North American Statement at UN High-level Climate Champions and the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil
The following statement was prepared by the North American Working Group of Indigenous Peoples within the International Indigenous Peoples Forum on Climate Change (IIPFCC) and read by Eriel Tchekwie Deranger on November 14, 2025 during the UNFCCC COP30.
Our region affirms that our strength lies in our ancestral wisdom based in unity, mutual respect, and the power of our collective voice. We are not decorations; we are leaders of climate solutions.
Year after year we attend COP, asserting our inherent, distinct, collective and internationally recognized rights and sharing our knowledges and practices.
Yet, very little progress is made to address the growing global crisis. Reproducing extractive, colonial power structures responsible for the climate crisis as a means to address it simply will not work. We cannot continue Business As Usual. What we need is systemic and transformative change and a just transition guided and led by Indigenous Peoples, our knowledge, rights and ways of life. In order to achieve this we must take collective decisive action to uphold and safeguard Indigenous Peoples’ survival and the survival of the planet and future generations.
Therefore, we stand in solidarity and support the IP actions that have occurred this week outside of the venue. We affirm Art 18 of the UNDRIP, which states "Indigenous peoples have the right to participate in decision-making in matters which would affect their rights, through representatives chosen by themselves in accordance with their own procedures”. Yet, our relatives here and our people at home continue to be excluded from these critically important discussions.
Unfortunately, members from our region were not able to endorse the Commission’s initial report because we cannot assess the commission’s effectiveness based on its original intention before COP is complete. However, we want to take this opportunity to address key issues most relevant to our regional concerns as Indigenous Peoples’ here at COP 30. In particular, we want to highlight the following urgent priorities:
Within the Just Transition Workplan, our rights must be included in the outcome document, including our rights to Free Prior and Informed Consent, lands and territories, and protections for Indigenous Peoples in Voluntary Isolation and Initial Contact. This also includes full, formal participation on the decision-making body for the new mechanism being proposed to ensure that our rights can be safeguarded and our concerns can be addressed in this process.
On climate finance, we reiterate the call for equitable, direct access for Indigenous Peoples from all seven regions, as well as the need for a standalone policy on Indigenous Peoples.
Our region expresses its solidarity with the statement made by those Indigenous Peoples participating in outside actions and stands firmly with ALL those directly affected by mining including for critical minerals, mercury contamination, expanded oil development, deforestation, commodification of nature, privatization of waters, geoengineering and the ongoing destruction of the Amazon, their home. These struggles reflect the broader challenges faced by Indigenous Peoples globally in defending their lands, rights, and ways of life.
We conclude by affirming that our region is committed to stand firm in our actions to protect our lands, waters, territories and future generations.
