{"id":48228,"date":"2023-03-17T12:20:32","date_gmt":"2023-03-17T12:20:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.climatechangenews.com\/?p=48228"},"modified":"2023-03-17T14:56:35","modified_gmt":"2023-03-17T14:56:35","slug":"natures-stewards-under-attack-climate-weekly","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.climatechangenews.com\/2023\/03\/17\/natures-stewards-under-attack-climate-weekly\/","title":{"rendered":"Nature’s stewards under attack – Climate Weekly"},"content":{"rendered":"

Indigenous peoples are widely recognised<\/a> as nature’s best stewards. The land they inhabit contains an estimated 80% of the world’s remaining biodiversity.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

They can make a significant contribution to global efforts to address the climate crisis – if their rights are protected.<\/p>\n

The Green Climate Fund – the UN’s flagship climate fund – is being put to the test to heed this call<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Indigenous representatives have complained that one of the fund’s projects in Nicaragua risks fuelling escalating violence<\/a> from settlers invading their land to farm cattle and exploit the forest’s resources. They say the GCF approved the project without their consent or due diligence.<\/p>\n

Last week, armed settlers reportedly attacked two communities and killed at least five people. The Nicaraguan government has turned a blind eye.<\/p>\n

This is the first complaint case<\/a> to reach the GCF board and a test of the fund’s ability to enforce its own safeguards.<\/p>\n

Because of its sensitivity, board members discussed the case behind closed doors at a meeting this week. But the meeting drew to a close Thursday without a public outcome to the\u00a0growing frustration<\/a> of civil society groups. Meanwhile, the violence continues.<\/p>\n

Also this week, Mafalda Duarte was selected to take the reins<\/a> of the GCF’s secretariat from French UN veteran Yannick Glemarec. As CEO of the Climate Investment Funds, Duarte has launched programmes<\/a> that provide direct financing for indigenous communities to protect natural resources.<\/p>\n

Perhaps, these are some of the skills she can bring to the GCF.<\/p>\n

This week’s stories<\/strong><\/p>\n