ipcca local assessment toolkit_eng

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IPCCA

Indigenous Peoples Biocultural

Climate Change Assessment

Methodological Toolkit

for Local Assessments

A methodological guide for implemenngLocal Assessments under the IPCCA iniave


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Asociacin Andes - IPCCA

Ral Basurco Marroqun

[email protected]

Credits

Publication:

Design and

Layout:


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1. Introducon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

What is the Indigenous Peoples' Biocultural Climate Change Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Actors and Roles within IPCCA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

2. Toolkit Objecves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

How to Use this Toolkit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

3. Guiding Principles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Intercultural Pracce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Transdisciplinary Research . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Emancipatory, Parcipatory and Indigenous Methodology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

4. Methodological phases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Phase 0: Communicaon and Awareness Raising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Phase 1: Idenficaon and Establishment of a Steering Commiee & Management Processes . . . . . . 21

Phase 2: Baseline Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Phase 3: Adapng the IPCCA Conceptual Framework . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Phase 4: Local Assessment Design - Definion of Scope,

Expected Results and Development of Local Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Phase 5: Assessment of Condions and Trends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Phase 6: Futuring Acvies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Phase 7: Developing Adaptaon Strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Table ofContents

More information: http://creativecommons.org


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1. Introduction


for Local Assessments

www.ipcca.info
http://www.ipcca.info/http://www.ipcca.info/


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1. Introduction

3IPCCA - Indigenous Peoples Climate Change Assessment


What is the Indigenous Peoples Biocultural

Climate Change Assessment Initiative (IPCCA)

The IPCCA is an indigenous initiative on climate change, driven by an indigenous steering committee. TheIPCCA aims to generate indigenous strategies to cope with climate change and to incorporate localindigenous voices into the international climate change science and policy development processes. To this end,

under the IPCCA, indigenous peoples of the world develop their own Local Assessments of Climate Change

(LA) as part of a process that seeks to impact at different levels:

Global: there is an urgent need to produce information on trends in local climate phenomena, due to

the international uncertainty around the local consequences of climate change. The holistic vision

shared by the vast majority of indigenous cultures is an appropriate approach because it considers

the phenomena and their consequences comprehensively, taking into account the relationships

between all elements of a complex system. The IPCCA takes this approach using the term Indigenous

Biocultural Systems and considers that it is a necessary contribution for understanding and responding

to climate change locally and internationally, incorporating indigenous voices in research processes

and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and in policy processes such as the United

Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change UNFCCC.

Local: the LA are led and implemented by indigenous peoples, making them a vehicle for empowering

communities to develop and use their own knowledge, frameworks and methodologies of inquiry toassess the impacts of climate change on their biocultural territories. From this analysis, a Life Plan is

developed, including adaptation strategies that ensure the future well-being of communities. The LA

are developing strategies for building indigenous resilience, mitigating impacts and strengthening

biocultural diversity for food sovereignty and endogenous development, in turn supporting the

implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Thus the IPCCA

also works for social and climate justice, based on the recognition of the value of indigenous knowledge

and livelihoods in adaptation and mitigation of climate change.

Indigenous Biocultural System - A complex system that integrates human and socio-cultural

elements of indigenous people with physical and environmental elements of their territories. Its

components include biological resources, ranging from micro scales (genetic) to macro scales

(landscape), as well as the traditions and practices that have long existed, also known as traditional

knowledge, including those related to adaptation to complex ecosystems and the sustainable use

of biodiversity. Local economies and customary laws and institutions are also included.


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Climate Justice is a call for the transformation of unequal ecological relationships, which are

currently creating victims of climate change the most impoverished and excluded people in the

world who, ironically, have had little to do with the origin of climate change. But, it is assumed that

the transformation of unequal economic relations (which historically have generated exclusion,

poverty and misery) and unequal political relations (which have historically excluded indigenous

peoples, certain ethnic groups, women, people of fewer economic resources and the countries of

the South), are all linked.

Food Sovereignty is understood as the right of each peoples or nation to define their own

agricultural and food policies according to sustainable development goals as well as present andfuture food security. This implies that decisions on food and agriculture must actively consider both

those who consume and those who produce, which is inherent in the concept of self-determination

of indigenous peoples and the right to free, prior and informed consent concerning food and

agriculture.

Endogenous Development is a development model that seeks to strengthen the internal

capabilities of a region or local community to develop a society and its economy from the inside

out, to be self-sustaining and sustainable over time.

Indigenous Resilience is a concept that has been used mainly to analyse the dynamics of

ecological systems, with the aim of improving their management and their inter-relationships. From

this perspective, the resilience of a socio-ecological system depends on its ability to change while

retaining the same functions and structure, in order to reorganize against disturbances and to build

and enhance their capacity to adapt. In this initiative (IPCCA), indigenous resilience builds upon

the concept of biocultural systems resilience to adapt and support Buen Vivir. In short, indigenous

resilience is an emergent property of the multiple interactions and historical processes of change

and adaptation of social, cultural, spiritual and ecological systems.

