Policy
Report Highlights Need for Strengthening Indigenous Participation Across Rio Conventions
A new Nia Tero-commissioned report launched in August 2026 examines the scope and effectiveness of Indigenous Peoples’ participation in the Rio Conventions – specifically their meaningful influence over decisions, implementation, financing and outcomes.
"Beyond Fragmentation: Advancing Coherence, Equity, and Indigenous Leadership Across the Rio Conventions," authored by Indigenous rights expert Minnie Degawan (Kankanaey-Igorot, Philippines), identifies structural barriers and gaps that limit Indigenous Peoples’ effective participation in global forums on climate change, biodiversity loss, and land degradation.
The report draws on the following sources:
- Interviews with Indigenous leaders and representatives
- Observations from negotiations and side events
- Bilateral discussions
- Institutional analyses
Photo: A young Gabbra mother pours fresh camel milk into a hand woven container to bring back to her family. Courtesy of Wayfinders Circle Gabbra film.
"For Indigenous Peoples, climate change, biodiversity loss and land degradation are deeply connected and result from an imbalanced relationship between people and the earth."
- Minnie Degawan
Kankanaey-Igorot, Philippines
Author of "Beyond Fragmentation" report
This report emphasizes that although recognition of Indigenous Peoples has advanced significantly across the Rio Conventions, fragmentation between the three processes – the conventions on climate change, biodiversity and desertification – has become a structural barrier to their coordinated engagement and meaningful influence over decisions, implementation, and outcomes.
Indigenous Peoples often participate through advisory, consultative, or observer mechanisms, but final decisions remain concentrated within State-led processes.
"As proven guardians of many of the world’s remaining large, intact ecosystems, Indigenous Peoples’ leadership is essential to addressing the combined environmental crises humanity is facing,” said Margarita Mora, Nia Tero Chief Programs Officer. “The Rio Conventions must move beyond recognition and participation to ensure Indigenous Peoples can meaningfully shape decisions, implementation, and financing.”
About the Report
U.N. conventions are international treaties between Member States. The Rio Conventions refer to three significant environmental U.N. agreements resulting from the 1992 U.N. Conference on Environmental and Development held in Rio de Janeiro, also called the 1992 Earth Summit. These conventions include:
“Beyond Fragmentation: Advancing Coherence, Equity, and Indigenous Leadership Across the Rio Conventions" analysis focuses on how Indigenous Peoples experience and navigate the opportunities and constraints created by fragmented environmental governance.
- Fragmented Systems, Interconnected Realities: Biodiversity loss, climate change, and land degradation are closely connected, yet addressed through separate global systems, hindering Indigenous Peoples’ effective influence.
- Recognition Has Not Yet Translated into Influence: Indigenous Peoples have secured important gains in visibility and participation across the Rio Conventions, yet significant barriers remain to influencing negotiations, implementation, financing, and decision-making outcomes.
- Stronger Coordination Can Improve Impact: Greater coherence across the Rio Conventions can reduce duplication, improve policy alignment, strengthen accessibility for Indigenous participants, and support more effective use of resources and financing.
Indigenous representatives call for stronger coordination across existing structures and participation mechanisms that enable meaningful influence over decisions, implementation, and financing, ultimately leading to better outcomes for Indigenous territories and communities.
While featuring the perspectives of diverse Indigenous Peoples, “Beyond Fragmentation: Advancing Coherence, Equity, and Indigenous Leadership Across the Rio Conventions" is authored by Minnie Degawan (Kankanaey-Igorot, Philippines). She is a widely recognized Indigenous rights leader with over 30 years of experience advocating for Indigenous Peoples and sustainability. Degawan is currently the Managing Director of Forest Stewardship Council International's Indigenous Foundation.
She is formerly the Social Safeguards Consultant for The Nature Conservancy and Director of the Indigenous Peoples Program at Conservation International.
Check out this video to learn more about what drives her work.
The Rio Conventions have generated important advances in environmental governance. They have established legal frameworks, mobilized resources, shaped national policies, and elevated environmental issues within international decision-making. Yet they have also institutionalized fragmentation, dividing interconnected realities into separate thematic and governance tracks.
What Indigenous Peoples understood as one environmental crisis became three distinct policy domains – each with its own institutions, negotiations, reporting systems, financing mechanisms and participation structures.
The recommendations offer a pathway for strengthening coherence across the Rio Conventions and ensuring that Indigenous Peoples’ knowledge, leadership, and rights meaningfully shape global environmental governance.
Yes. While the report was written by Indigenous rights expert Minnie Degawan (Kankanaey Igorot, Philippines), it also features regional perspectives from these prominent Indigenous leaders:
- Kittisak Rattanakrajangsri (Mien, Thailand) offers a historical perspective, drawing on decades of engagement in both the CBD and UNFCCC processes
- Jacobed Solano Miselis (Guna, Panama) shares the perspective of an Indigenous negotiator working within a State delegation, highlighting the opportunities and challenges of influencing negotiations from within government structures
- Tunga Rai (Rai, Nepal) gives a critique of Indigenous participation, reflecting on gains achieved and challenges that have emerged through institutional engagement.
- Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim (Mbororo, Chad) brings a global leadership perspective, emphasizing the role of Indigenous Peoples in shaping international environmental governance.
- Daria Egereva (Selkup, Russia) focuses on practical pathways and solutions for strengthening coordination and effectiveness across the Conventions.
- Hanieh Moghani (Iran) reflects on the structural reforms needed to improve participation, representation, and coherence within the Rio Convention processes.
