IPCCA Indigenous Peoples Biocultural Climate Change Assessment

Methodological Toolkit for Local Assessments

A methodological guide for implementing Local Assessments under the IPCCA initiative

Credits Publication: Design and Layout: Asociacin Andes - IPCCA Ral Basurco Marroqun raulbasurco@gmail.com

Table of Contents
1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 What is the Indigenous Peoples' Biocultural Climate Change Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Actors and Roles within IPCCA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 2. Toolkit Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 How to Use this Toolkit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 3. Guiding Principles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Intercultural Practice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Transdisciplinary Research . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Emancipatory, Participatory and Indigenous Methodology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 4. Methodological phases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Phase 0: Communication and Awareness Raising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Phase 1: Identication and Establishment of a Steering Committee & Management Processes . . . . . . 21 Phase 2: Baseline Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Phase 3: Adapting the IPCCA Conceptual Framework . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Phase 4: Local Assessment Design - Denition of Scope, Expected Results and Development of Local Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Phase 5: Assessment of Conditions and Trends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Phase 6: Futuring Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Phase 7: Developing Adaptation Strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

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1. Introduction

Methodological Toolkit for Local Assessments

www.ipcca.info

1. Introduction

What is the Indigenous Peoples Biocultural Climate Change Assessment Initiative (IPCCA)

indigenous voices into the international climate change science and policy development processes. To this end, under the IPCCA, indigenous peoples of the world develop their own Local Assessments of Climate Change (LA) as part of a process that seeks to impact at different levels: Global: there is an urgent need to produce information on trends in local climate phenomena, due to the international uncertainty around the local consequences of climate change. The holistic vision shared by the vast majority of indigenous cultures is an appropriate approach because it considers the phenomena and their consequences comprehensively, taking into account the relationships between all elements of a complex system. The IPCCA takes this approach using the term Indigenous Biocultural Systems and considers that it is a necessary contribution for understanding and responding to climate change locally and internationally, incorporating indigenous voices in research processes and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and in policy processes such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change UNFCCC. Indigenous Biocultural System - A complex system that integrates human and socio-cultural elements of indigenous people with physical and environmental elements of their territories. Its components include biological resources, ranging from micro scales (genetic) to macro scales (landscape), as well as the traditions and practices that have long existed, also known as traditional knowledge, including those related to adaptation to complex ecosystems and the sustainable use of biodiversity. Local economies and customary laws and institutions are also included. Local: the LA are led and implemented by indigenous peoples, making them a vehicle for empowering communities to develop and use their own knowledge, frameworks and methodologies of inquiry to assess the impacts of climate change on their biocultural territories. From this analysis, a Life Plan is developed, including adaptation strategies that ensure the future well-being of communities. The LA are developing strategies for building indigenous resilience, mitigating impacts and strengthening biocultural diversity for food sovereignty and endogenous development, in turn supporting the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Thus the IPCCA also works for social and climate justice, based on the recognition of the value of indigenous knowledge and livelihoods in adaptation and mitigation of climate change.

he IPCCA is an indigenous initiative on climate change, driven by an indigenous steering committee. The

IPCCA aims to generate indigenous strategies to cope with climate change and to incorporate local

IPCCA - Indigenous Peoples Climate Change Assessment

Methodological Toolkit

Climate Justice is a call for the transformation of unequal ecological relationships, which are currently creating victims of climate change the most impoverished and excluded people in the world who, ironically, have had little to do with the origin of climate change. But, it is assumed that the transformation of unequal economic relations (which historically have generated exclusion, poverty and misery) and unequal political relations (which have historically excluded indigenous peoples, certain ethnic groups, women, people of fewer economic resources and the countries of the South), are all linked. Food Sovereignty is understood as the right of each peoples or nation to define their own agricultural and food policies according to sustainable development goals as well as present and future food security. This implies that decisions on food and agriculture must actively consider both those who consume and those who produce, which is inherent in the concept of self-determination of indigenous peoples and the right to free, prior and informed consent concerning food and agriculture. Endogenous Development is a development model that seeks to strengthen the internal capabilities of a region or local community to develop a society and its economy from the inside out, to be self-sustaining and sustainable over time. Indigenous Resilience is a concept that has been used mainly to analyse the dynamics of ecological systems, with the aim of improving their management and their inter-relationships. From this perspective, the resilience of a socio-ecological system depends on its ability to change while retaining the same functions and structure, in order to reorganize against disturbances and to build and enhance their capacity to adapt. In this initiative (IPCCA), indigenous resilience builds upon the concept of biocultural systems resilience to adapt and support Buen Vivir. In short, indigenous resilience is an emergent property of the multiple interactions and historical processes of change and adaptation of social, cultural, spiritual and ecological systems. Adaptation / Mitigation - are concepts used in climate change policy. While Adaptation refers to actions that should be developed in order to live and survive in the new scenarios that are the result of global warming and extreme climatic events, Mitigation refers to actions that should be taken to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases in order to not aggravate the current trend.

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In both cases (global and local action), the horizon of the initiative is to support global livelihoods based on principles such as fairness and reciprocity, dialogue and respect and seeking strategies to achieve well-being based on moderation and equilibrium with the Earth and its ecosystems. The indigenous Buen Vivir proposal persued through the IPCCA is oriented in the same direction and it is based on an understanding of the relationship of humans with nature that is shared by the vast majority of indigenous peoples. Buen Vivir: Indigenous Proposal of a way of life, of development, of being in the world. This concept comes primarily from the indigenous peoples of the Andes (buen vivir in Peru, Sumak Kausay in Ecuador, Allin Causay or Sum Qamaa in Bolivia) and it is based on a holistic worldview and on the principles of reciprocity, balance and complementarity between human beings and nature.

IPCCA - Indigenous Peoples Climate Change Assessment

Methodological Toolkit

IPCCA Stakeholders and their Roles

IPCCA Stakeholders and their roles
Indigenous communi es

LA teams External Advisors Local and / or indigenous organiza ons Donors / Funders Secretariat

IPCAA Steering Commi ee

Interna onal processes on CC and IP

IPCCA Steering Committee: The driving force behind the initiative, guiding the initiative from its strategic development to its implementation, ensuring at every step an indigenous vision and participatory process that respects local governance and speaks to global goals. Indigenous communities: They have the leading role in the IPCCA, since it is basically a network of indigenous communities. They are the bearers of knowledge and practices on which proposals for adaptation and mitigation of climate change are based within their own territories and becoming examples that can be replicated elsewhere. Local and / or indigenous organizations: They are local organizations that facilitate the LA and implementation of the IPCCA approach and framework. Given the structure and objectives of the IPCCA, which cover different geographical levels and knowledge construction, these organizations have a key role in translating across epistemologies as they are well acquainted with the indigenous realities in which they work (their world views, languages, concerns), while they are also aware of international processes on climate change, as well as languages and dynamics which are used in such spaces.

