The Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund has launched the “Global Data Study on Indigenous Peoples’ Climate Contributions” — a landmark study delving into how the knowledge systems of Indigenous Peoples are vital for responding to Climate Change across the seven socio-cultural regions, illustrating their contributions to climate ambition, mitigation, adaptation, and finance.
The study advocates for direct financing by highlighting the measurable impact of Indigenous leadership on climate and biodiversity outcomes. Forests managed by Indigenous Peoples have deforestation rates that are significantly lower — up to 50% less — than those in other areas, and Indigenous Peoples are custodians of 25% of the world's land areas. Yet, finance often fails to reach the Indigenous Peoples who are leading climate action, across mitigation, adaptation and resilience.
Through 400 case studies, the paper will showcase Indigenous knowledge systems and practices as vital for climate action while documenting the impacts of loss and damage experienced by Indigenous Peoples, despite their low carbon footprints. This approach underscores the necessity of climate justice, particularly in the context of territorial management practices that reflect diverse lifestyles, including hunting, fishing, herding, and cultivation.
Razan Al Mubarak, Managing Director of the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund and High-Level Climate Champion for COP28 UAE, highlighted the importance and impact of Indigenous Peoples’ conservation efforts:
“Indigenous Peoples are at the forefront of climate action, yet their critical contributions remain underrecognized and underfunded. The Global Study on Indigenous Peoples’ Climate Contributions aims to provide the data needed to bridge this gap — demonstrating the impact of Indigenous leadership and advocating for the rights, resources, and recognition they deserve in global climate solutions.
The first and initial place of exclusion of indigenous peoples — their rights and voice, ways of knowing and doing and access to development benefits — is in data sets that are Indigenous Peoples-blind. This has often been termed as erasure through non-disaggregated data sets across scales. Data is foundational in shaping opinions, policy, resource allocation, and actions across scales and political spaces. The study is therefore an attempt at demonstrating and reaffirming IPs’ agency and giving space to IPs’ hues in the rainbow of knowledge systems, climate action and trends in access to resources.”
The Global Data Study on Indigenous Peoples’ Climate Contributions is a joint initiative between The Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund, the UN High-Level Climate Champions and the ELATIA initiative led by Indigenous Livelihood Enhancement Partners, and will formally conclude late 2025 at COP30 in Belem, where Indigenous Peoples will be front and centre. It will serve as both a resource for IPs in accessing finance, as well as a resource for financiers in understanding the business case for investing in Indigenous Peoples.
As the study advances, Ms. Al Mubarak extends an invitation to join the study and participate in shaping the future of sustainable finance:
“Ahead of COP30, we are asking for stories, case studies, and data points to help inform and shape the study, adhering to Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC). Your contributions will make the study richer and more diverse, and we greatly appreciate them!”
The potential in such collective initiatives is immense, and both simplifying and amplifying such powerful insights can empower broader audiences to act now.
The Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund lends a helping hand through innovative philanthropy, providing small grants to in-the-field species conservation projects for the world's most threatened species. For more than 20 years, H.E. Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, founding Managing Director, has played a vital role in guiding the United Arab Emirates toward a more sustainable future while spearheading progressive environmental protection, species conservation, and climate action globally.
For more information on the study, including on how to make submissions, please visit the Call for Case Studies for the Global Study on Indigenous Peoples' Climate Contributions or email ipglobalstudy@gmail.com