Adaptation / Mitigation - are concepts used in climate change policy. While Adaptation refers to

actions that should be developed in order to live and survive in the new scenarios that are the

result of global warming and extreme climatic events, Mitigation refers to actions that should be

taken to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases in order to not aggravate the current trend.


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In both cases (global and local action), the horizon of the initiative is to support global livelihoods

based on principles such as fairness and reciprocity, dialogue and respect and seeking strategies to

achieve well-being based on moderation and equilibrium with the Earth and its ecosystems. The

indigenous Buen Vivir proposal persued through the IPCCA is oriented in the same direction and it is

based on an understanding of the relationship of humans with nature that is shared by the vast majority

of indigenous peoples.

Buen Vivir: Indigenous Proposal of a way of life, of development, of being in the world. This

concept comes primarily from the indigenous peoples of the Andes (buen vivir in Peru, Sumak

Kausay in Ecuador, Allin Causay or Sum Qamaa in Bolivia) and it is based on a holistic worldview

and on the principles of reciprocity, balance and complementarity between human beings and

nature.


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IPCCA Stakeholders and their Roles

IPCCA Steering Committee: The driving force behind the initiative, guiding the initiative from its strategic

development to its implementation, ensuring at every step an indigenous vision and participatory process that

respects local governance and speaks to global goals.

Indigenous communities: They have the leading role in the IPCCA, since it is basically a network of indigenous

communities. They are the bearers of knowledge and practices on which proposals for adaptation and

mitigation of climate change are based within their own territories and becoming examples that can be

replicated elsewhere.

Local and / or indigenous organizations: They are local organizations that facilitate the LA and implementation

of the IPCCA approach and framework. Given the structure and objectives of the IPCCA, which cover different

geographical levels and knowledge construction, these organizations have a key role in translating across

epistemologies as they are well acquainted with the indigenous realities in which they work (their world views,

languages, concerns), while they are also aware of international processes on climate change, as well as

languages and dynamics which are used in such spaces.



LA teams

IPCAA

Steering Commiee

Secretariat

Indigenous communies

Donors / Funders

External Advisors

Local and / orindigenous

organizaons

Internaonal

processes on CC and IP

IPCCA Stakeholders

and their roles


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Secretariat: The role of the Secretariat is to coordinate between all actors of the initiative. To collect and

synthesize the information coming from each of the LA (through the development of a global assessment

synthesis reports, etc.), and through establishing frameworks to give coherence to the initiative (through tools

such as this methodological toolkit). It also facilitates communication between different LA, global actors and

processes, through both physical and virtual meetings.

Financial: The IPCCA is possible in part due to funders of the initiative such as international NGOs and private

foundations, who use funding through their comprehensive programs that seek to build bridges between local

and international spheres. There are also, for each LA, different donors who support the participating

communities locally.

External Advisors: Several universities, social and international organizations and individual experts are also

supporting the initiative through their conceptual, methodological and strategic advice.

Since this is a methodological guide, it is important to point out in this section some key strengths and

weaknesses in this structure that includes stakeholders and objectives at various spatial scales. A strength

is the use of Intercultural Practice to recognize diversity, as is explained bellow, but that very diversity

implies a very different use of time and rhythm of dynamics between communities, local organizations

and financial agencies, which must be taken into account as it creates an important tension and challenge

in using the methodology.


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2. Toolkit Objectives

Methodological Toolkit for Local

Assessments

www.ipcca.info


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2. Toolkit Objectives



This toolkit presents a practical methodology for developing and facilitating indigenous LA under the

framework of the IPCCA, providing methodological options and practical examples to support their local

implementation. Since the LA are undertaken across ecosystems and biocultural regions of the world, each

very different, this guide is meant to provide a general methodological framework applicable to all the LA

without homogenizing their differences, thus ensuring that results may be synthesized and develop appropriate

strategic responses at multiple levels.

The toolkit has been prepared for the use of local IPCCA partners, indigenous peoples and communities

interested in indigenous assessments of climate change. The IPCCA process is based on the implementation of

UNDRIP (which considers rights such as self- determination) and ensures that indigenous perspectives that

come from local biocultural realities feed into global processes.

Self-determination: Indigenous peoples have the right to self-determination. By virtue of this right they

freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development.

Article 3, United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP)


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How to Use this Toolkit

The strategy and methodology of this toolkit are based on an indigenous holistic worldview, therefore, the

local indigenous teams that implement assessments design their own indigenous inquiry processes based on

their own biocultural contexts.

