At the UN Climate Conference (COP 29) taking place in Baku, international experts discussed the issues of interaction between businesses and indigenous peoples.
According to the Chairman of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, it is important to clearly distinguish between real assistance provided to indigenous peoples, and greenwashing.
Director of the National Network of the Global Compact Association Natalia Dorpeko described the main goal of interaction between businesses and indigenous peoples on the climate agenda as “solidarity”. In her opinion, the “integral participation of indigenous peoples in matters related to their livelihoods and relationships with companies and the state” is fundamental.
Adviser to the head of the Russian Federal Agency for Nationalities Affairs Sergey Timoshkov noted the importance of ongoing dialogue between the state and indigenous peoples, which is implemented through coordinating bodies, programs, and organized forums and conferences.
Antonina Gorbunova, a member of the UN Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP), spoke about the policy on interaction with indigenous peoples implemented by Norilsk Nickel. According to her, "the involvement began even before the document itself was prepared. The developers of the Policy, including Navin Rai from Nepal, an international expert on the rights of indigenous peoples and the developer of the current standard of the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation, visited several villages at the preliminary stage [of the program’s implementation], and got personally acquainted with the customs and traditional way of life of indigenous peoples of Taimyr in the harsh climatic conditions of the Far North."
As explained by the head of the expert and analytical department of Norilsk Nickel Alexander Shaburkin, important additions were introduced to the new version of the company’s Policy on interaction with indigenous peoples. In particular, it now describes the free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) procedure in detail; adds due diligence measures such as ethno-expertise and broad consultations; defines a mechanism for complaints with the participation of an independent expert; and provides for an independent audit of the implementation of the Policy. According to the representative of Norilsk Nickel, the provisions of the current version of the document have come in line with international standards and UN recommendations.
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