Indigenous youth strengthen their role in climate finance and forest protection

As part of the final, in-person stage of the School of Indigenous Governance and Amazonian Development (EGIDA—AIDESEP) course, young indigenous Peruvians in Chiriaco, district of Imaza, Amazonas, will complete the specialisation course ‘Indigenous Territories for a Full Life: Climate Change and Financing.’ Supported by the Biodiversity Landscape Fund (BLF) Andes Amazon project, this milestone represents the end of an empowering training journey, equipping indigenous leaders with tools to tackle climate change and navigate global climate finance systems.

 The course provided participants with a unique opportunity to exchange experiences, deepen their knowledge, and develop actionable proposals for the sustainable management of indigenous territories. Over three training modules (two virtual and one face-to-face), 33 students (18 women and 15 men) from 10 indigenous groups in the Peruvian Amazon—Kichwa, Matsigenka, Shipibo, Asháninka, Murui Buue, Ese Eja, Wampis, Shawi, Awajún, and Arazaire—have engaged in this transformative experience. Underscoring its academic rigour, the National Intercultural University of the Amazon (UNIA) certifies those who successfully complete the programme.

Building expertise for the future

According to Jorge Pérez, president of the Interethnic Association for the Development of the Peruvian Rainforest (AIDESEP):

“AIDESEP is committed to developing the capacities of young people who represent the present and future of the indigenous movement. This course has the mission of creating experts in climate change who can make a significant contribution to organisations and networks in a context where urgent action is needed to tackle climate change.”

This course aims to consolidate a group of indigenous experts capable of influencing public policies and accessing climate finance resources to benefit their communities. The initiative has been developed with the technical assistance of Practical Action and AIDESEP, within the framework of the BLF Amazon Andes project, funded by UK International Development through the Biodiverse Landscapes Fund (BLF). This alliance has delivered specialised knowledge and practical tools to ensure the training’s quality and relevance for indigenous leaders.

Roxana Ramos, director of the BLF Andes Amazon project and a member of Practical Action, shared:

“The project seeks to contribute to reducing the asymmetry of information that affects indigenous peoples and small producers, to strengthen their informed and effective participation in governance, financing, and climate action at local, national, and international levels. To this end, we are supporting the formation of a first class of indigenous youth trained in forests and climate change, who will be key human capital today and in the years to come.”

More than a course: a knowledge network

The course combined lectures from climate change experts, participatory activities, and case studies. Participants, who represent AIDESEP’s grassroots and the Autonomous Territorial Governments, have shown remarkable commitment by actively engaging in all programme stages.

Claudia Pérez Panduro of the Wampis people, one of the participants, reflected on the impact of the training:

“So far, this course has helped me to better understand how climate change directly affects our communities. I now have the necessary tools to manage climate finance projects that benefit my people.”

The culmination of the course with module III in Chiriaco symbolises more than the end of a training programme. It marks the creation of a network of indigenous specialists who will combine their ancestral knowledge and new expertise to promote the sustainability of the Amazon and the wellbeing of their communities.

A transformative alliance

The BLF Andes Amazon project is funded by UK International Development under the Biodiverse Landscapes Fund and implemented by a consortium led by Practical Action. Other consortium members include Nature and Culture (NCI), Interethnic Association for the Development of the Peruvian Rainforest (AIDESEP), WWF, TERRA NUOVA, and COSPE. Together, they aim to transform systems in the Amazonian Andes Landscape, a transboundary territory (Peru-Ecuador) of exceptional biodiversity and cultural richness.