The guide is designed to provide clarity about the methodological steps of the assessment, and to support

didactical implementation with useful tools. It thus will facilitate the construction of epistemological bridges

through a creative process, using necessary and appropriate methods to gather information, analyze, reflect,

solve problems and plan strategies and responses.

Epistemology is the theory of knowledge which answers the following questions:What is knowledge?

How does one acquire knowledge?

How do we know what we know?

Why do we know what we know?

Epistemological Bridges: are connections between knowledge systems that have different epistemologies,

built to improve understanding between them so that they complement each other and are useful in

solving problems.


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Based on these goals, this toolkit is intended for organizations that facilitate the LA with indigenous

communities. Given their role of facilitation and translation, they are the main actors for facilitating and

conveying the goals and contents of this guide through their relationship with the communities.

The toolkit does not provide prescriptive steps to be followed as a recipe, but rather provides methodological

options and examples of techniques that can support local methods. To achieve this coexistence of diversity

and homogeneity that seems contradictory but is inteded as complementary, some of the methodological

steps of LA need to be considered more closely to the discussion in this guide, while others assume more

methodological flexibility. In the explanation of the different phases, these contexts will be pointed out.


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3. Guiding Principles


Assessments

www.ipcca.info


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3. Guiding Principles



One of the basic objectives of the IPCCA is the creation of epistemological bridges between indigenous

knowledge and knowledge managed by academics, international organizations, science and other areas

working in the field of climate change, so that indigenous communities may build appropriate solutions. For

best results we must work under certain methodological principles and always using a gender lens.

Intercultural practice which is based on respect, and recognises that power relations between indigenous

societies and dominant cultures are not equitable can support transdisciplinarity. Moreover, the use of

indigenous methodologies ensures that the community is the driver of the process, reaching the goal of

emancipation. This allows building epistemological bridges between indigenous knowledge and mainstream

knowledge for the construction of responses to climate change.

Intercultural practice

In todays globalized world, new technologies, trade flows and knowledge circulate freely, making cross-cultural

practice part of the every day. When we talk about and work on climate change this is even more prevalent,

since the processes that are drivers of climate change occur across various scales of space and time in the

world and its cultural spheres (eg. global production trends and consumption which are responsible for

emissions of greenhouse gases). The different ways to meet the needs of cultural diversity and livelihoods alsohave different effects on climate (export intensive agriculture vs. organic farming for consumption), thus

creating different levels of vulnerability to its impacts.

Examples of epistemological bridges

The concept of Biocultural Systems: based on an indigenous worldview a concept for academic, social and

political use is created that is defined with terms that include elements from different disciplines

(economics, law, ecology, anthropology, etc.).

Adaptation of the conceptual framework of IPCCA: this example, contraty to the last, is of a conceptual

framework created from the platform of Western knowledge, and is to be reformulated by and for

indigenous peoples.

Interculturalism is the open and respectful exchange between individuals and groups from different cultural

backgrounds to promote dialogue that deepens understanding of the perceptions and knowledge of the

other.


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Climate change is a global problem and adaptive strategies needed to address it must necessarily create links

between different scales, cultural contexts and social groups. Intercultural practice can also understand the

inequalities in interactions between indigenous societies and their knowledge systems and dominant cultures.

This is particularly important during the IPCCA since climate change is analyzed from a Biocultural perspective,

which cannot ignore the socio-political contexts of each territory all framed within a global context (and

therefore also intended to support the implementation of the UNDRIP).

Transdisciplinary research

Transdisciplinarity is an approach to research focusing on problem solving and recognising the need for holisticframeworks and dialogue between knowledge systems and disciplines. This is the most appropriate vehicle for

addressing complex and uncertain issues such as Climate Change and enables the inclusion not only of different

cultural perceptions, but also of different social groups within each culture or community.

Transdisciplinarity is a way to conduct research that integrates different approaches, disciplines and

epistemologies, linking scientific knowledge with other ways of knowing, including traditional knowledge.

It overcomes understanding the world and life in parts (disciplines), placing greater emphasis on the

interrelationships between the various spheres (economy, culture, politics, biology, etc.) and between

different cultural worldviews and perceptions.

Holism is the study of whole systems. A holistic conceptual framework is a conceptual map that guides

the analysis of the system or problem as integral rather than analyzing the separate parts.

Frameworks to help understand the interactions between global drivers of change and local impacts should

be used for LA under the IPCCA. The inquiry, analysis, planning and decision making for indigenous

strategies of inquiry are supported by an intercultural and transdisciplinary approach. The answers will be

based on local contexts and will make links to the different scales within a global context.


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Emancipatory, participatory and indigenous methodology

The methodologies used to facilitate each LA must be participatory and emancipatory. Indigenous communities

should be the protagonists in the generation of information and develop adaptation proposals, by communities

we understand that representatives of all social groups (children, youth, women, men, elders, etc.) are

represented.

