Arctic-Amazon Indigenous Climate Dialogue (BRICS YEA)

As a follow-up to the initiatives BRICS YEA launched on the sidelines of UN Climate Change Conferences, from COP26 in Glasgow to COP28 in Dubai, BRICS YEA is introducing a new format «Arctic-Amazon Indigenous Youth Climate Dialogue», which represents a workshop session with conversations between the indigenous peoples from the Arctic and the Amazon regions on their climate-related experiences and international engagements. The establishment of this dialogue stems from the need to exchange knowledge and promote the visions of local communities from these unique and different parts of the world in the climate agenda and enhance cooperation between them and youth organizations globally. The session is open to all the indigenous and non-indigenous groups from the Arctic, Amazon and beyond.

In both the Arctic and the Amazon, the Indigenous peoples and local communities play a crucial role in the stewardship over the majority of biodiversity, keep knowledge and values oriented towards nature and amassed through generations.
In Latin America, the Indigenous peoples are coming to the forefront in protection of the ecosystem of this largest tropical forest in the world, which at the same time is a carbon sink, absorbing the emissions driving the climate crisis. Fighting against the consequences of changing climate, deforestation and wildfires, the Indigenous Peoples of the Amazon are protecting the global ecosystem against further warming and cataclysms.

In the Arctic, local Indigenous communities witness their home – Arctic, warming 2-3 times faster than the rest of the world. Reductions in sea ice and melting permafrost during the last several decades have impacted Arctic Indigenous peoples by significantly changing their livelihoods and posing serious sustainability concerns. Local communities have lived in the region for thousands of years, accumulating extensive and detailed understanding of the environment and of human relationships with the lands, waters, air, plants, and animals to be found there. Such information is invaluable for its own sake as well as for the depth of time and breadth of coverage that can be found from no other sources.

Discussion items

• What are the examples of the Arctic and the Amazon indigenous peoples experiences of climate change and biodiversity loss?
• What role could nature-based solutions and ecosystem-based approaches gain in delivering climate adaptation and mitigation?
• How could the indigenous knowledge from the most vulnerable regions help understand the ways of adapting to changing climate and mitigating it?
• What are the ways of integrating the indigenous youth in the climate agenda and enhance cooperation between them and youth organizations globally?
• What are the possible ways of raising awareness on sustainable livelihoods, nature-based solutions, adaptation to the changing environment, protection of biodiversity, and experiences of indigenous engagement in official UN climate mechanisms as well as coordination of activities at the international venues, informing of the relevant global activities regarding the Indigenous agenda, getting insights and consulting on the climate agenda?

Moderator:

• Arsenii Kirgizov-Barskii, Assistant Chairman, BRICS YEA

Speakers:

• Nechey Serotetto, Specialist at the National Center for Reindeer Herding within the Russian Center for Arctic Development, Board member of the Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North "Yamal to Descendants".
• Kaianaku Kamaiura, coordinator of advocacy in the Amazon, deliberative advisor at Coiab, communicator for the indigenous committee on climate change. Graduated in Intercultural Education, with a Master's degree in Human Rights, specializing in climate finance for indigenous peoples.
• Vitória Pinheiro, Focal Point in Latin America and the Caribbean of the UN Constituent Assembly of Children and Youth in Sustainable Communities, from Zumbi dos Palmares, on the outskirts of Manaus. Founder of Palmares Laboratório Ação, she has more than 10 years of experience with Public Policies and Sustainable Development, always in dialogue with climate, youth and social innovation, being one of the national directors of PerifaConection (RJ). She is a founding member of DIGNA.fs and a Sakharov Fellow of the European Parliament.