- As an initiative from Peru to present an efficient solution to climate change that asses the ancestral knowledge of indigenous communities.

Servindi, 18th September, 2014.- The Unity Pact of Indigenous Organizations of Peru proposed a National Program of Community-based Adaptation as a strategic measure to address climate change in Peru, one of the most vulnerable countries to this global phenomenon.

"It is urgent to define policies and adaptation strategies involving local stakeholders, communities and indigenous peoples, since they are the most affected group”, said Antolín Huáscar, one of the Unity Pact spokespeople.

Huáscar, who also chairs the National Agrarian Confederation (CNA), reminded that Peru registers seven of the nine characteristics of vulnerability defined by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

“Every single dollar invested in disaster risk management programs in developing countries could save seven dollars of costs due to undesirable impacts” informed Huáscar, quoting the last PNUD report.

“The proposed program should take the opportunity of tackling climate change to consolidate our potential as a country for the wellbeing of humanity, since an important part of the world’s diversity is allocated in Peru”.

“We need to ensure an appropriate system of water management for human development, harmonize the national agrarian policy and protect Peruvian biodiversity. And that should be made focusing the policies towards food sovereignty”, added the Quechua leader.

Megadiverse country

“Due to its diversity, Peru should lead the actions against climate change by mobilizing its resources and potential, such as the capacity and knowledge of indigenous peoples”, argued Gladis Vila, spokeswoman of the Unity Pact.

Vila is the president of the indigenous women organization ONAMIAP. She stressed that “the National Program of Community-based Adaptation must strengthen and promote women’s role because they represent an essential part of the familiar and indigenous agriculture which is feeding the country”.

The organizations belonging to the Unity Pact urge the authorities to work on the design and implementation of strategical proposals for climate adaptation, in collaboration with the NGOs and the civil society as a whole.

Previous conditions needed

According to the Unity Pact, co-management is crucial to ensure the active participation of indigenous organizations in the process of the program. Furthermore, designing the budget should be a participative process with a long-term perspective (more than 10 years).

Moreover, it is a priority for the Unity Pact to provide indigenous communities with territorial security through land titling mechanisms which will guarantee the viability of the program in the future.

One of the main lines of action in the context of territorial security is food sovereignty, including protection of agriculture, water and Mother Earth.

Data

The Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) estimated that in Peru, the economic cost of climate change impacts is equivalent to 4,4% of its GDP in 2014.

The Vice-minister for Finance, José Arista, stated that before 2050 Peruvian economy would lose 10,000 million dollars a year if climate change impacts are not reduced.

---

Traducción de Maria Khoury para IWGIA y Servindi.