Since local organizations will support development of a methodological strategy together with communities

based on this guide, it is important that the end result of the methodology be emancipatory. For example, if

workshops are undertaken, it would be appropriate in their development as well as their implementation that

appropriate community members facilitate the workshops.

Finally, given the basic features of the IPCCA, use of indigenous methodologies is key. It is important that

organisations make an effort to not directly impose foreign methodological tools onto the process. All the tools

mentioned in this document are provided as ideas that should be used only in a complementary manner to

traditional methods of inquiry. For example, in the case of the Andean culture, the coca leaf is used to read

future scenarios. From the coordination of a LA including local technicians and facilitators it should be thought

how these kinds of tools can be used to produce the information sought.


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4. Methodological phases


Assessments

www.ipcca.info


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4. Methodological Phases



This section provides a step by step guide to support implementation of LA under the IPCCA framework. As

noted in the previous section on Guiding Principles, the LA will be implemented based on local methods

of inquiry intertwined with other tools, such as those presented in this toolkit as examples. For each of the

eight phases described below, an overview of the stage is presented, followed by guidelines and methodological

tools, examples of different local contexts, and a list of products for each phase.

A list of methodologies and brief descriptions are provided in the subsection Tools. The methods that can be

used in each methodology and sources of information can be found in the Annex.

Although all steps are required to develop the LA, the order in which they may be implemented is not fixed,

and its is more than likely that interaction between the different phases occurs. For example information to be

generated in one phase may be the foundation for the subsequent phases. At times, similar information is

required in different phases; what is important for each is the approach that is given to that information. For

example, information about historical processes on climate change is required in phases 2, 5 and 6, first

technical information is required for the baseline, then in phase 5 analysis of trends of these changes is added,

while for phase 6 visioning and futuring is added to the baseline information. The LA teams have to adapt the

methodological phases to their context, according to local understanding.


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Since the process of implementation of the Local Assessment is undertaken through a joint effort of different

players, it is considered necessary that a pre phase of communication informs all stakeholders and enables

consensus among the participating communities and supporting organizations.

Based on intercultural practice and frameworks of international treaties such as the UNDRIP this forms part of

a process of awareness building for the implementation of the initiative. Before the implementation of the LA,

carrying out a series of workshops and training with all stakeholders is recommended to address the following

issues (plus other issues they identify):

What is the IPCCA? How important are the LAs?

Climate change, global context and local context

UNDRIP

How to use a gender lens

Indigenous biocultural systems

Example 1. Information sharing in communities of the Comarca Kuna Yala

In Panama, the Local Assessment is being carried out jointly by Kuna communities and the Kuna

organization Fundacion para la Promocion del Conocimiento Indigena (FPCI). In order to strengthen

understanding in communities of the origin of the problems to be evaluated, FPCI have produced

educational material on Climate Change, Traditional Knowledge and other relevant themes.

Another awareness raising tool used by FPCI is radio broadcasts. Through a weekly radio program

information regarding global dimensions of Climate Change, Indigenous Rights, Territories, Protected Areas

and National Environmental Laws and other key themes.

Phase 0: Especially before starting, but also throughout the journey of the LA, it is necessary to establishopen and fluid communication between all stakeholders of the LA to reach some basic agreements.

Phase 0:Communication and Awareness Raising


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Likewise, once all parties are informed, it is important that before starting the process of the LA some basic

consensus are reached between the communities and support organizations, in reference to:

The roles of different stakeholders

How participation and involvement of all stakeholders will be managed

Goals and results to be obtained

Based on principles such as the self-determination of indigenous peoples, it is important that decisions

regarding the LA are driven from their own perspectives.

It is critical that the initiative begins with high motivation and involvement of the community to ensure that

the assessment is a collective effort, strengthening participation and improving the chances for successful

adaptation strategies and their effective implementation. Communication and development of a methodology

should be based on reciprocity and mutual learning, establishing epistemological bridges based on respect and

equity.

It may be helpful to use simple visual tools (the links can be found in Annex Phase 0) for the realization of

workshops and training on some content such as Global Change or the UNDRIP.


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Each LA will be driven by a Steering Committee according to the local ecological and cultural context, focusing

on key areas of concern according to the impacts of climate change on indigenous resilience and buen vivir ,

and local adaptation.

The LA team, made up of community members, local technicians and the facilitating organisation constitute

the basic communication bridge between the Steering Committee and the Secretariat. They supervise theprocess of the LA and guide the LA work, taking into account local decision making undertaken by each

Committee.