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Secretariat: The role of the Secretariat is to coordinate between all actors of the initiative. To collect and synthesize the information coming from each of the LA (through the development of a global assessment synthesis reports, etc.), and through establishing frameworks to give coherence to the initiative (through tools such as this methodological toolkit). It also facilitates communication between different LA, global actors and processes, through both physical and virtual meetings. Financial: The IPCCA is possible in part due to funders of the initiative such as international NGOs and private foundations, who use funding through their comprehensive programs that seek to build bridges between local and international spheres. There are also, for each LA, different donors who support the participating communities locally. External Advisors: Several universities, social and international organizations and individual experts are also supporting the initiative through their conceptual, methodological and strategic advice. Since this is a methodological guide, it is important to point out in this section some key strengths and weaknesses in this structure that includes stakeholders and objectives at various spatial scales. A strength is the use of Intercultural Practice to recognize diversity, as is explained bellow, but that very diversity implies a very different use of time and rhythm of dynamics between communities, local organizations and financial agencies, which must be taken into account as it creates an important tension and challenge in using the methodology.

IPCCA - Indigenous Peoples Climate Change Assessment

Methodological Toolkit

2. Toolkit Objectives

Methodological Toolkit for Local Assessments

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2. Toolkit Objectives

implementation. Since the LA are undertaken across ecosystems and biocultural regions of the world, each very different, this guide is meant to provide a general methodological framework applicable to all the LA without homogenizing their differences, thus ensuring that results may be synthesized and develop appropriate strategic responses at multiple levels. The toolkit has been prepared for the use of local IPCCA partners, indigenous peoples and communities interested in indigenous assessments of climate change. The IPCCA process is based on the implementation of UNDRIP (which considers rights such as self- determination) and ensures that indigenous perspectives that come from local biocultural realities feed into global processes. Self-determination: Indigenous peoples have the right to self-determination. By virtue of this right they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development. Article 3, United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP)

his toolkit presents a practical methodology for developing and facilitating indigenous LA under the

framework of the IPCCA, providing methodological options and practical examples to support their local

IPCCA - Indigenous Peoples Climate Change Assessment

Methodological Toolkit

How to Use this Toolkit

The strategy and methodology of this toolkit are based on an indigenous holistic worldview, therefore, the local indigenous teams that implement assessments design their own indigenous inquiry processes based on their own biocultural contexts. The guide is designed to provide clarity about the methodological steps of the assessment, and to support didactical implementation with useful tools. It thus will facilitate the construction of epistemological bridges through a creative process, using necessary and appropriate methods to gather information, analyze, reflect, solve problems and plan strategies and responses. Epistemology is the theory of knowledge which answers the following questions: What is knowledge? How does one acquire knowledge? How do we know what we know? Why do we know what we know? Epistemological Bridges: are connections between knowledge systems that have different epistemologies, built to improve understanding between them so that they complement each other and are useful in solving problems.

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Based on these goals, this toolkit is intended for organizations that facilitate the LA with indigenous communities. Given their role of facilitation and translation, they are the main actors for facilitating and conveying the goals and contents of this guide through their relationship with the communities. The toolkit does not provide prescriptive steps to be followed as a recipe, but rather provides methodological options and examples of techniques that can support local methods. To achieve this coexistence of diversity and homogeneity that seems contradictory but is inteded as complementary, some of the methodological steps of LA need to be considered more closely to the discussion in this guide, while others assume more methodological flexibility. In the explanation of the different phases, these contexts will be pointed out.

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3. Guiding Principles

Methodological Toolkit for Local Assessments

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3. Guiding Principles

working in the field of climate change, so that indigenous communities may build appropriate solutions. For best results we must work under certain methodological principles and always using a gender lens. Intercultural practice which is based on respect, and recognises that power relations between indigenous societies and dominant cultures are not equitable can support transdisciplinarity. Moreover, the use of indigenous methodologies ensures that the community is the driver of the process, reaching the goal of emancipation. This allows building epistemological bridges between indigenous knowledge and mainstream knowledge for the construction of responses to climate change. Examples of epistemological bridges The concept of Biocultural Systems: based on an indigenous worldview a concept for academic, social and political use is created that is defined with terms that include elements from different disciplines (economics, law, ecology, anthropology, etc.). Adaptation of the conceptual framework of IPCCA: this example, contraty to the last, is of a conceptual framework created from the platform of Western knowledge, and is to be reformulated by and for indigenous peoples.

ne of the basic objectives of the IPCCA is the creation of epistemological bridges between indigenous

knowledge and knowledge managed by academics, international organizations, science and other areas

Intercultural practice
In todays globalized world, new technologies, trade flows and knowledge circulate freely, making cross-cultural practice part of the every day. When we talk about and work on climate change this is even more prevalent, since the processes that are drivers of climate change occur across various scales of space and time in the world and its cultural spheres (eg. global production trends and consumption which are responsible for emissions of greenhouse gases). The different ways to meet the needs of cultural diversity and livelihoods also have different effects on climate (export intensive agriculture vs. organic farming for consumption), thus creating different levels of vulnerability to its impacts. Interculturalism is the open and respectful exchange between individuals and groups from different cultural backgrounds to promote dialogue that deepens understanding of the perceptions and knowledge of the other.

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Climate change is a global problem and adaptive strategies needed to address it must necessarily create links between different scales, cultural contexts and social groups. Intercultural practice can also understand the inequalities in interactions between indigenous societies and their knowledge systems and dominant cultures. This is particularly important during the IPCCA since climate change is analyzed from a Biocultural perspective, which cannot ignore the socio-political contexts of each territory all framed within a global context (and therefore also intended to support the implementation of the UNDRIP).

Transdisciplinary research
Transdisciplinarity is a way to conduct research that integrates different approaches, disciplines and epistemologies, linking scientific knowledge with other ways of knowing, including traditional knowledge. It overcomes understanding the world and life in parts (disciplines), placing greater emphasis on the interrelationships between the various spheres (economy, culture, politics, biology, etc.) and between different cultural worldviews and perceptions. Holism is the study of whole systems. A holistic conceptual framework is a conceptual map that guides the analysis of the system or problem as integral rather than analyzing the separate parts. Transdisciplinarity is an approach to research focusing on problem solving and recognising the need for holistic frameworks and dialogue between knowledge systems and disciplines. This is the most appropriate vehicle for addressing complex and uncertain issues such as Climate Change and enables the inclusion not only of different cultural perceptions, but also of different social groups within each culture or community. Frameworks to help understand the interactions between global drivers of change and local impacts should be used for LA under the IPCCA. The inquiry, analysis, planning and decision making for indigenous strategies of inquiry are supported by an intercultural and transdisciplinary approach. The answers will be based on local contexts and will make links to the different scales within a global context.

