The 62nd Bonn Session (SB62), known as a preparatory stage for COP30, was marked by a historic moment: the formal participation of representatives of local communities and traditional peoples from the Global South in the discussions of the LCIPP Facilitating Working Group (FWG). This presence represents a concrete step forward in the agenda for institutional recognition of these populations in the context of global climate governance.
The leaders' intervention highlighted the need for a critical review of the language used in official UNFCCC documents, which, by conditioning the participation of local communities on terms such as "self-organized" and "when appropriate," contribute to maintaining institutional and political barriers.
“The expression 'self-organized participation' — even though it may seem inclusive — in practice reproduces a logic of institutional abandonment and political invisibility” and “The full and effective participation of local communities is not conditional. It is a right” are excerpts from the formal submission of textual commentary made by leaders of local communities during a FWG meeting in Bonn. Check out the full text here [insert PDF link].
Local communities demanded equal treatment, recognition as political actors, and access to support, funding, and representation mechanisms in the UNFCCC processes. They also emphasized their historical contribution to ecosystem protection, climate regulation, and territorial resilience, based on their own ways of life and governance styles.
Structured dialogue and international coordination
The progress recorded in Bonn was the result of a collective effort, led by representative grassroots organizations with seats on the National Council of Traditional Peoples and Communities (CNPCT), such as the Interstate Movement of Babaçu Coconut Breakers (MIQCB), the Cerrado Network, and the Center for Alternative Agriculture (CAA), among others, with technical and financial support from ISPN, the Native Amazon Operation (OPAN), the Instituto Centro de Vida (ICV), and Terra de Direitos, made possible by the Climate and Society Institute (iCS).
The leaders also delivered a formal letter to the authorities of the UNFCCC, the FWG, and the presidency of the SBSTA (Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice of the UNFCCC), with strategic recommendations to strengthen the participation of local communities in the climate regime. The document was signed by representative networks from Latin America and allied organizations.
Among the main points of the letter, the following stand out:
- Implementation of decisions 2/CP.24 and 16/CP.26, which address the strengthening of the Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform (LCIPP) within the UNFCCC, with global consultations that ensure regional balance and self-identification mechanisms for the selection of representatives;
- Formal recognition of local communities as political actors, based on international legal instruments such as UNDRIP, UNDROP, CBD, ILO 169 and the jurisprudence of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights;
- Explicit inclusion in the LCIPP Baku Work Plan (2025–2027), with participation in dialogues, events, technical production and political advocacy;
- Creation of a fund dedicated to the participation of local communities, financed by voluntary contributions and resources linked to Article 6.4 of the Paris Agreement;
- Strengthening intercultural translation mechanisms, especially for leaders in remote regions;
- Calling for a bi-regional meeting between North and Latin America, with transparent and inclusive criteria that respect territorial and gender diversity.
“Local communities continue to face the disproportionate impacts of the climate crisis, but they remain contributing to biodiversity conservation and food and water security. This is no longer just political rhetoric: it is supported by scientific data and international legal frameworks,” the letter states.
Roadmap to COP30: coordination and commitments
The Brazilian Presidency of COP30 committed to holding two preparatory dialogues—during Climate Week in Africa in September and during the pre-COP in Brasília in October—and an international seminar in Belém, scheduled for November during the next FWG meeting. These meetings will be strategic for advancing the reform of the governance of the LCIPP, aiming to guarantee regional balance. The objective of the local community movements and organizations is to formalize the launch of a Global Caucus of Local Communities, planned for COP30.
ISPN will continue to provide technical support to ensure the continuity and deepening of these achievements, assisting the mobilization of national and international partners to guarantee qualified participation, fair funding, and institutional recognition of local communities in multilateral processes.
“We are still here”—that was the message from the leaders at the SB62 plenary session—not only as resistance, but as an essential part of climate solutions for the future. “We remain here, present, alive, with our ways of life, knowledge, and struggles—not only as guardians of the territories, but as political subjects who resist and propose concrete paths to climate justice,” declared the president of the CNPCT, Samuel Caetano, during a meeting of the LCIPP Facilitating Working Group.
“The unprecedented presence of Brazilian local communities at the FWG marks not only a symbolic advance, but a concrete step towards climate justice. It is the materialization of a long process of struggle, resistance, and collective construction for recognition, voice, and space in decision-making arenas that have historically excluded them. The clear and objective message from the local communities reaffirmed that the territories traditionally occupied by peoples and communities are more than conservation areas; they are places of life, self-governance, and real solutions to the climate crisis. Listening needs to transform into a political commitment from the Parties to guarantee effective means of direct financing, recognition of territorial rights, and socio-productive inclusion,” highlighted Guilherme Eidt, coordinator of Public Policies and Advocacy at ISPN.
ISPN Communications Office