Potential members of the Steering Committee must first be identified using the following criteria as a guide:

They must be recognized community leaders

They must have prior experience with participatory community initiatives

They must have available time during the evaluation period

They must have traditional knowledge about ecosystems and climate change, including other areas such as

ritual specialists

It is important that the Steering Committee has representatives from various social groups (women, youth,

cooperatives, elders, etc.).

Women should, ideally, be included at all levels of the process

It is important that the Steering Committee has the ability to promote adaptation strategies at national and

international levels so it is recommended to include some members with experience in lobbying or

participation in political processes at national or international levels.

Phase 1To start the LA, a Steering Committee will be established and management structures and coordination

will be decided by the LA team.

A Steering Committee is a group of high-level stakeholders who are responsible for directing the process,

and providing the project strategy within the IPCCA. The steering committee is usually composed of

community leaders.

Phase 1: Identification and Establishment of aSteering Committee & Management Processes


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Depending on the local context, the selection criteria presented above may be contradictory, since, for example,

in many parts community leadership is dominated only by men. There are also situations where multiple

positions taken up by community leaders means they do not have enough time to devote to active monitoring

of the LA.

At this point these tensions need to be addressed in establishing a Steering Committee to fit the needs of the

LA. You can choose to set up a heterogeneous committee, which has both community representatives (from

different social groups) and external support for making decisions about national or international political

processes, or, by setting up a committee of community leaders who are supported by other working groups.

In the selection process it is recommended, for example, that during community meetings, the IPCCA initiative

is introduced and from that space nominations for Steering Committee members are requested. Collective and

traditional decision making spaces are recommended for the selection of Steering Committee members.

It is necessary to establish the Steering Committee of the LA using processes and structures of localcollective governance, including promotion of customary laws and institutions associated with natural

resources. The forms of selection and people involved are flexible and should be be adapted to each context

taking into account the recommendations provided here.


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Tools

Analysis of stakeholders: Different ways to identify key stakeholders, decision makers, human resources

and key informants in the community as well as methods for analyzing the interrelationships between them.

Phase 1 Products

Establishment of the LA Steering Committee, and construction of management processes and institutions.

Establishment of processes and structures for coordination with the IPCCA Secretariat.

Example 2- Local Assessment Steering Committee

Potato Park, Peru

The Potato Park LA Steering Committee was developed from local governance structures, and is composed

of the presidents of each of the participating communities, which tend to be older men. To incorporate

other perspectives into the LA process the Steering Committee is supported by other discussion groups,

for example womens groups, local experts (group of elderly men and women) and groups of external

advisors which are made up of people who are linked to political processes and thus can generate

information on Climate Change and Indigenous Peoples rights at regional, national and international levels.

Adivasi, India.The context of the Adivasi LA development in the Eastern Ghats (Eastern hills) of Central India is a vast

territory with dozens of diverse Adivasi communities dispersed across it. In order to give space and power

to the elderly, several meetings took place in which the elderly group agreed upon Steering Committees

to be set up at the district level to ensure representation of all Adivasi communities. In this case there are

heterogeneous Steering Committees (in terms of heterogenous social groups in each community) which

are complemented by a statewide Steering Committee with representatives from each district Steering

Committee and supported by the coordination team for the local organization that accompanies the

implementation of the LA.


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Guide of information to be collected

General information about the community or communities that participate in the LA (demographic, social,

cultural, economic, etc.)

Information about the local context of indigenous rights and territory or communities involved (based on

traditional knowledge and other documentation)

Specific information about the local biocultural context of the LA site (specifically data on historical and

current practices, stressing the relationship with the local ecosystems)

Information on current weather conditions and trends in the area of the LA (collection of local stories and

knowledge of historical climate conditions and changes faced, national or regional reports and other research

sources in the area)

Information on how climate change is perceived locally (based on collective memory, local stories and current

and historical interpretations of climate change)

Information on how resilience, adaptability and buen vivir are understood locally (based on epistemology,

philosophy and local stories)

Information on the social composition of the community or communities based on a preliminary analysis

of different social groups and networks

Information about current and potential impacts of climate change in the LA site (based on local

interpretations of impacts, and when available, results of other impact assessments)

Information on processes and national or international trends impacting the vulnerability of the community

or communities to climate change (based on local interpretations of impacts and on analysis of the situation

of indigenous peoples and national policy vis--vis related international climate change)

Information on national processes and project finance and climate change adaptation

Scientific and Technical Information on Climate Change

In this phase a baseline of climatic conditions in each LA should be developed. The documented information

should be gathered literature search of relevant documents, maps, satellite and participatory maps and GIS

data which are designed to produce information on climate change and its impacts on the LA site. In the event

of no readily documented information, interviews with experts may be conducted to gather information.

Phase 2During this phase collection of information on the characteristics of the LA territory, climate change and

local impacts begins. Local knowledge and local methodologies are analysed for the development and

implementation of local indigenous methods of inquiry.