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Emancipatory, participatory and indigenous methodology

The methodologies used to facilitate each LA must be participatory and emancipatory. Indigenous communities should be the protagonists in the generation of information and develop adaptation proposals, by communities we understand that representatives of all social groups (children, youth, women, men, elders, etc.) are represented. Since local organizations will support development of a methodological strategy together with communities based on this guide, it is important that the end result of the methodology be emancipatory. For example, if workshops are undertaken, it would be appropriate in their development as well as their implementation that appropriate community members facilitate the workshops. Finally, given the basic features of the IPCCA, use of indigenous methodologies is key. It is important that organisations make an effort to not directly impose foreign methodological tools onto the process. All the tools mentioned in this document are provided as ideas that should be used only in a complementary manner to traditional methods of inquiry. For example, in the case of the Andean culture, the coca leaf is used to read future scenarios. From the coordination of a LA including local technicians and facilitators it should be thought how these kinds of tools can be used to produce the information sought.

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4. Methodological phases

Methodological Toolkit for Local Assessments

www.ipcca.info

4. Methodological Phases

of inquiry intertwined with other tools, such as those presented in this toolkit as examples. For each of the eight phases described below, an overview of the stage is presented, followed by guidelines and methodological tools, examples of different local contexts, and a list of products for each phase. A list of methodologies and brief descriptions are provided in the subsection Tools. The methods that can be used in each methodology and sources of information can be found in the Annex. Although all steps are required to develop the LA, the order in which they may be implemented is not fixed, and its is more than likely that interaction between the different phases occurs. For example information to be generated in one phase may be the foundation for the subsequent phases. At times, similar information is required in different phases; what is important for each is the approach that is given to that information. For example, information about historical processes on climate change is required in phases 2, 5 and 6, first technical information is required for the baseline, then in phase 5 analysis of trends of these changes is added, while for phase 6 visioning and futuring is added to the baseline information. The LA teams have to adapt the methodological phases to their context, according to local understanding.

his section provides a step by step guide to support implementation of LA under the IPCCA framework. As

noted in the previous section on Guiding Principles, the LA will be implemented based on local methods

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Phase 0: Communication and Awareness Raising

Phase 0: Especially before starting, but also throughout the journey of the LA, it is necessary to establish open and fluid communication between all stakeholders of the LA to reach some basic agreements. Since the process of implementation of the Local Assessment is undertaken through a joint effort of different players, it is considered necessary that a pre phase of communication informs all stakeholders and enables consensus among the participating communities and supporting organizations. Based on intercultural practice and frameworks of international treaties such as the UNDRIP this forms part of a process of awareness building for the implementation of the initiative. Before the implementation of the LA, carrying out a series of workshops and training with all stakeholders is recommended to address the following issues (plus other issues they identify): What is the IPCCA? How important are the LAs? Climate change, global context and local context UNDRIP How to use a gender lens Indigenous biocultural systems

Example 1. Information sharing in communities of the Comarca Kuna Yala In Panama, the Local Assessment is being carried out jointly by Kuna communities and the Kuna organization Fundacion para la Promocion del Conocimiento Indigena (FPCI). In order to strengthen understanding in communities of the origin of the problems to be evaluated, FPCI have produced educational material on Climate Change, Traditional Knowledge and other relevant themes. Another awareness raising tool used by FPCI is radio broadcasts. Through a weekly radio program information regarding global dimensions of Climate Change, Indigenous Rights, Territories, Protected Areas and National Environmental Laws and other key themes.

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Likewise, once all parties are informed, it is important that before starting the process of the LA some basic consensus are reached between the communities and support organizations, in reference to: The roles of different stakeholders How participation and involvement of all stakeholders will be managed Goals and results to be obtained

Based on principles such as the self-determination of indigenous peoples, it is important that decisions regarding the LA are driven from their own perspectives. It is critical that the initiative begins with high motivation and involvement of the community to ensure that the assessment is a collective effort, strengthening participation and improving the chances for successful adaptation strategies and their effective implementation. Communication and development of a methodology should be based on reciprocity and mutual learning, establishing epistemological bridges based on respect and equity. It may be helpful to use simple visual tools (the links can be found in Annex Phase 0) for the realization of workshops and training on some content such as Global Change or the UNDRIP.

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Tools
To explain the UNDRIP: UNDRIP animation For understanding the global crisis: The Story of Stuff, The Story of Bottled Water, Abuela Grillo, the film Home. Community visits: Organize and conduct meetings with communities to inform people about the initiative, to consult and build trust and understanding. Communication for Participatory Development: Methods to encourage community participation in development initiatives through the use of different communication strategies.

Phase 0 Products
Awareness raising of the initiative in the community and awareness of the team on the LA strategy, the CF and methodology. Establishment of consensus among different stakeholders. Dissemination of information on different topics and approaches that will be addressed during the process of the LA. Throughout the process: monitoring the LA, fluid communication and motivation to participate.

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Phase 1: Identification and Establishment of a Steering Committee & Management Processes

Phase 1 To start the LA, a Steering Committee will be established and management structures and coordination will be decided by the LA team. Each LA will be driven by a Steering Committee according to the local ecological and cultural context, focusing on key areas of concern according to the impacts of climate change on indigenous resilience and buen vivir , and local adaptation. The LA team, made up of community members, local technicians and the facilitating organisation constitute the basic communication bridge between the Steering Committee and the Secretariat. They supervise the process of the LA and guide the LA work, taking into account local decision making undertaken by each Committee. A Steering Committee is a group of high-level stakeholders who are responsible for directing the process, and providing the project strategy within the IPCCA. The steering committee is usually composed of community leaders.

Potential members of the Steering Committee must first be identified using the following criteria as a guide: They must be recognized community leaders They must have prior experience with participatory community initiatives They must have available time during the evaluation period They must have traditional knowledge about ecosystems and climate change, including other areas such as ritual specialists It is important that the Steering Committee has representatives from various social groups (women, youth, cooperatives, elders, etc.). Women should, ideally, be included at all levels of the process It is important that the Steering Committee has the ability to promote adaptation strategies at national and international levels so it is recommended to include some members with experience in lobbying or participation in political processes at national or international levels.

