Welcome to RRI’s COP29 agenda! As the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) focuses on practical implementation and accountability, we are seizing the opportunity to ensure that critical pledges on direct climate finance, made during COP26 and Climate Week, translate into real impact on the ground.    

Indigenous Peoples, Afro-descendant Peoples, and local communities are central to climate resilience, yet existing funding models are simply not “fit for purpose.” Too often they lack the flexibility, transparency, and accountability that diverse, community-led organizations need to succeed.  

This CoP29 will be actively advocating for The Pledge We Want, our campaign launched at Climate Week calling for crucial reforms in climate finance to prioritize community-led solutions. We will also be sharing insights with crucial actors to push for direct access to climate finance for those on the frontlines of climate action. 

Here is a list of RRI’s planned events and speaking engagements at COP29. More events will be added as they become available, so check back often! 

All times and locations are local to Baku, Azerbaijan (GMT+4). Events are listed chronologically.

November 15, 2024

Raising Ambition on Direct Access to Finance for Indigenous Peoples from COP28 to COP30 – Round table: Accelerating Direct Access to Finance for Indigenous Peoples from COP28 to COP30 

When: 3:00 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.  

Where: Blue Zone Room, Special Even Room Hirkan, Zone B 

Hosts: Rights and Resources Initiative, International Indigenous Peoples Forum, United Nations Development Programme 

What: RRI’s President and Coordinator, Dr. Solange Bandiaky-Badji, will speak at this event, which brings together Indigenous Peoples and allies, with support from the UN High-Level Champions, to advance the movement for direct access to climate financing. Building on the $1.7 billion pledge for Indigenous Peoples and local community tenure rights at COP26, and recent discussions during Climate Week New York, this event will focus on securing more streamlined funding to empower Indigenous-led conservation and climate action. Participants will review current progress, pinpoint challenges, and chart a course for further support from public, private, and philanthropic sources in the lead-up to COP30.  

November 16, 2024

Indigenous Leadership and Rights to End Deforestation and Biodiversity Loss 

When: 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.   

Where: Side Event Room 9 

Hosts: Rights and Resources Initiative, Rainforest Foundation Norway, Global Alliance, Christensen Fund Instituto de Pesquisa e Formação Indígena 

 What: The Indigenous and local communities Forest Tenure Pledge from COP26 recognized Indigenous and local communities’ rights and forest guardianships as a key strategy to stop tropical deforestation. This panel discussion, which is co-hosted by RRI and includes RRI’s President and Coordinator, Dr. Solange Bandiaky-Badji, reflects on the progress made since that pledge, and the potential next steps as we approach its renewal. 

November 18, 2024 

Call to Action on Securing Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities’ Forest Tenure 

When: 9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.   

Where: UNFF Forest Pavilion, Blue Zone  

Hosts: Forest Climate Leaders Partnership  

What: This event gathers together Indigenous leaders, government representatives, and philanthropists to strengthen land tenure security and forest rights for Indigenous and forest-dependent communities across the tropics. With COP30 on the horizon, this event is a powerful call for governments to set ambitious goals on land tenure in their climate plans. Solange Bandiaky, RRI’s President and Coordinator, will share insights on the Path to Scale Initiative, which is aiming to secure 400 million hectares of land for Indigenous Peoples and local communities. Together, we’ll track progress, outline next steps, and boost political momentum for land rights. 

November 20, 2024 

Socio-Economic, Environmental and Technological Aspects of Climate Change-Fuelled Land Conflicts 

When: 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.  

Where: SE Room 1 and Streamed Online 

Hosts: Land Conflict Watch, Queen Mary University of London; Pan African Climate Justice Alliance; and Climate and Sustainable Development Network of Nigeria.   

What: Dr. Solange Bandiaky-Badji, RRI’s President and Coordinator, will chair the panel discussion at this event. Land Conflict Watch will release its latest report “The Hidden Cost of Green Growth,” which highlights land conflicts induced by renewable energy projects in India. The opening remarks will be made by Klever Karipuna, Executive Coordinator of the Global Alliance of Territorial Communities. 

November 21, 2024 

Ancestral Skills and Climate Change: Learning from our Ancestors 

When: 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. 

Where: Science For Climate Action Pavilion (number B5), Blue Zone 

Hosts: Philanthropy Cortés Solari, MERI Foundation, Université Cote d’Azur, and Velux Fonden, the World Meteorological Organization, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 

What: This high-level roundtable will bring together representatives from the public, private, and civil society sectors, including RRI’s President and Coordinator, Dr. Solange Bandiaky-Badji, to discuss the importance of cultural heritage and ancestral knowledge in climate change mitigation and adaptation policies. It will coincide with the launch of Relatos Ancestrales y Cambio Climáticos (Ancestral Stories and Climate Change), a book of ancestral wisdom from South America on indigenous peoples and climate change.