Phase 2:Baseline Development


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Analyzing Local Inquiry Methodologies

The methods used during this phase should enable the development of an appropriate indigenous inquiry

methodology to conduct the assessment and build adaptation strategies. The methods that lead to the

identification and systematic collection of indigenous knowledge, methodologies and frameworks for inquiry

are necessarily context-specific. Appropriate methods should be designed to allow access and collection of

traditional knowledge in line with the local context. The principles mentioned at the beginning of the toolkit

should guide this initial process of working directly with indigenous knowledge, ensuring that ethical practice

is supporting self-determination.

Knowledge of climate trends and historical ecosystem adaptations to the various changes are part of the

collective memory of indigenous peoples. The guardians of legends and prophecies relating to climate

phenomenon are knowledgeable and wise people who are often community leaders. These people are key

informants during this phase. Approaching these knowledgeable people may be accomplished through

community processes, or individually, depending on the local context.

It is necessary at this stage to gather information so as to produce a baseline from which to assess impacts

and develop strategies. Collection of information is aimed at developing an indigenous local inquiry

methodology. Vehicles for achieving this are suggested in the explanation of this second phase but should

be adapted to each context.


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Example 3 - Knowledge Gathering Methods - Adivasi, India

The basic data collection strategy of the Adivasi communities in India, is based on inter-generational

transmission of biocultural knowledge and practices, while also supporting and maintaining them over

time. The local research team consists of young people, with a significant presence of women, maintaining

a constant and fluid communication with community elders, who felt and suggested that young people

from the community should be the ones to lead the process of understanding the changes and

transformations in their environment.

The team bases its research on attendance at communal places of work, leisure, and decision-makingceremonies in the community. For example:

Meetings of the traditional institutions of local government under a tree early in the morning. This

traditional space is used for discussion, it is the moment of greatest clarity in the community.

At night, however, the community is interested in singing and dancing, so the research team takes

advantage of this time to document songs, dances and stories that convey the experience and Adivasi

lifestyle.

Festivals and celebrations become important events that are used to document information and interact

with the community. For example, the festival Chenchi Bheemsana in April, in which they pray for

seeds to be planted in the coming year is a good time to develop discussions on agricultural knowledge

and practices.

Meetings with the community working on their own farms, or in their homes, or linked to hunting.

Traditional systems of sharing work are still in force in many communities and the research team uses

these spaces to introduce the topic of climate change and discuss local changes.

On the other hand, and presented as a way of articulating Western knowledge with traditional and new

technologies with present community needs, at this stage of the LA, Adivasi communities have also worked

on generating community resource maps. These maps are built according to traditional boundaries,

affirming the rights of communities over their territory, according to customary law, national and

international Indigenous Peoples rights. This technique has also helped to rebuild some local governance

processes and strengthen community ties, vital conditions to increase resilience.


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Tools

Participatory Rural Appraisal: A number of methods and techniques used to collect and analyze information

on community resources, problems, potentials and needs.

Gender Analysis: Focus on understanding and documenting the differences in gender roles, activities, needs

and opportunities in each context.

Development of community-based assets: According to the ABCD approach, the community is built mainly

focusing on peoples skills rather than their weaknesses. This implies that if we want to make communities

stronger, we must study its assets, resources and talents.

Participatory Assessment on Climate Change: Approaches aimed at helping the community and planners

understand the local risks and the ones that Climate Change represents, as well as focusing on the

vulnerability of their environment and lifestyles.

Methodologies for dialogue: Processes of people coming together to build mutual understanding and

confidence to overcome differences and create results through the conversation.

Appreciative Inquiry: Methods that use work groups to obtain information, learn and build on what they

are working when they are at their best, instead of focusing on what went wrong and in solving problems.

Cognitive-psychological approach and mental modeling

System Methodologies

Phase 2 Products

Preliminary library of local knowledge about climate change and the biocultural context

Reference list of documentation on climate change and the local environment

Document analysis of national and international policies on climate change and indigenous peoples

Local database

Local inquiry methodologies recorded


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The adaptation of the IPCCA conceptual framework for the LA is the first step of implementation. This phase

is critical to ensuring that the LA is conducted using an appropriate framework and local epistemology to

understand the impacts of climate change on the Biocultural system and that adaptation strategies will provide

alternatives for indigenous peoples. To build a Conceptual Framework (CF) that is appropriate locally, the

general IPCCA CF must be understood by the LA team. Below we briefly present the IPCCA conceptual

framework, for a detailed description see www.ippca.info.

The IPCCA Framework

The IPCCA CF has two main goals:

1. To provide a framework for assessing the impacts of climate change on indigenous peoples and developing

response strategies.

2. To be a useful teaching tool to guide local and global assessments and provide a common language to

synthesize results.

