COP29 has adopted the Baku Workplan to enhance the role of indigenous peoples and local communities in the UN Climate Change structure, as well as renewing the mandate of the Facilitative Working Group (FWG) of the Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform (LCIPP).
The Baku Workplan focuses on promoting knowledge exchange, building capacity for deeper engagement, and incorporating diverse knowledge systems and values into climate policies.
In a statement, UN Climate Change said that the adopted decision ‘acknowledges the progress made by the FWG in fostering collaboration among parties, indigenous peoples and local communities, and underscores the leadership of indigenous peoples and local communities in addressing the climate crisis.
Collective approaches
Developed through a collaborative process, the plan includes six collective approaches, including gathering knowledge holders; facilitating regional engagement; conducting seventh-generation roundtables to address long-term intergenerational impacts; collaborating with UNFCCC bodies and workstreams; enhancing engagement with parties; and overall strategic planning.
Implementation of the Baku Workplan will commence in 2025 with a priority-setting workshop to ensure alignment with FWG activities.
Barriers to participation
The FWG’s 2024 report identified critical barriers to effective participation, including language limitations and challenges in maintaining institutional knowledge during membership transitions.
In response, COP29 has invited willing parties to provide simultaneous interpretation in languages beyond the official UN languages to better reflect the linguistic diversity of participants. The decision also introduces staggered membership terms for the FWG, ensuring continuity and preserving institutional expertise.
The FWG added that it will oversee the implementation of the Baku Workplan in a ‘gender-responsive and collaborative manner’, with a review of progress scheduled for 2027.
‘By adopting the Baku Workplan, the global community reaffirms its commitment to weaving the knowledge, values and contributions of indigenous peoples and local communities for inclusive and transformational climate action,’ UN Climate Change added. Read more here. [Photo: UN Climate Change]
