ECUADOR S SUBMISSION ON LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLES PLATFORM, REFERRED TO IN PARAGRAPH 135 OF DECISION 1/CP.21

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1 General Comments Indigenous peoples and local communities are particularly vulnerable to climate change. Despite the fact that they play a critical role as keepers of mother s earth resources, they are directly affected by the consequences of climate change including deforestation, sea-level rise, major infrastructure projects, and conflict arising from resource scarcity, among others. We are aware of the indigenous peoples and local communities outstanding role in the protection of Mother Earth through their practices and traditional knowledge and in line with the United Nations Declarations on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and other International Instruments relevant on Humans Rights. In that sense, Ecuador appreciates the opportunity to present its position and criteria on the purpose, content and structure of the Platform for the exchange of experiences and sharing of best practices on mitigation and adaptation in a holistic and integrated manner, according to paragraph 135 of the Decision 1/CP.21. Ecuador recognizes the International Indigenous Peoples' Forum on Climate Change (IIPFCC), which provides a solid foundation for the indigenous platform by reaffirming that traditional knowledge, traditional cultural, expressions and genetic resources are an integral part of the rights of Indigenous Peoples to cultures, livelihoods and identities. We believe that the platform should take into account other national, regional and international examples of this sharing of experiences such as the Working Group on Article 8(j) within the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Artic Council, and the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) as high- level advisory body to the Economic and Social Council. The platform should also focus on the linkage of climate change and the sustainable development goals and work towards the objective to eradicate poverty in all its forms and dimensions, including extreme poverty. To this end, Ecuador cannot emphasize enough the importance of an active, permanent role and involvement of local communities and indigenous peoples in all relevant UNFCCC negotiations and decisions by addressing and responding to climate change through their practices and knowledge. Organizations representing local communities and indigenous peoples should be heard first.

2 Purpose The platform should aim to provide a space of dialogue for the effective exchange of experiences and best practices on mitigation and adaptation to climate change in a holistic, balanced and integrated manner, in order to enhance the knowledge, technologies, practices, identity and efforts of indigenous peoples and local communities. The exchange should include a comprehensive approach based on: the recognition of the rights of Indigenous Peoples, the rights of nature, the promotion of development in harmony with nature, the modification of the current unsustainable patterns of production and consumption, the identification and recognition of the co-benefits derived from their climate actions and the balance with the protection of their ancestral knowledge; the priorities identified by local communities and indigenous peoples to address climate change. The purpose of the Platform is that the local communities and indigenous peoples provide the UNFCCC with assessment and become active players on relevant issues through analysis and appropriate recommendations to lead enhanced action on climate change to support the implementation of the Paris Agreement. Content The Platform should include information on: 1. Traditional knowledge, science and technologies of the local communities and indigenous peoples to boost climate action; strengthening indigenous approaches to research, development and demonstration; promote culturally appropriate development; facilitate access to the development and transfer of climate technology with the requirement of prior and informed approval of the holders of such knowledge, innovations and practices. 2. Effective practices and lessons learned as well as challenges and constraints encountered, actions and initiatives to overcome and important measures for the future implementation of the Paris Agreement.

3 3. Recommendations on mechanisms, guidelines, legislation or other appropriate initiatives to promote the effective participation of indigenous peoples in decisionmaking, policy planning and development and implementation of climate action at the international, regional, sub-regional, national and local level. 4. Ways to promote dialogue and partnerships, in coordination with other United Nations funds, programs and specialized agencies, to respect and promote the rights of indigenous peoples in taking action to address climate change; 5. Recommendations and guidelines on science and technology issues within the UNFCCC related to indigenous rights and knowledge, including their objectives and outcomes. 6. International and regional, including south-south cooperation sources to support local communities and indigenous peoples to apply their traditional knowledge and practices to climate action. Structure Ecuador believes that the platform should be permanent within the UNFCCC, and count with the participation of delegates from Parties and the organizations representing local communities and Indigenous Peoples, from the seven regions recognized by the International Indigenous Peoples Forum on Climate Change: Africa, the Arctic, Asia, North America, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Pacific, Russia and Eastern Europe. This will provide a balanced space for the discussion and regular systematization of experiences, to propose actions and measures to meet the purposes of the Platform and leave no one behind. The Forum could also benefit from an Expert Advisory Group, involving, for example but not limited to, the Special Rapporteur on United Nations Convention on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, as well as to other recognized experts in indigenous, local development and climate change. However, it is essential to ensure that these participations don t represent limitations in logistical, budgetary or technical support for actors from local communities and indigenous peoples. All the information discussed in the platform and its future mandates should respect and never undermine what is affirmed in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

4 We also suggest the conformation of an Open Ad-Hoc Working Group under the SBSTA in order to develop the structure of the Platform, its modalities and procedures in an orderly manner. The mandate of the Open Ad hoc working group shall be: a) To provide the Conference of the Parties in compliance to paragraph 135 of the Decision 1/CP.21 with advice relating to the implementation and related provisions, in particular on the development and implementation of the New UN Platform for Indigenous and Local Community Climate Action b) To identify those objectives and activities falling within the scope of the Convention and its Paris Agreement for the Platform from the perspective of local communities and indigenous peoples; c) To provide advice to the Conference of the Parties on measures to strengthen cooperation at the international level to the benefit of local communities and indigenous peoples to embody traditional practices relevant to combating climate change and make proposals for the strengthening of mechanisms that support such cooperation; d) To include the participation of Parties and observers, including, in particular, representatives from indigenous and local communities embodying traditional lifestyles taking into account the need for geographical balance and the need for the working group to be effective and efficient; e) To establish synergies between the International Organizations, Conventions, Fora among other mechanisms of the United Nations System, to learn valuable experiences in the implementation of initiatives such as the Platform for Indigenous and Local Community for Climate Change Action. f) To provide a continuous revision of the implementation of the decisions of the Platform with the support of the secretariat of the UNFCCC. g) To meet once a year to discuss new ways to enhance and implement the platform in the UNFCCC. Next Steps and final suggestions Ecuador welcomes the multi stakeholder dialogue that will take place at the midyear UN Climate Change Conference in May 2017 in Bonn, as a first approach to discuss ways to effectively operationalize the platform. In that sense, the

5 discussions and suggestions resulting from this dialogue as well as from the submissions by parties should be reflected in a report written by the Secretariat of the UNFCCC, which should include a roadmap with concrete actions and definitions of roles and actors to accomplish the ideas presented. For the best participation and empowerment of local communities and indigenous peoples in the platform, we suggest the definition of appropriate means of communication including but not limited to, material published in their language with the translation in the five official languages of the UN, material that reflect their cultural heritage and traditions. After each annual meeting, a handbook could be issued with the support of the UNFCCC that reflects the result of each year s discussion on best practices from local communities and indigenous peoples to address climate change.