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It is necessary to establish the Steering Committee of the LA using processes and structures of local collective governance, including promotion of customary laws and institutions associated with natural resources. The forms of selection and people involved are flexible and should be be adapted to each context taking into account the recommendations provided here. Depending on the local context, the selection criteria presented above may be contradictory, since, for example, in many parts community leadership is dominated only by men. There are also situations where multiple positions taken up by community leaders means they do not have enough time to devote to active monitoring of the LA. At this point these tensions need to be addressed in establishing a Steering Committee to fit the needs of the LA. You can choose to set up a heterogeneous committee, which has both community representatives (from different social groups) and external support for making decisions about national or international political processes, or, by setting up a committee of community leaders who are supported by other working groups. In the selection process it is recommended, for example, that during community meetings, the IPCCA initiative is introduced and from that space nominations for Steering Committee members are requested. Collective and traditional decision making spaces are recommended for the selection of Steering Committee members.

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Example 2- Local Assessment Steering Committee Potato Park, Peru The Potato Park LA Steering Committee was developed from local governance structures, and is composed of the presidents of each of the participating communities, which tend to be older men. To incorporate other perspectives into the LA process the Steering Committee is supported by other discussion groups, for example womens groups, local experts (group of elderly men and women) and groups of external advisors which are made up of people who are linked to political processes and thus can generate information on Climate Change and Indigenous Peoples rights at regional, national and international levels. Adivasi, India. The context of the Adivasi LA development in the Eastern Ghats (Eastern hills) of Central India is a vast territory with dozens of diverse Adivasi communities dispersed across it. In order to give space and power to the elderly, several meetings took place in which the elderly group agreed upon Steering Committees to be set up at the district level to ensure representation of all Adivasi communities. In this case there are heterogeneous Steering Committees (in terms of heterogenous social groups in each community) which are complemented by a statewide Steering Committee with representatives from each district Steering Committee and supported by the coordination team for the local organization that accompanies the implementation of the LA. Tools Analysis of stakeholders: Different ways to identify key stakeholders, decision makers, human resources and key informants in the community as well as methods for analyzing the interrelationships between them.

Phase 1 Products
Establishment of the LA Steering Committee, and construction of management processes and institutions. Establishment of processes and structures for coordination with the IPCCA Secretariat.

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Phase 2: Baseline Development

Phase 2 During this phase collection of information on the characteristics of the LA territory, climate change and local impacts begins. Local knowledge and local methodologies are analysed for the development and implementation of local indigenous methods of inquiry.

Guide of information to be collected

General information about the community or communities that participate in the LA (demographic, social, cultural, economic, etc.) Information about the local context of indigenous rights and territory or communities involved (based on traditional knowledge and other documentation) Specific information about the local biocultural context of the LA site (specifically data on historical and current practices, stressing the relationship with the local ecosystems) Information on current weather conditions and trends in the area of the LA (collection of local stories and knowledge of historical climate conditions and changes faced, national or regional reports and other research sources in the area) Information on how climate change is perceived locally (based on collective memory, local stories and current and historical interpretations of climate change) Information on how resilience, adaptability and buen vivir are understood locally (based on epistemology, philosophy and local stories) Information on the social composition of the community or communities based on a preliminary analysis of different social groups and networks Information about current and potential impacts of climate change in the LA site (based on local interpretations of impacts, and when available, results of other impact assessments) Information on processes and national or international trends impacting the vulnerability of the community or communities to climate change (based on local interpretations of impacts and on analysis of the situation of indigenous peoples and national policy vis--vis related international climate change) Information on national processes and project finance and climate change adaptation

Scientific and Technical Information on Climate Change

In this phase a baseline of climatic conditions in each LA should be developed. The documented information should be gathered literature search of relevant documents, maps, satellite and participatory maps and GIS data which are designed to produce information on climate change and its impacts on the LA site. In the event of no readily documented information, interviews with experts may be conducted to gather information.

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Analyzing Local Inquiry Methodologies

The methods used during this phase should enable the development of an appropriate indigenous inquiry methodology to conduct the assessment and build adaptation strategies. The methods that lead to the identification and systematic collection of indigenous knowledge, methodologies and frameworks for inquiry are necessarily context-specific. Appropriate methods should be designed to allow access and collection of traditional knowledge in line with the local context. The principles mentioned at the beginning of the toolkit should guide this initial process of working directly with indigenous knowledge, ensuring that ethical practice is supporting self-determination. It is necessary at this stage to gather information so as to produce a baseline from which to assess impacts and develop strategies. Collection of information is aimed at developing an indigenous local inquiry methodology. Vehicles for achieving this are suggested in the explanation of this second phase but should be adapted to each context. Knowledge of climate trends and historical ecosystem adaptations to the various changes are part of the collective memory of indigenous peoples. The guardians of legends and prophecies relating to climate phenomenon are knowledgeable and wise people who are often community leaders. These people are key informants during this phase. Approaching these knowledgeable people may be accomplished through community processes, or individually, depending on the local context.

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Example 3 - Knowledge Gathering Methods - Adivasi, India The basic data collection strategy of the Adivasi communities in India, is based on inter-generational transmission of biocultural knowledge and practices, while also supporting and maintaining them over time. The local research team consists of young people, with a significant presence of women, maintaining a constant and fluid communication with community elders, who felt and suggested that young people from the community should be the ones to lead the process of understanding the changes and transformations in their environment. The team bases its research on attendance at communal places of work, leisure, and decision-making ceremonies in the community. For example: Meetings of the traditional institutions of local government under a tree early in the morning. This traditional space is used for discussion, it is the moment of greatest clarity in the community. At night, however, the community is interested in singing and dancing, so the research team takes advantage of this time to document songs, dances and stories that convey the experience and Adivasi lifestyle. Festivals and celebrations become important events that are used to document information and interact with the community. For example, the festival Chenchi Bheemsana in April, in which they pray for seeds to be planted in the coming year is a good time to develop discussions on agricultural knowledge and practices. Meetings with the community working on their own farms, or in their homes, or linked to hunting. Traditional systems of sharing work are still in force in many communities and the research team uses these spaces to introduce the topic of climate change and discuss local changes. On the other hand, and presented as a way of articulating Western knowledge with traditional and new technologies with present community needs, at this stage of the LA, Adivasi communities have also worked on generating community resource maps. These maps are built according to traditional boundaries, affirming the rights of communities over their territory, according to customary law, national and international Indigenous Peoples rights. This technique has also helped to rebuild some local governance processes and strengthen community ties, vital conditions to increase resilience.

