Indigenous Peoples play a critical role in protecting the world’s remaining biodiversity hotspots. Research shows that lands and territories managed by Indigenous Peoples yield the same or better biodiversity outcomes than protected areas. Nature and biodiversity decrease at a slower rate on Indigenous lands, and yet, these areas are facing increasing threats and pressures from harmful development.
Banks and financiers play a significant role in enabling and precluding financing to sectors impacting critical ecosystems and the Indigenous communities that benefit from and protect them. Yet, financial institutions hold a poor record in not only developing policies but also implementing practices that protect Indigenous Peoples and nature. Indeed, few financiers, particularly in the private sector, have developed any policies regarding activities which impact Indigenous Peoples. Considering financiers’ continued failure to respect Indigenous rights and address the inherent cross-cutting impacts on biodiversity and climate, the Indigenous Advisory Group invites Indigenous Peoples’ and allied organizations to join our call demanding that financial institutions create and implement policies that uphold the rights of Indigenous Peoples globally.
This first of its kind Position Statement on Financiers’ Responsibilities Regarding Indigenous Peoples’ Rights and Biodiversity follows deep concern expressed by the Indigenous Advisory Group about financiers’ failure to respect, recognize, and strengthen the rights of Indigenous Peoples and especially in the context of the biodiversity and climate crises. As such, the Group invites you and/or your organization or community to call upon financiers to recognize and respect Indigenous Peoples’ rights, carry out robust due diligence, and obtain affected Indigenous Peoples Free, Prior, and Informed Consent.
The position statement is available in English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, and Bahasa Indonesia, and is available for review and sign on below:
SIGN ON to the Position Statement on Financiers’ Responsibilities Regarding Indigenous Peoples’ Rights and Biodiversity
FIRME a la DECLARACIÓN DE POSICIÓN sobre las responsabilidades de los financieros respecto de los derechos de los Pueblos Indígenas y la biodiversidad
SIGNEZ la DÉCLARATION DE POSITION sur les Responsabilités des Financiers Concernant les Droits des Peuples Autochtones et la Biodiversité
ASSINE a DECLARAÇÃO DE POSIÇÃO sobre as Responsabilidades dos Bancos em relação aos Direitos dos Povos Indígenas e à Biodiversidade
TANDA tangani PERNYATAAN POSISI tentang Tanggung Jawab Bank Terkait Hak-Hak Masyarakat Adat dan Keanekaragaman Hayati
About the Banks and Biodiversity Initiative and Indigenous Advisory Group
Bank financing in ill-conceived infrastructure development, improper land use changes, fossil fuel energy development, monoculture agricultural production, and extractive industries are driving the disappearance of biodiversity and critical ecosystems.
Despite the significant role banks play in financing these sectors and activities, many financial institutions have yet to develop robust policies or practices to address the biodiversity impacts of their lending. This is why civil society groups, academics, and people’s groups across the world are calling on banks to adopt a No Go areas approach to categorically prohibit financing of harmful activities in or near sensitive areas.
The Banks and Biodiversity Initiative aims to hold banks accountable for their impact on biodiversity and critical ecosystems, and advocates that banks adopt our proposed No Go areas. It is led by a steering committee of civil society organizations which includes: BankTrack, Bank Information Center, Friends of the Earth US, International Rivers, and Rivers without Boundaries.
The Banks and Biodiversity Initiative is also guided by the Indigenous Advisory Group, a group of Indigenous experts who inform and advise the steering committee on the intersection of biodiversity and Indigenous Peoples issues.
Please see our Indigenous Advisory Group members here.