Promoting Nature Based solutions & Climate resilience:

Protecting our environment for a resilient and sustainable tomorrow

ILEPA has worked and contributed to climate change related processes on mitigating impacts and enhancing resilience of Indigenous peoples across scales (community, County and international). ILEPA has since recognized that impactful interventions are those that weave engagement from community to the international level – as decisions made in the air-conditioned rooms of the United Nations, will ultimately land/be experimented in our communities on the ground. Policy gaps and disconnects across scales, also complicates aspirations towards meaningful response measures

Internationally, ILEPA has remained a consistently active player of the global indigenous peoples’ movement especially on matters climate change, indigenous knowledge and finance.

ILEPA has been part of the Indigenous Peoples’ working group pushing for enhanced and scaled-up direct access of climate finance for IPs under the IIPCCC. Presently, ILEPA’s Executive Director also serves as Africa’s regional representative to the Indigenous Peoples Advisory Group (IPAG) to the Green Climate Fund (GCF) fostering IPs rights and interest in this space. 

These active engagement of ILEPA at the global level culminated in key UNFCCC decisions relevant for protection of indigenous peoples’ rights and interests, inter alia the Cancun Safeguards (with seven safeguards principles critical for indigenous peoples); the Paris Agreement which call for the respect of indigenous peoples rights in climate action, call for the recognition and integration of Indigenous knowledge into climate change actions and the establishment of a Local communities and Indigenous Peoples Knowledge Platform (LCIP). 

ILEPA has also been an active member of the global indigenous peoples’ movement advocating for indigenous peoples’ rights and cosmovision in the context of climate change negotiations under the UNFCCC – this led to the inclusion of Community Based Monitoring Information Systems (CBMIS) into the Warsaw Decision on Forest monitoring during UNFCCC cop19.

Engagement under the Green Climate Fund (GCF) resulted in the development of Indigenous Peoples’ Policy under the GCF which established an Indigenous Peoples Focal Point with the GCF Secretariat, and Indigenous Peoples Advisory Group (IPAG) and aspirations towards direct access of GCF resources to Indigenous Peoples. 

At the National level, ILEPA serves as the indigenous peoples’ representative to the Technical Advisory Committee of the World Bank supported programme dubbed Financing Locally Led Climate Actions (FLLoCCA) in Kenya, targeted at the 47counties. ILEPA also represented Indigenous Peoples in the expert group reviewing Kenya’s last two iterations of the National Climate Change Action Plan (NCCAP) in it contributed immensely to the framing of the Indigenous knowledge component of Plan. ILEPA has also served on the National Ant-Corruption Taskforce on REDD+. And, ILEPA was part of the consulting group developing Kenya’s Strategy and approach on safeguards in REDD+ which incorporated an National Action Plan on Indigenous Peoples in the context of REDD+. (Images on REDD+)

At the Community level, ILEPA has meaningfully contributed in the demonstration of both the value of the contribution of Indigenous Peoples (through their indigenous knowledge systems and practices) to climate resilience and low carbon footprints; and the direct impacts of climate change impacts, including unsafeguarded response measures, on indigenous peoples rights and livelihoods. 

The Pastoralists Biocultural calendar, the Community Based Monitoring Information Systems (CBMIS) and Participatory Community Resource mapping are some examples of documented outputs that help demonstrate the value of indigenous knowledge systems and practices in ensuring climate resilience at the local level.

ILEPA has also, in consultation with the community explored and piloted sustainable climate friendly livelihood diversification options in response to intensifying adverse impacts of climate change such as drought. These includes – hay/pasture banking, Beekeeping and Beadwork.

In line with the thematic, ILEPA partners in the below projects:

Under the UK PACT (Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions) program,

ILEPA has been implementing initiatives to accelerate REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation, plus sustainable management of forests and conservation of forest carbon stocks) in Kenya. These efforts focus on equitable climate mitigation and benefits through building the capacity, skills, and understanding of key stakeholders, including national and county governments, Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs), civil society, and the private sector, to effectively engage in and implement REDD+ in Kenya.

As part of these efforts, ILEPA has conducted learning and exchange visits to key member conservancy networks (MMWCA, SORALO, LCA, NRT, Taita, Coast, Amboseli, and Baringo). Additionally, ILEPA has established a national Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLC) reference group on REDD+ and developed Terms of Reference (TOR) for its operations. Through this reference group, ILEPA has trained Trainers of Trainers (ToTs) on REDD+, who are now disseminating the knowledge further within their communities.

BRISK, Biodiversity Conservation And Climate Change Resilience In The Southern Landscape

The African Wildlife Foundation (AWF), Indigenous Livelihoods Enhancement Partners (ILEPA), and Land Development and Governance Institute (LDGI) are implementing a BRISK Project to improve and conserve biodiversity resilience in Kenya’s Southern landscapes.

In Narok the project is being implemented in three administrative wards; Suswa, Mosiro and Maji Moto Naroosura , and prioritizes biodiversity restoration, water catchment conservation, and climate-resilient livelihoods. Key activities include riparian and wetland protection, tree planting, and the development of energy-efficient technologies.

Additionally, the project promotes conservation-friendly livestock production, pasture management, and livelihood diversification through initiatives like beekeeping, targeting women and youth. These efforts aim to strengthen ecosystem resilience and support community adaptation to climate change.