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Tools Participatory Rural Appraisal: A number of methods and techniques used to collect and analyze information on community resources, problems, potentials and needs. Gender Analysis: Focus on understanding and documenting the differences in gender roles, activities, needs and opportunities in each context. Development of community-based assets: According to the ABCD approach, the community is built mainly focusing on peoples skills rather than their weaknesses. This implies that if we want to make communities stronger, we must study its assets, resources and talents. Participatory Assessment on Climate Change: Approaches aimed at helping the community and planners understand the local risks and the ones that Climate Change represents, as well as focusing on the vulnerability of their environment and lifestyles. Methodologies for dialogue: Processes of people coming together to build mutual understanding and confidence to overcome differences and create results through the conversation. Appreciative Inquiry: Methods that use work groups to obtain information, learn and build on what they are working when they are at their best, instead of focusing on what went wrong and in solving problems. Cognitive-psychological approach and mental modeling System Methodologies

Phase 2 Products
Preliminary library of local knowledge about climate change and the biocultural context Reference list of documentation on climate change and the local environment Document analysis of national and international policies on climate change and indigenous peoples Local database Local inquiry methodologies recorded

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Phase 3: Adapting the IPCCA Conceptual Framework

Phase 3 In this phase the IPCCA conceptual framework is adapted to the local biocultural context using holistic frameworks that help translate general concepts to local contexts. A conceptual framework to guide the local assessment process is developed. The adaptation of the IPCCA conceptual framework for the LA is the first step of implementation. This phase is critical to ensuring that the LA is conducted using an appropriate framework and local epistemology to understand the impacts of climate change on the Biocultural system and that adaptation strategies will provide alternatives for indigenous peoples. To build a Conceptual Framework (CF) that is appropriate locally, the general IPCCA CF must be understood by the LA team. Below we briefly present the IPCCA conceptual framework, for a detailed description see www.ippca.info.

The IPCCA Framework

The IPCCA CF has two main goals: 1. To provide a framework for assessing the impacts of climate change on indigenous peoples and developing response strategies. 2. To be a useful teaching tool to guide local and global assessments and provide a common language to synthesize results. The CF is based on indigenous concepts and is designed as a useful tool to be adapted to the local context of each evaluation site. The following underlying principles are based on understanding of indigenous peoples, their epistemology and collective practices as interconnected with nature, ecosystems and all species. Buen vivir covers all the elements required to live well while maintaining a reciprocal relationship between parts of the holistic and interconnected living world. Reciprocity includes spiritual interconnection. Indigenous Resilience is an indicator of the ability of an indigenous people to support and strengthen buen vivir, while facing uncertainty and change. Indigenous resilience is collective and projects a positive and creative approach between society and the natural world. Climate change is the result of direct and indirect drivers of processes at local, national and global scales. The unique situation of indigenous peoples and their holistic epistemologies requires attention to the drivers that particularly affect their ability to maintain buen vivir and indigenous resilience.

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Local, national and global processes that are direct and indirect drivers of climate change interact with key elements of indigenous resilience and buen vivir in biocultural systems across time and space within a complex, interconnected and multi-scaled world.

Buen Vivir
Appropriate prac ces between nature and society Social Improvement as a process Ways of life in buen vivir Respect for mul ple forms of knowledge Self-Determina on

Direct drivers
Global pa erns of produc on and consump on Pa erns of land conversion Environmental degrada on Extrac ve industries Threats to Biodiversity Invasive species

Indigenous resilience
Memory of historical change Viewing Prac ces Biocultural diversity through the prac ces and land rights Local governance structures and collec ve processes

Indirect drivers
Socio-poli cal economic trends Policies of tradi onal resource rights Scien c and technological trends Pressure Time - Space Cultural and religious trends

Holis c Biocultural System

Interac ons at dierent scales

The direct and indirect drivers of climate change affect buen vivir and indigenous resilience of the Biocultural System. The diagram shows examples of the key elements working toward indigenous resilience and buen vivir, as well as processes and trends understood as drivers (e.g. economic and sociopolitical trends and political rights to traditional resources are indirect drivers while global trends of production and consumption or land conversion patterns are direct drivers). The arrows connecting the direct and indirect drivers with the Biocultural System and buen vivir / indigenous resilience show the interactions through time and space, allowing conceptualization at multiple scales. All arrows are bidirectional, indicating the interrelationship between the processes and elements of the Biocultural System. The approach of the IPCCA conceptual framework focuses the initiative on the processes of inquiry about how the local Biocultural System promotes indigenous resilience to face the impacts of climate change while maintaining their ability to sustain buen vivir. Therefore, local assessments should focus on promoting local indigenous resilience (strengthen biocultural diversity, adaptation, development of appropriate technologies, etc.) to adapt to climate change.

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Tools Communication for Participatory Development: Methods to encourage community participation in development initiatives through the use of different communication strategies. Participatory training methodology. Methodologies for dialogue: Processes of people coming together to build mutual understanding and trust to overcome differences and build solutions through dialogue. Cognitive-psychological approaches and Mental Modeling System Methodologies Participatory Rural Appraisal: A number of methods and techniques used to collect and analyze information on community resources, problems, potentials and needs. The development of a local conceptual framework to guide the LA requires the use of locally appropriate methods that permit analysis of the components of the CF through local epistemologies. Indigenous inquiry methodologies that were first developed in Phase 2 will be employed here. In many cases, local processes will be developed and can be used to facilitate analysis and necessary dialogue to adapt the conceptual framework. For example, in the Potato Park, the process is being undertaken through working groups. They are part of the governance structures of communities. In other cases, generic methodologies can be adapted to the local context. An example of a generic methodology that can be used at this stage are focus groups as part of the Participatory Rural Appraisal methodology.

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Example 4 Adapting the Conceptual Framework - Potato Park, Quechua, Peru Armed with the information generated from the establishment of the Baseline, and priorities identified through Kausay Sumaq, the Potato Park LA proceeded to define the elements of its Framework. The starting point for analysis was the Indigenous Conceptual Graphic found on the Main Altar of the Temple of Qoricancha. This is a graphic representation of the world that the Incas carved on gold plates on the walls of the main altar of the Temple of the Sun, in Cusco. In the sixteenth century, the Aymara chronicler Salcamayhua Yamqui Pachacuti, drew the figure of the altar providing meaning for each sign depicted. The image represents the Order of Wiracocha Pachayachachic (God creating the world), in which the human couple is a harmonious part of the whole.
Wiracocha Pachayachachic

Sun Moon

Evening Star Summer

Morning Star Winter Choqechinchay

Mother llama Lightning Mother Earth River The eyes of everything Storage

Chakana Rainbow

in general

Mother Water

Tree Man and Woman

Andn

The elements of Kausay Sumaq are identified in the drawing, helping to assess factors that enable resilience as well as identifying the Direct and Indirect Drivers of Change. All subsequent analysis led to adapting the CF. In the process it became obvious that some of the direct drivers of change are generated within the community, while most of the indirect drivers are related to external forces of power, pointing to national and international policies as the main indirect drivers of change affecting buen vivir and resilience of communities to climate change

Phase 3 Products
A local conceptual framework (LCF) that provides a simple graphical illustration of the concepts and interactions that will be used to guide the LA and facilitate understanding of the methodological approach.

