As reported by Annie Kelly in the Guardian” Minority Rights Group International (MRG) is bringing attention to the marginalization of indigenous representatives at the upcoming United Nation’s climate change talks in Poznan” Poland.

Following-up on the 2007 UN mandated meeting on climate change in Bali” concerned voices within climate change circles will meet in Poland to lay further foundations for the 2009 Copenhagen climate negotiations.  However” these voices will not include those whom will likely bear the brunt of climate change – indigenous and minority communities. 

The integral link between the livelihoods of indigenous populations and their natural surroundings must be acknowledged and integrated into future international climate negations.  Climate change potentially places the health and security of these communities in serious jeopardy as climate continues to alter their resource bases. 

According to MRG” political and social marginalization is a reality for many indigenous communities in their own countries and this will likely result in not only being the hardest hit by climate change” but indigenous peoples are also the least likely to benefit from the distribution of relief aid in climate-related disasters.

“The irony is that indigenous communities are already facing the fall-out from climate change” so their input in the international debate could be of immense use in developing adaptation and mitigation strategies on climate change”” said Mark Lattimer” executive director at MRG.

In response” a spokesperson for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change stated” “Indigenous peoples’ organisations are entitled to attend official proceedings” to apply for a slot for a side event and to request for individual meetings with chairs of the negotiation bodies.”

Read the full article at the Guardian Online.