For Pablo Mís, Technical Advisor of the EnABLE fund and Onel Masardule, IPs Observer to FCPF representing Latin America and Caribbean, their central goal as Indigenous Peoples’ representatives is to strengthen the representation of Indigenous communities and their interests in all international conferences and negotiations relating to climate change.

At this year’s two-week UN Climate Change Conference in Bonn, Germany, Mís and Masardule noted that climate damages – notably how to address the impacts of climate change on the poorest people –were a key discussion point. The debates over financial support for developing countries, as well as the need for adaptation and enhanced resilience to climate impacts and other topics central to discussions in Bonn, are sure to be a focus area on the agenda for COP27.

Mís and Masardule contributed to plenary sessions of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) and attended a number of side events run by Indigenous Peoples’ focus groups. Part of Mís and Masardule’s contribution to discussions at the conference was to share information about the mission and priorities of the World Bank’s new Enhancing Access to Benefits while Lowering Emissions (EnABLE) trust fund, which aims to enhance the inclusion of Indigenous Peoples and other marginalized communities (including local communities, women, and young people) in emission reductions programs under the Climate Emissions Reduction Facility (CERF) and maximize their access to resulting carbon and non-carbon benefits.

It was decided that further discussions about the EnABLE fund should be held at the next North America and LAC bi-regional workshop on climate change and Indigenous Peoples, set for September 14-15th, 2022 in Gunayala, Panama. They also made plans to organize various IPs’ side events to be held at COP 27, and conceptualized research that needs to be conducted into the impact of climate change on Indigenous communities, to support advocacy efforts.