The CF is based on indigenous concepts and is designed as a useful tool to be adapted to the local context of

each evaluation site. The following underlying principles are based on understanding of indigenous peoples,

their epistemology and collective practices as interconnected with nature, ecosystems and all species.

Buen vivir covers all the elements required to live well while maintaining a reciprocal relationship between

parts of the holistic and interconnected living world. Reciprocity includes spiritual interconnection.

Indigenous Resilience is an indicator of the ability of an indigenous people to support and strengthen buen

vivir, while facing uncertainty and change. Indigenous resilience is collective and projects a positive and

creative approach between society and the natural world.

Climate change is the result of direct and indirect drivers of processes at local, national and global scales.

The unique situation of indigenous peoples and their holistic epistemologies requires attention to the drivers

that particularly affect their ability to maintain buen vivirand indigenous resilience.



Phase 3In this phase the IPCCA conceptual framework is adapted to the local biocultural context using holistic

frameworks that help translate general concepts to local contexts. A conceptual framework to guide the

local assessment process is developed.

Phase 3:Adapting the IPCCA Conceptual Framework
http://www.ippca.info/http://www.ippca.info/


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Local, national and global processes that are direct and indirect drivers of climate change interact with key

elements of indigenous resilience and buen vivir in biocultural systems across time and space within a

complex, interconnected and multi-scaled world.

The direct and indirect drivers of climate change affect buen vivir and indigenous resilience of the Biocultural

System. The diagram shows examples of the key elements working toward indigenous resilience and buen

vivir, as well as processes and trends understood as drivers (e.g. economic and sociopolitical trends and political

rights to traditional resources are indirect drivers while global trends of production and consumption or land

conversion patterns are direct drivers). The arrows connecting the direct and indirect drivers with the

Biocultural System and buen vivir / indigenous resilience show the interactions through time and space,

allowing conceptualization at multiple scales. All arrows are bidirectional, indicating the interrelationshipbetween the processes and elements of the Biocultural System.

Buen Vivir

Appropriate pracces

between nature and society

Social Improvement

as a process

Ways of life in

buen vivir

Respect for mulpleforms of knowledge

Self-Determinaon

Indigenous resilience

Memory of historical change

Viewing Pracces

Biocultural diversity through

the pracces and land rights

Local governance

structures and collecve

processes

Direct drivers

Holisc Biocultural System Interacons at different scales

Global paerns of

producon and consumpon

Paerns of land conversion

Environmental degradaon

Extracve industries

Threats to Biodiversity

Invasive species

Indirect drivers

Socio-polical economic

trends

Policies of tradional

resource rights

Scienfic and technological trends

Pressure Time - Space

Cultural and religious trends

The approach of the IPCCA conceptual framework focuses the initiative on the processes of inquiry about

how the local Biocultural System promotes indigenous resilience to face the impacts of climate change

while maintaining their ability to sustain buen vivir. Therefore, local assessments should focus on promoting

local indigenous resilience (strengthen biocultural diversity, adaptation, development of appropriate

technologies, etc.) to adapt to climate change.


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Tools

Communication for Participatory Development: Methods to encourage community participation in

development initiatives through the use of different communication strategies.

Participatory training methodology.

Methodologies for dialogue: Processes of people coming together to build mutual understanding and trust

to overcome differences and build solutions through dialogue.

Cognitive-psychological approaches and Mental Modeling

System Methodologies

Participatory Rural Appraisal: A number of methods and techniques used to collect and analyze information

on community resources, problems, potentials and needs.

The development of a local conceptual framework to guide the LA requires the use of locally appropriate

methods that permit analysis of the components of the CF through local epistemologies. Indigenous inquiry

methodologies that were first developed in Phase 2 will be employed here. In many cases, local processes will

be developed and can be used to facilitate analysis and necessary dialogue to adapt the conceptual framework.

For example, in the Potato Park, the process is being undertaken through working groups. They are part of the

governance structures of communities. In other cases, generic methodologies can be adapted to the local

context. An example of a generic methodology that can be used at this stage are focus groups as part of the

Participatory Rural Appraisal methodology.




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Phase 3 Products

A local conceptual framework (LCF) that provides a simple graphical illustration of the concepts and

interactions that will be used to guide the LA and facilitate understanding of the methodological approach.

Example 4 Adapting the Conceptual Framework - Potato Park, Quechua, Peru

Armed with the information generated from the establishment of the Baseline, and priorities identified

through Kausay Sumaq, the Potato Park LA proceeded to define the elements of its Framework.