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Phase 4: Local Assessment Design - Definition of Scope, Expected Results and Development of Local Methods

Phase 4 During this phase, the local assessment is designed, using the information gathered in the baseline and the adapted conceptual framework. The approach to the assessment is defined in a participatory fashion and the local biocultural system is described in order to analyse indigenous resilience and the ability to maintain buen vivir. An indigenous inquiry methodology is developed through identified local methods, complemented by other research methods The local conceptual framework that was developed in Phase 3 is used during this phase to define the scope of the LA. This stage is critical, ensuring that the CF guides the design of the assessment and development of methodologies. Also during this phase it is important to define the outcomes that the community expects to receive from the process.

Question Guide
This question guide will help define the scope and objectives of the evaluation: How are indigenous resilience and buen vivir understood in the local CF? What are the major drivers of climate change that create impacts on the local system? Define which parts of the Biocultural System will be analysed - what will be the focus of the LA? What specifically do you want to achieve with the LA? What are the expected results from the LA? What is to be achieved within a given time and with the funds available? How will the LA implement the Universal Declaration of the United Nations help Indigenous Rights?

Example 5 - Definition of the system: biocultural systems - Ifugao, Philippines As defined at the beginning of this toolkit a Biocultural System is a complex system that integrates interdependent socio-cultural and human aspects of indigenous people with physical/environmental elements of their territories. In the case of different ethnolinguistic groups in the province of Ifugao, a high mountain environment with rice production, the territory is managed from a biocultural perspective, resulting in the sustainability of resources and expertise over time.

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Examples of such management are the basis for the definition and scope of Biocultural System to be analysed in the LA, for example: Typical House: agroforestry system or permaculture surrounded by gardens of different species of trees and bamboo, integrated with aromatic herbs and medicinal plants, vegetables and animals demonstrating a deep understanding of diversity and integration. The rice fields are traditionally located close to home. Among the different crop fields, or between the peripheral limits of each field there is always a green belt or dolyah in the local language. The communal territory is divided according to ecology, human activities and property, and the bel-ew refers to watersheds, common spaces where it is forbidden to cut trees. In the bel-ew there are sacred sites or pehyew, hunting preserves or dowengan and areas to hunt birds or linnengan. Uma is the name assigned to rotational communal agriculture, while kinabba are private agricultural areas for logging and burning that serve the community only with the consent of the homeowner. Beyond the rice fields are groves of communal use with numerous ecological and cultural functions. The surrounding community forests are shared with neighboring areas as hunting grounds. Despite not having a formal regulation, it is expected that everyone use them to practice selective logging and hunting and clearing of the forest based on sustainability criteria and care. Spirituality is also an integral part of land management, for example, when performing the dam-ah, a ritual to appease the god of lightning at the beginning of the rainy season, access to the Uma is prohibited. An example of connection between the stars, ecology, human agricultural practices and spirituality, as part of the Biocultural System: The arrival of the bird kiling marks the beginning of the planting season. With the display of the killing, the hi-hapnak ritual begins, 2 or 3 days before the full moon. The selected seeds are planted under the full moon to ensure the healthy growth of seedlings. Ifugao communities have always reaffirmed and continue to assert their rights over their territory, seen as a complex system.

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Assessment Focus
Each indigenous territory is defined by its local biocultural context, consisting of the physical landscape and territory combined with cultural and social interactions. The local CF should facilitate the analysis of the impacts of climate change on the local Biocultural System. While the common holistic perspective of all Indigenous Peoples recognises the connection between the local system and all other elements of the universe, it is necessary to define what specific aspects of the local system will become the vehicle for analysing indigenous resilience and their capacity to strengthen buen vivir. The approach is developed through the local system definition, while recognising connections to the holistic system.

Development of indigenous inquiry methodology

Once you have defined the focus of the assessment, an appropriate methodology must be developed. As emphasised in phase 2, the local method of indigenous inquiry must be based on the local sui generis context, and in turn relate to the global indigenous vision. The LAs are not just locally conducted assessments of the impacts of climate change, but learning processes that use collective reflection to analyse problems they face for development of adaptation strategies. During this phase, the team must strengthen the initial understanding of the local CF in order to design appropriate inquiry methodology using local methods of analysis, dialogue, visioning and decision-making. When appropriate and necessary, local methods are complemented with scientific techniques and methodologies of social research (such as those presented below), creating hybrid approaches.

Tools Visits to communities: Organize and conduct meetings with communities to inform people about the initiative, to consult and to build trust and understanding. Communication for Participatory Development: Methods to encourage community participation in development initiatives through the use of different communication strategies. Logical framework: A tool for analysis, presentation and management that can help planners and managers to analyse the existing situation during project preparation to establish a logical hierarchy of means by which objectives will be met and to identify some of the potential risks, and establish means for monitoring and evaluation. Presentation and discussion of the baseline information.

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Collaborative Research Methods: Researchers working together to achieve the common goal of producing new scientific knowledge. The focus is on empowering local people to take charge of the research process this training can be achieved through numerous methods that should be determined by population data. Methodologies for dialogue Participatory Rural Appraisal

As throughout the whole process of the LA, this phase must be conducted in a participatory manner, it is important that community members participate in the design of the evaluation since they are the most interested in the strategies that will result. To this end, at this stage workshops should be designed and facilitated by the LA team, in which the approach of the LA is built through consensus.

Phase 4 Products
Definition of the biocultural system, its component parts and all local phenomena Definition of specific components of indigenous resilience, buen vivir and the biocultural system, which will provide the focus to the assessment Design specific activities of the assessment with an annual work plan Indigenous inquiry methodology developed and specifying methods

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Phase 5: Assessment of Conditions and Trends

Phase 5 In this phase the designed assessment activities are implemented, applying the inquiry methodology developed in the previous phase. After designing the assessment and its methodology the assessment activities proper can start. The process will assess conditions and trends of the issues identified as important for the selected focus of the LA.

Steps for assessing conditions and trends

The following steps provide guidance on how to carry out this phase, but each LA team will have to adapt the steps to the methodology and local realities. 1. 2. 3. 4. Establish project team Review and synthesise existing data (based on studies / reports, opinions of local experts and policy context) Develop biocultural indicators of vulnerability, adaptive capacity, resilience and buen vivir Inquire into existing local strategies and actions that affect the communitys ability to cope with climate variability a. Which techniques and practices are more appropriate as local level responses? b. Which Institutions and customary laws are more appropriate as local level responses? c. What are the socio-ecological networks and how can they be strengthen? 5. Description of (existing) policies and actions affecting the ability to cope with climate variability, and analsysis of the impact of those same policies on the rights and resources of indigenous peoples. Biocultural indicators These are elements that help us detect the state of ecological and cultural factors of a given area, and are based on knowledge that integrates cultural traditions with environmental observation.

