recognition of Indigenous leadership and solutions in the fight against climate change.
Marzia Hashmi Momo is a journalist based in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
