The effects of climate

change on indigenous
peoples
Indigenous peoples are among the most destitute groups
of people, they are the most threatened and affected
segment of the population in terms of vulnerability in the
social, economic and environmental aspects.
Nearly 15 percent of the world's poor population belongs
to indigenous peoples, although it is estimated that these
peoples represent 5 percent of the world's population. At
the same time, up to 70% of the more than 390 million
natives people in the world are in Asia and the Pacific, a
region particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate
change.
It is estimated that of the majority of people in the world
that could fall back into poverty from climate change 14
million people in East Asia and the Pacific could do so by
as early as 2030. In other words indigenous peoples are
the most affected by climate change and all of its
consequences.
Indigenous peoples are among the first to face the direct
consequences of the change
Of climate due to its dependence on the environment and
its resources and its close relationship with them. The
shifting and unpredictability of the climate aggravates the
hardships that indigenous communities are already facing
daily such as marginalization in the political and
economic sphere, the loss of land and resources,
violations of human rights, discrimination and
unemployment.
Climate change is a threat and
a danger to the survival of
communities
Despite the fact that indigenous peoples contribute very
little to the emissions of greenhouse gases, they are the
most heavily affected by it. In fact, indigenous peoples
are essential for the many ecosystems that inhabit their
lands and territories and are an active part of them. In
addition, indigenous peoples interpret the effects of
climate change, and they react to them, creatively, taking
advantage of traditional knowledge and other techniques
to find solutions that can help society as a whole cope
with changes
imminent Examples of this include:
In Bangladesh, villagers are creating floating
vegetable gardens to protect their means of life of the
floods, while in Vietnam the communities are helping to
plant mangroves
thick along the coast as protection against the waves of
tropical storms.
The indigenous peoples of the regions of Central
America, South America and the Caribbean are displacing
their agricultural activities and their settlements to new
locations, less susceptible to conditions Adverse Weather
The indigenous peoples of Guyana, for example, are
leaving their homes in the savanna to move to forest
areas in times of drought and have begun planting
cassava, its basic food, in alluvial plains that are normally
too humid for other crops.
In North America, some indigenous groups are trying
to cope with climate change
paying particular attention to the economic opportunities
it can create.

Disadvantages and difficulties

of the response to climate
change
They live in geographical regions and ecosystems that are
the most vulnerable to climate change. These include
polar regions, humid tropical forests, high mountains,
small islands, coastal regions, and arid and semi-arid
lands, among others. The impacts of climate change in
such regions have strong implications for ecosystem-
based livelihoods on which many indigenous peoples
depend. Moreover, in some regions, the Pacific region for
example, the very existence of many indigenous
territories are under threat due to rising sea levels that not
only poses a grave threat to indigenous peoples’
livelihoods but also to their cultures and ways of life.
The world leaders who attended the Conference on
Climate Change in Bali in December 2007 agreed that
addressing climate change effectively requires mitigation
and adaptation, new technologies and financing.
It is important to note that to obtain positive results it is
not enough to improve and provide support to the
adaptation capacity of indigenous peoples but that these
measures need to be integrated with other strategies
such as disaster preparedness, land use planning,
conservation of the environment and national plans for
sustainable development.

In many cases, adaptation to the new conditions requires

additional financial resources and the
transfer of technological capacity that most indigenous
communities do not possess. Although
have undertaken short-term adaptation activities, the
lack of resources and capacity limits the
application of long-term strategies.

Some mitigation measures may have undesirable

consequences, either direct or indirect, for
the indigenous communities. For example, some
agricultural initiatives that can reduce emissions from
Greenhouse gases can lead to an increase in the
monoculture of crops and plantations and the
consequent decrease in biodiversity and food security.
Full and effective participation of indigenous
communities is essential for the development of official
mitigation measures that do not harm vulnerable
communities.