Indigenous peoples bear the brunt of climate change — and get almost none of the money to fight it
Indigenous peoples, recognized as vital stewards of biodiversity and climate action, are receiving less than 1 percent of global climate funding despite facing severe climate impacts. Advocates argue that direct access to climate finance is a matter of rights and justice, not charity,强调 historical injustices and the need for self-determined adaptation. Major funds like the Green Climate Fund lack any accredited Indigenous organizations, highlighting systemic barriers in access and eligibility.
- ▪Indigenous peoples received less than 1 percent of global climate funding between 2011 and 2020, according to the Rainforest Foundation Norway.
- ▪U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres praised Indigenous peoples as essential to climate solutions, but funding has not matched this recognition.
- ▪No Indigenous organization is accredited to receive funds from the Green Climate Fund, despite its $20 billion portfolio.
- ▪Indigenous leaders emphasize that access to climate finance is a right under the U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
- ▪Stringent accreditation requirements and large grant sizes create significant barriers for Indigenous communities seeking climate funding.
Grist files mainly under climate. We currently carry 23 of its stories.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Anita Hofschneider Senior Staff Writer Published Apr 29, 2026 Topic Climate + Indigenous Affairs Share/Republish Copy Link Republish Copy Link Email SMS X Facebook Republish Reddit LinkedIn Bluesky This story is published through the Indigenous News Alliance. Billions of dollars have been pledged to fight the climate crisis, but almost none is reaching Indigenous peoples, even as world leaders credit them as essential to solving it. “From the Amazon to Australia, and Africa to the Arctic, you are the great guardians of nature, a living library of biodiversity conservation, and champions of climate action,” U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres told the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in New York City last week. But global funding hasn’t followed those words.
…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Grist.
Discussion
0 commentsMore from Grist