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Example 6 - Agricultural Calendars - Adivasi, India A useful tool to assess local trends of climate change are traditional agricultural calendars, since they integrate historical biocultural knowledge, so that current lags in these calendars is evidence of local climate change and its multiple effects. In the case of the Adivasi communities in India, all aspects of life (livelihoods and relationship with ecosystems, biodiversity, governance, spirituality), are guided by an intricate seasonal cycle, based on the traditional map of seasons. In this jeevata chakram or life cycle, the characteristics of each season are established and the human activities that can be undertaken within each of them (related to agriculture, forest use, celebrations and festivals, worship and communication with the gods who protect the community, domestic and wild animals, etc.). Through this life cycle Adivasi communities feed themselves and support the local ecosystem, while living their life in harmony with and respect for others and the environment, coinciding with the Andean proposal of buen vivir . By basing the analysis of conditions and trends of climate change on the traditional calendar, transformations and changes that are impacting the lives of Adivasi communities easily surfaced, since they are no longer able to organize their lives accurately according to the established traditional cycle. Use of the calendar as an analytical tool also supports the LA, providing a better understanding of concepts such as the buen vivir and Indigenous Resilience Tools Stakeholder analysis Participatory training methodology Participatory Rural Appraisal Gender analysis Development of community-based assets Methodologies for dialogue Participatory Assessment of Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment Methodologies: Differentiating the vulnerabilities to climate risks in different sectors and social groups.

Phase 5 Products
Plan for assesing conditions and trends Work plan for analysis of policy and adaptation to climate variability Documentation of the results of the analysis

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Phase 6: Futuring Activities

Phase 6 During this phase activities that allow forecasting, visioning and projecting possible future realities are undertaken, to develop adaptation strategies that address the likely impacts of climate change.

The activities to be undertaken in this phase are visioning techniques or methods that support adaptive planning processes based on analysis of possible future realities. The changes and their impacts are analysed from the perspective of traditional knowledge, which allows a long term view of changes within historical and future processes. The indigenous conceptualization of space and time are different from the Western conceptualization. Time and space in the indigenous world are at the same time historical, modern, future, local, regional and global. The movement between different dimensions of time and space through ritual, music, dance, theater and other performative practices are understood locally. Thus, global processes and phenomena influence the local through time-space compression. Communities and indigenous societies have their own processes of visioning, for example, through ritual practices provided by shamans. It is preferable to use local methods for visioning, but they can be strengthened by scenario techniques or other methodologies, such as those presented below as examples.

Tools Development methodologies and use of scenarios: develop stories about the future creatively responding to the question What if ?... with local understanding of climate change trends combined with technical information to construct narratives that will address potential impacts and adaptation strategies. Forecasting Methods: Forecasting methods or projections that uses information on past trends to predict the future. The methodology tends to use existing data on historical trends. Methods of Visioning: Visualization is a powerful tool that supports the empowerment of communities in deciding how to shape their own future. A collective vision comes from the discussion in a forum where everyone can express their hopes and expectations for the future. Below are some possibilities for implementing the aforementioned tools.

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I. Developing and Using Scenarios

Scenarios are not predictions, they are consistent descriptions of possible future states. Within the theme of climate change scenarios, they have been used to develop stories about the future under different conditions of greenhouse gas emissions. As the LA uses a local perspective and traditional knowledge in the development of scenarios one can use local understanding of trends to create narratives that facilitate discussion of potential impacts and adaptation strategies. Below several steps to facilitate the process of developing and using scenarios are provided: Step 1. Identify historical processes of climate change: Choose a time frame for assessing climate change, for example thirty years. This is used to discuss the changes that have occurred historically. In this step its is necessary to approach people with knowledge of historical processes in order to identify drivers and trends. Step 2. Identify threats or concerns felt by the community about the future trends of climate change. Using brainstorming and discussion, the participants discuss their concerns and imagine the impact if climate change continues. Step 3. Identify the most important drivers of climate change: Based on data collected during the assessment, the group discusses the most important climate change drivers for the local context. Many processes that are drivers of climate change are very uncertain, and it is difficult to precisely define their course. Step 4. Define the starting point: During this step one begins to develop the narrative that will be used in the scenarios. There are several methodological options for this step. Option 1: No specific drivers are used as conditions for development of the scenarios. Imagine various paths of these conditions in the future, for example, various intensities of deforestation or increasing sea level. Option 2. Two drivers are selected as conditions and placed in a 2x2 matrix, creating four possible starting points. Option 3. The Combinations of several drivers can be used to decide the starting points for various scenarios. Step 5. Create narratives: Using the starting point, participants develop narratives about what the future would be under conditions of different scenarios. Divided into small groups, you can use multiple starting points to develop multiple scenarios. The narratives are developed based on answering questions about what will happen under different conditions. The narrative developed must be rich and detailed.

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Step 6. Present and discuss: Each group presents its narrative and discusses the implication of each scenario on indigenous resilience and buen vivir. Step 7. Discuss how the community may prepare to deal with different scenarios. By refining the narratives a discussion emerges on the opportunities and threats facing the community. A plan is developed for adaptation strategies. II. Forecasting Methods Step 1. Define indicators to project: To begin with the group discusses what indicators they want to project into the future, for example forest cover where deforestation is a problem, or agricultural production where this is seen to be reducing. Indicators are then decided on for each factor that is important to project for deciding how to plan for future conditions. Step 2. Collect data on past trends of the indicators selected: In this step it is likely that a combination of information will be required. For some indicators it might be possible to collect information as far into the past as possible from local records or collective memory while for others, outside information such as reports or census data might be needed. Step 3. Use a table or grid to construct projections based on data: A simple table can be used to construct the projections, such as the example shown here: Indicator Community Population Potato Production Visitors to the park Certain events Uncertain events Two years ago Last year Current year In a year In two years In five years

The timeline shown on the top of the table may be adjusted, the important thing is that it is a timeframe that is important and meaningful to the collective. It is advisable to have small groups and each to discuss one indicator. As the data for the indicator is filled in, graphic illustrations may be used to make it more appropriate to the local knowledge. The results of the projections can be discussed in terms of any major surprises or trends that are negative and can or should be changed.

