Indigenous Peoples' Climate Change Portal

Far from cities and supplies, remote communities struggle to survive after losing lives, homes and boats to typhoon

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines/WARSAW, Poland, 15 November 2013—In the wake of Typhoon Haiyan, which killed an untold number of people, displaced 630,000 and devastated central Philippines, the country’s indigenous peoples—most of whom are located in isolated, forested communities, far away from cities and supplies—are emerging as among the worst hit.

As they struggle to survive and assess damage to the natural resources they preserve and maintain for their incomes and food, an estimated 1,600 indigenous families are struggling to secure basic supplies that could help them to survive--and rebuild their lives.

Indigenous groups in Latin America, Africa and Asia offer model for saving world’s forests, bulwarks against climate change

New book reveals that their ability to preserve forests is under threat from land grabs by governments and developers

Editor’s Note: The book’s authors are currently in Warsaw and available for interviews.

WARSAW, Poland, 13 November 2013—Through the conservation and protection of forests by traditional forest management approaches, indigenous peoples of Latin America, Africa and Asia demonstrate best practices for staving off the threatening impacts of changing climate patterns, such as the typhoon that recently ripped through the Philippines, say indigenous scholars in a new book.

Yet despite the crucial role that these forest-dwelling people play in saving the world’s remote forests, the book cautions that many indigenous groups risk losing control over these resources in the face of weak land rights and the grabbing of their lands by governments and developers for the purpose of mining, logging and other natural resource extraction. A recent report by the Rights and Resources Initiative revealed that, worldwide, some 30 percent of land handed over to companies for commercial development overlapped with indigenous and community forests.

Indigenous Peoples Across the Globe Voice Fear from Frontlines of Extreme Weather: Experiences from Africa, Asia and Latin America Suggest Danger to Millions, if Global Community Fails to Help Vulnerable Regions Cope with Climate Change

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In the wake of Typhoon Haiyan, which left thousands dead and devastated central Philippines, the country’s indigenous peoples—most of whom are located in isolated, forested communities—are emerging as among the worst hit. The indigenous Tagbanwa community of Coron and Taran islands, for example, lost lives, homes and boats—their primary means of transport and income.

According to the latest Global Climate Risk Index, 530,000 people died from 15,000 extreme weather events over the last two decades. Due to their remote locations, indigenous peoples are often severely impacted by these storm—and cut off from relief efforts. In the Philippines, there are eight Tagbanwa settlements that have yet to be reached due to lack of communications and transportation.

Thank you Chair and Distinguished Delegates, for this opportunity to speak and present our issues and concerns at this meeting on behalf of the International Indigenous Peoples Forum on Climate Change. My name is Galina Angarova, and I am a representative of the indigenous rights and research center Tebtebba Foundation.

As Indigenous Peoples we are on the forefront of the climate change crisis and immediate action is needed to address our concerns and issues especially in light of unprecedented melting of sea ice, rise of the sea levels, changing weather patterns, degradation of biodiversity and subsistence resources which are the core to survival of indigenous peoples.

We state the following: