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The Podong Indigenous Initiative is a global initiative that aims to recognise and support Indigenous Peoples’ contributions to the conservation of biodiversity and climate solutions through their indigenous knowledge systems, while ensuring their full and effective leadership and access to adequate resources for the implementation and achievement of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the Paris Agreement. The initiative is co-designed, co-developed and co-led by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), IUCN’s Indigenous Peoples’ Organisation Members (IPOs) and the International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity (IIFB), who all have signed an agreement to jointly develop and implement the initiative.
Inspired by the word “Podong”, meaning basket in the Marma language of Bangladesh, it represents abundance, care, and interconnectedness. It honors the central role of Indigenous women as guardians of traditional knowledge and stewards of Mother Earth — carrying seeds, stories, and knowledge systems that nourish life.
High-impact targets of the initiative:
Mobilising biodiversity and climate finance: Mobilise up to US $200 million from 2023 to 2030 in Biodiversity and Climate finance, ensuring that no less than 85% of these funds reach Indigenous territories and local communities.
Increasing gender equality actions: Implement gender-responsive measures to ensure that Podong fully addresses the specific priorities and needs of indigenous women and young girls. This involves ensuring that they constitute at least 50% of the overall stakeholders.
Providing direct support to Indigenous-led initiatives on the ground: Support at least 100 Indigenous-led initiatives in Indigenous territories and local communities.
Delivering Global Environmental and Biodiversity Benefits: Contribute directly to improve management of approximately 50 million hectares of landscapes and seascapes in biodiversity hotspots and wilderness areas where IP and LCs hold customary or statutory tenure rights over areas of high biodiversity value.
Mitigating Climate Change: Mitigate at least 200 million tons of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, significantly contributing to global climate goals.
“The initiative brings together our wisdom, science and knowledge systems to strengthen the work our communities are currently doing to heal Mother Nature,” said Ramiro Batzin, IUCN Vice-President and IPO focal point.
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