[COP28] LCIPP Annual Youth Round Table — Exchange amongst Indigenous youth and youth from local communities
2 December 2023
The Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform (LCIPP) recently held its Annual Youth Round Table at COP28. This gathering was not just another meeting; it was a potent exchange amongst indigenous youth and youth from local communities, underlining their critical role in climate policy development and implementation.
Our representative, Diana a/p Tan Beng Hui participated in this session and shared perspective from Indigenous Orang Asli (Jakun tribe) in Peninsular Malaysia.
What is LCIPP?
Before diving into the event’s details, let’s briefly talk about LCIPP. The LCIPP is an initiative under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), focusing on acknowledging and integrating the knowledge and practices of local communities and indigenous peoples in climate actions and policies.
The Importance of Indigenous Youth
Why focus on indigenous youth? Their participation at the LCIPP UNFCCC is crucial because they bring unique perspectives and traditional knowledge essential for sustainable climate solutions. Their insights are particularly vital in addressing climate change impacts on their communities.
Highlights from the Round Table
Breakout Room Asia Pacific
A significant part of the event was the Breakout Room for Asia Pacific, where discussions on enhancing indigenous youth leadership in policy development took centre stage.
- Thailand: Emphasised the need for national consultations and capacity building for indigenous youth, suggesting the integration of traditional knowledge with modern climate concepts.
- Philippines: Stressed the importance of intergenerational dialogue and storytelling for the transfer of traditional land management skills.
- Nepal: Focused on documenting traditional knowledge to preserve and effectively transfer it, especially for youth away from their communities.
- Malaysia: Highlighted the significance of documenting community practices and wisdom to strengthen their position in policy-making.
- Bali: Proposed creating digital inscriptions to bridge the gap between young and old generations regarding environmental protection values.
- Indonesia: Discussed the earnestness of youth in protecting indigenous rights and emphasized the need for enhanced formal and informal education.
- Hla Doi: Pointed out the lack of youth representation in government workshops and meetings, underscoring the importance of their inclusion in significant policy development spaces.
- Indonesia (Legal Perspective): Focused on lobbying legislative bodies to encourage diverse youth participation, suggesting digital platforms and focus group discussions for remote indigenous youth.
- Continuous Funding and Resources: Stressed the need for ongoing financial and resource support for interpretation and translation services, not just for one-off conferences.
Ongoing Engagement and Inclusion
The discussions also revolved around mechanisms to support the continuous involvement and inclusion of indigenous and local community youth in the UNFCCC’s work. Suggestions included increased funding, capacity-building programs, and ensuring youth present themselves in indigenous ways even in international spaces.
Enhancing Indigenous Youth Involvement
Finally, the roundtable explored how the FWG could further improve the engagement of indigenous and local community youth in its activities. Ideas ranged from preparatory workshops to regional intergenerational dialogues and increasing the number of knowledge holders.
