Quito Declaration:

Recommendations of Indigenous Peoples and Organizations Regarding the Process of the Framework Convention on Climate Change

This Declaration will be used by local and indigenous leaders to lobby for increased access and participation in the upcoming Climate negotiations. 

The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, as well as the Kyoto Protocol were negotiated without indigenous peoples' participation. Currently, governments are defining a mechanism for implementation of the Climate Change agreements called the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). The CDM will likely have a tremendous impact on indigenous and local peoples' lives, cultures, lands and territories. 

The Quito Declaration below was written and signed in Quito, Ecuador in May, 2000 at a conference to raise indigeneous and local peoples' awareness of the potential threats and opportunities presented by the Clean Development Mechanism. Currently the Amazon Alliance is helping to build support to send a strong indigenous delegation to the Climate Change negotiations in September and November.

THE QUITO DECLARATION:

Considering:

1. That Agenda 21 in chapter 26 recognizes Indigenous Peoples as a Major Group with the right to participate fully in all the national and international processes on sustainable development.

2. That Indigenous Peoples historically have fulfilled and continue to fulfill an important role in the conservation of forests, biological diversity, and the maintenance of natural ecosystems. That, presently Indigenous Peoples, as well as the environment and the climate are threatened by destructive commercial and extractive activities, such as mining, logging, emission of greenhouse gases, excessive consumption, etc.

3. That distinct Declarations, Agendas and International Conventions such as the Draft Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Convention 169 of the ILO, the Rio de Janeiro Declaration, the Convention on Biodiversity and instruments of the United Nations System including the Sustainable Development Commission, the Human Rights Commission, the Inter-Governmental Panel and Forum on Forests recognize the fundamental rights of Indigenous Peoples as well as the role that these peoples play in the conservation and sustainable use of nature including biodiversity and the forests.

4. That the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, as well as the Kyoto Protocol have been negotiated without the participation of the Indigenous Peoples and Organizations and do not take into account our rights.

5. That the Convention and the Kyoto Protocol and the proposal for a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) may have a tremendous impact on our life, survival, cultures, spirituality and on the lands and territories that Indigenous Peoples inhabit and use. 

6. Taking into consideration the intervention of the representative from COICA and the Climate Alliance at the conference of the parties in COP 4 and the resolution of the Indigenous Organizations in the International Workshop on International Policies on Climate and Indigenous Peoples held in Geneva in 1999 regarding the need for adequate participation of Indigenous Peoples both in the conferences of the parties as well as in the meetings.

7. That the Indigenous Peoples are convinced that our effective and equal participation can contribute substantially to a constructive dialogue for achieving Sustainable Development as it relates to Climate Change and the recognition of our rights.

Therefore:

The representatives of the indigenous organizations convened in Quito, Ecuador RESOLVE:
 
1. That the Convention and the Parties recognize that Indigenous Peoples historically have fulfilled and continue to fulfill an important role in the conservation of forests, biological diversity, and the maintenance of natural ecosystems.

2. To request that the Secretary of the Framework Convention of the Climate Change (UNFCCC) take the necessary steps to guarantee the adequate participation of Indigenous Peoples in the Conference of the Parties, (COP 6), as well as in the meetings prior to the conference and subsequent meetings.

3. To request that the Secretary of the UNFCCC facilitate the direct accreditation of the representatives of the Indigenous Organizations.

4. To request that the Secretariat include in the agenda of COP 6, an item on the impact of the mechanisms stipulated in the Convention, among them the CDM, and that we are allowed to offer for consideration our principles and points of view, such as the principle of prior and informed free consent, the due respect for our territorial rights and all the other rights of our peoples.

5. To establish a mechanism of coordination among Indigenous Peoples and Organizations which allows us to participate in an informed fashion in the meetings and processes prior to COP 6, both on the national and international level and to draft our contributions and recommendations, with an emphasis on the Clean Development Mechanism, that will be presented in these meetings and processes.

6. To urge governments to include representatives of the Indigenous Peoples in their delegations to the preparatory meetings and COP 6.

7. To urge the Non-Governmental Organizations like the Amazon Alliance, the Climate Alliance, the Climate Action Network and other non-governmental organizations to support the initiatives of the indigenous organizations.

Quito, Ecuador, May 4-6, 2000, 

Signed by:

Representatives of Indigenous Organizations and Local Communities:
- Asociacion de la Nacionalidad Zapara de la Provincia de Pastaza del Ecuador (ANAZPPA), Puyo, Ecuador
- Central Indigena del Bajo Paragua (CIBAPA), Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia
- Centro de Asistencia Legal Popular (CEALP), El Dorado, Panama
- Confederacion de las Nacionalidades Indigenas de la Amazonia Ecuatoriana (CONFENIAE) Puyo, Ecuador 
- Confederacion de Nacionalidades Indigenas del Ecuador (CONAIE), Quito, Ecuador
- Coordinadora de las Organizaciones Indigenas de la Cuenca Amazonica (COICA) Quito, Ecuador
- Consortium for Community Forest System (KPSHK), Jakarta, Indonesia 
- Federacion de Comunidades Union de Nativos del Ecuador (FCUNAE), Coca-Orellana, Ecuador
- Federacion Independiente del Pueblo Shuar del Ecuador (FIPSE) Parroquia Makuma-Morona Santiago, Ecuador
- Federacion Interprovincial de Nacionalidad Achuar del Ecuador (FINAE), Puyo, Ecuador
- Federacion Indigena de Bolivar (FIB), Ciudad Bolivar, Venezuela
- Federacion Shuar Secua, Quito, Ecuador
- Federacion de Organizaciones Indigenas de Napo (FOIN), Napo, Ecuador
- Instituto Amazanga, Quito, Ecuador 
- Midrand Eco City, South Africa
- Nyakach Community Development Association (NYACODA), Pap Onditi, Kenya
- Organizacion de los Pueblos Indigenas de la Amazonia Colombiana (OPIAC), Bogota, Colombia
- Organizacion de los Pueblos Indigenas de Pastaza, Puyo, Ecuador
- Union de Ejidos "Pajal Ya kac'tic", San Cristobal de las Casas, Mexico

Non-governmental Organizations Present at the Workshop that Support  the Quito Declaration:
- Amazon Alliance, Washington D.C., USA 
- AMBIO, San Cristobal de las Casas, Mexico
- Climate Alliance, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Union de Grupos Ambientalistas, IAP, Zacatecas, Col. Roma, Mexico 
- Green Forum Philippines, Philippines 
- Fundacion Pachamama, Quito, Ecuador
- Center for Economic and Social Rights (CESR), Quito, Ecuador
- Fundacion Amigos de la Naturaleza (FAN), Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia

For more information about the Indigenous and Other Local Peoples Climate Change Initiative or how you can get involved, please contact the Amazon Alliance at amazon@amazonalliance.org .