Transforming REDD+ for Indigenous rights in Costa Rica

Abstract

ABSTRACT : Financing the conservation of critical global carbon sinks in developing countries has been an ongoing focus in global climate change mitigation talks, with the development of the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) strategy through the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The importance of returning land tenure of these forests to Indigenous People is also recognised as a crucial component of forest conservation as well as fulfilment of Indigenous Rights, as outlined in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). However, denunciations of REDD+ by Indigenous rights activists justify concern over transparency and accountability for governments claiming to effectively uphold Indigenous rights throughout the negotiation of their national REDD+ strategies. This case study of the KéköLdi Indigenous Territory of Costa Rica yields essential decolonial transformations for the Costa Rican National REDD+ strategy in order to support ten specific articles of the UNDRIP. These decolonial Indigenous proposals hold the Costa Rican government accountable to its legal commitments to its Indigenous People as well as recognise and respect the robustness of Indigenous environmental knowledge and cultural conservation practices. These decolonial approaches could be applied in other countries that are developing their own national REDD+ strategies while fulfilling their commitment to Indigenous rights.