As the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues meets, a growing global shift is being highlighted: Indigenous Peoples are increasingly recognized not only as participants in conservation efforts but as leaders, with international environmental finance beginning to follow their lead. The Global Environment Facility (GEF), which has worked with Indigenous communities for over three decades, is now reshaping its approach by directing more funding and decision-making power directly to Indigenous-led organizations.
A key example of this shift is the Inclusive Conservation Initiative (ICI), a $25 million GEF programme that channels grants directly to Indigenous Peoples’ organizations across 12 countries. Led entirely by Indigenous representatives, the initiative supports conservation across more than 7.6 million hectares of land and water. It has enabled Indigenous communities in regions such as the Democratic Republic of Congo and Peru to map protected territories, monitor environmental threats, and build global alliances with other Indigenous groups facing similar challenges.
Building on this success, the Heart of Conservation Initiative under GEF-8 has expanded Indigenous-led conservation financing further, with $22.5 million in funding and significant co-financing commitments. Selected Indigenous organizations are now implementing projects across Latin America, Africa, and Asia. This momentum is also shaping future GEF reforms, including proposed targets under GEF-9 that aim to allocate a significant share of funding directly to Indigenous Peoples and local communities, alongside improved tracking of Indigenous territories and outcomes.
The Global Biodiversity Framework Fund has reinforced this approach by committing at least 20 percent of its resources to Indigenous-led actions, a target that has already been surpassed in practice. New guidelines developed with Indigenous participation are improving transparency and ensuring that funding reflects community-led priorities. In Brazil, for example, a major initiative is supporting Indigenous governance across millions of hectares while allowing funding to be used for cultural practices that are central to environmental stewardship.
At the grassroots level, the GEF Small Grants Programme has provided direct support to thousands of community-led projects in over 135 countries, funding initiatives in biodiversity conservation, renewable energy, land restoration, and climate adaptation. In countries like Guatemala, Indigenous knowledge systems are being integrated into funding processes, making access more inclusive for women, elders, and community leaders.
Together, these efforts reflect a broader transformation in global environmental finance, where Indigenous Peoples are increasingly recognized as central actors in biodiversity protection. The focus is shifting toward ensuring that funding, authority, and decision-making align with the responsibilities Indigenous communities already carry in safeguarding ecosystems.
Overall, the evolving partnership between the GEF and Indigenous Peoples signals a deeper commitment to equity and effectiveness in conservation, reinforcing the idea that protecting the planet’s biodiversity depends on empowering those who have long been its stewards.