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After the data for each indicator has been filled in, a line in the table for Certain Key Events is added and participants think about events that are likely to occur and impact upon the projections made for each indicator. Another discussion occurs about how these events will affect the projections. Next, a new line for Uncertain Key Events is added and events that may or may not occur but could be important to the projections are added. The projections should be adjusted based on a discussion of how these events will affect projections. Paso 4. Discuss how to prepare for the projections: The indicator groups come back together to discuss their projections for each indicator in the collective group. A discussion is facilitated about the results including the following questions: Are the trends positive or negative for the community? How so What will be the impact on the community and well being? Can we change the outcomes? How? How should we prepare for them? III. Visioning method Visioning is a powerful tool that supports the empowerment of communities in deciding how to shape their own future. This is a common method that is used by all communities in the world. A collective vision emerges out of discussion in a forum where all can discuss their hopes and expectations of the future. It is useful for developing a long term vision through a collaborative process. The following steps can be used to help support the creation of a common vision. Step 1. Decide timeframe of visioning: The timeframe of the vision is important and will depend on the particular focus of the community and situation. In the climate change area it is advisable to use visioning for a long term vision, up to 20 or 50 years, to ensure processes for building resilience are considered. A good way to begin the discussion is through discussing the communitys concerns today. Step 2. Develop the vision of the future: Several methods can be used to develop the vision of the future. One way is to take the participants on an imaginary journey into the future and ask them to describe how they see their community. This imaginary journey can be complemented by a physical walk around the community to help participants start to build a real vision of how the community is changed in the future. If this is not possible then a debrief in the form of illustrating what was imagined can help clarify the differences between peoples visions. If the group has already developed scenarios then they can use the outcomes from the scenarios to focus on the positive aspects of the future and develop a vision around them. Step 3. Illustrate future vision: This step is best performed in small groups with each group drawing the vision or making a collage. Make sure that each drawing or picture is able to tell the story of how the future will look under the vision.

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Step 4. Present and discuss the most important aspects of the vision: In a plenary session, all groups present their vision, and discuss the differences and similarities between the visions. All of the ideas are grouped and discussed collectively, or people may vote on each idea they feel is important to help build consensus on which ideas are central. It is important that all participants have a say as the objective is to build a collective vision of the community.

Example 7 - Visioning Tools - Maasai, Kenya For the Maasai people, the Oloiboni is the most powerful person in the community. He/she is a spiritual leader and prophet and there is usually only one per clan. The Loibons are the Maasai prophets and clairvoyants. They are usually informed of any activity carried out in the community and its decisions are final and not negotiable. Among the Maasai people the Loibon is respected more than the head of state. The Loibons are aided in their work by a leader of the age group called olaiguenani, who is elected before circumcision to lead its age group to old age. The main function of the Laiboni, as the sacrifices, is essentially to bridge the gap between man and God (or the other world), although the influence of a Loibon is generally limited to reading the mind, Gods intentional waves through divination, for example, reading the stones thrown from a bull horn. The Laiboni, given this ability, is especially consulted whenever misfortune arises, such as the lack of rain or epidemics. They are also healers, very experienced in the medicinal properties of plants growing in their environment, which leaves, roots or bark can be used to treat a wide variety of illnesses, both physical ailments or ritual treatment for social and moral transgressions of the community. In a cultural context such as the Maasai people, it is essential to take into account the traditional visioning methods through Laiboni, and to incorporate their future climate predictions, this tool can link traditional knowledge with other methods of visioning.

Phase 6 Products
Illustrations (charts, maps, etc..), future scenarios, visions and projections for use in development of adaptation strategies Collective reflection and discussion of possible future

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Phase 7: Developing Adaptation Strategies

Phase 7 During this final phase of the assessment process, the community uses the recommendations of the assessment and visioning activities to generate possible future adaptation strategies at local level.

The IPCCA strategy includes three parallel processes: local assessments, coordination through the Secretariat and a global assessment. The overall objective of the three processes is to nurture the development of indigenous strategies of responses to climate change. The responses will take place at several levels: local, national and global, all supporting the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. It is important that during this phase, the LA team coordinates with the global assessment through the Secretariat, thus ensuring that adaptation strategies at various levels support local assessments and ensure coherence. However, the immediate focus of the LA is to develop strategies for local adaptation.

The following steps provide guidance for this phase: Step 1: Analysis of Responses Historical / previous and current responses to climate change are analysed to ensure that lessons learned are incorporated into adaptation strategies. The analysis requires participation and must include all information gathered during the assessment process. Step 2: Developing Strategies for Achieving Goals Possible strategies are developed through an analysis of expected future and current situations. The development of life plans is a methodology that can support this phase of analysing possible strategies. Step 3: Choosing Strategies Having several choices of action plans for adaptation is positive, but it is also important to be able to focus on the most viable based on the resources available. The decision regarding which strategies are most viable should be undertaken in the most participatory manner possible, to ensure that the greatest amount of information and views are taken into account. In the local context, the processes of governance and community management as appropriate vehicles for strengthening selfdetermination of communities. It is also important during this phase to foster links with processes and institutions at national, regional and global levels that can support action / adaptation plans locally.

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Step 4: Designing Adaptation Projects After the development of specific adaptation strategies to focus on specific actions to adapt to the short, medium and long term changes are designed and planned, it is recommended to develop activities and projects, thus facilitating the process of seeking funds for implementation.

Example 8 Adaptation Strategies - Karen, Thailand Having assessed the trends of climate change at the local level, and the impacts they pose to the livelihood of the community of Huay Manao, Karen tribe in Thailand, the Local Assessment process required the implementation of new meetings and workshops to elucidate what kind of local strategies could be used to accommodate present and future changes. The LA teams work was based on the development of a table which shows the answers proposed by the community for each of the impacts. As the changes also represent opportunities the Manao Huay LA have taken into account both negative and positive impacts for each subject.
Topic Causes Increasing temperatures Less precipitation. Reduced water levels in some streams Positive Impact It makes plowing easier Less need for labor Better performance in production Easier to maintain. Negative Impact Insucient water Some animals have reduced or even disappeared Proposed Solution Do not drain water from the Na Lom after harvest Construction of water reservoirs

Los Na Lom became Na Don

The answers relate to traditional methods of observation of the environment, such as retrieving specific knowledge and traditional agricultural practices, as well as the incorporation of new or foreign tools, that are friendly to the environment and the way of life of the Karen people. From the results of this table one can carry out the Strategic Planning of Local Adaptation and with it, the Life Plan for the communities involved in the LA. Tools Methodologies for dialogue Participatory rural appraisal Appreciative Inquiry

Logical framework Systems theory Participatory Assessment CC

Phase 7 Products
Development of Life Plans for community strategies before future scenarios Plans for local adaptation, with established activities to be developed Proposed Adaptation Funding to be accessesd, based on strategies developed Recommendations for National Adaptation Plans of Action (NAPAs)

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IPCCA Indigenous Peoples Climate Change Assessment

www.ipcca.info ipcca-secretariat@andes.org.pe