In this report, the Special Rapporteur provides an overview of her activities since her previous report to the Council (A/HRC/33/42) as well as a thematic study on the impacts of climate change and climate finance on indigenous peoples’ rights.

Summary

Indigenous peoples are among those who have contributed least to the problem of climate change, yet they are the ones suffering from its worst impacts. They are disproportionately vulnerable to climate change because many of them depend on ecosystems that are particularly prone to the effects of climate change and extreme weather events such as floods, droughts, heatwaves, wildfires and cyclones.

The impact of climate change has been a long-standing concern for the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples. Climate change not only poses a grave threat to indigenous peoples’ natural resources and livelihoods, but also to their cultural identity and survival.