The starting point for analysis was the Indigenous Conceptual Graphic found on the Main Altar of the

Temple of Qoricancha. This is a graphic representation of the world that the Incas carved on gold plates

on the walls of the main altar of the Temple of the Sun, in Cusco. In the sixteenth century, the Aymara

chronicler Salcamayhua Yamqui Pachacuti, drew the figure of the altar providing meaning for each sign

depicted. The image represents the Order of Wiracocha Pachayachachic (God creating the world), in which

the human couple is a harmonious part of the whole.

The elements of Kausay Sumaq are identified in the drawing, helping to assess factors that enable resilience

as well as identifying the Direct and Indirect Drivers of Change. All subsequent analysis led to adapting the

CF. In the process it became obvious that some of the direct drivers of change are generated within the

community, while most of the indirect drivers are related to external forces of power, pointing to nationaland international policies as the main indirect drivers of change affecting buen vivirand resilience of

communities to climate change

Wiracocha Pachayachachic

Evening Star

Summer

Mother llama

Lightning

Mother

Earth

Rainbow

Chakana in g en eralChoqechinchay

Winter

Morning Star

Tree

Mother

Water

Man and Woman

Storage Andn

River

The eyes of

everything

Sun

Moon


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The local conceptual framework that was developed in Phase 3 is used during this phase to define the scope

of the LA. This stage is critical, ensuring that the CF guides the design of the assessment and development of

methodologies. Also during this phase it is important to define the outcomes that the community expects toreceive from the process.

Question Guide

This question guide will help define the scope and objectives of the evaluation:

How are indigenous resilience and buen vivir understood in the local CF?

What are the major drivers of climate change that create impacts on the local system?

Define which parts of the Biocultural System will be analysed - what will be the focus of the LA?

What specifically do you want to achieve with the LA? What are the expected results from the LA?

What is to be achieved within a given time and with the funds available?

How will the LA implement the Universal Declaration of the United Nations help Indigenous Rights?



Phase 4During this phase, the local assessment is designed, using the information gathered in the baseline and

the adapted conceptual framework. The approach to the assessment is defined in a participatory fashion

and the local biocultural system is described in order to analyse indigenous resilience and the ability to

maintain buen vivir. An indigenous inquiry methodology is developed through identified local methods,

complemented by other research methods

Example 5 - Definition of the system: biocultural systems - Ifugao, Philippines

As defined at the beginning of this toolkit a Biocultural System is a complex system that integrates

interdependent socio-cultural and human aspects of indigenous people with physical/environmental

elements of their territories.

In the case of different ethnolinguistic groups in the province of Ifugao, a high mountain environment with

rice production, the territory is managed from a biocultural perspective, resulting in the sustainability of

resources and expertise over time.

Phase 4: Local Assessment Design - Definition of Scope,Expected Results and Development of Local Methods


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Examples of such management are the basis for the definition and scope of Biocultural System to beanalysed in the LA, for example:

Typical House: agroforestry system or permaculture surrounded by gardens of different species of trees

and bamboo, integrated with aromatic herbs and medicinal plants, vegetables and animals

demonstrating a deep understanding of diversity and integration. The rice fields are traditionally located

close to home.

Among the different crop fields, or between the peripheral limits of each field there is always a green

belt or dolyah in the local language.

The communal territory is divided according to ecology, human activities and property, and the bel-ew

refers to watersheds, common spaces where it is forbidden to cut trees. In the bel-ewthere are sacred

sites orpehyew, hunting preserves or dowengan and areas to hunt birds or linnengan. Uma is the name

assigned to rotational communal agriculture, while kinabba are private agricultural areas for logging

and burning that serve the community only with the consent of the homeowner.

Beyond the rice fields are groves of communal use with numerous ecological and cultural functions.

The surrounding community forests are shared with neighboring areas as hunting grounds. Despite not

having a formal regulation, it is expected that everyone use them to practice selective logging and

hunting and clearing of the forest based on sustainability criteria and care.

Spirituality is also an integral part of land management, for example, when performing the dam-ah, a

ritual to appease the god of lightning at the beginning of the rainy season, access to the Uma is

prohibited.

An example of connection between the stars, ecology, human agricultural practices and spirituality, as

part of the Biocultural System: The arrival of the bird kilingmarks the beginning of the planting season.

With the display of the killing, the hi-hapnakritual begins, 2 or 3 days before the full moon. The selected

seeds are planted under the full moon to ensure the healthy growth of seedlings.

Ifugao communities have always reaffirmed and continue to assert their rights over their territory, seen as

a complex system.


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Assessment Focus

Each indigenous territory is defined by its local biocultural context, consisting of the physical landscape and

territory combined with cultural and social interactions. The local CF should facilitate the analysis of the impacts

of climate change on the local Biocultural System. While the common holistic perspective of all Indigenous

Peoples recognises the connection between the local system and all other elements of the universe, it is

necessary to define what specific aspects of the local system will become the vehicle for analysing indigenous

resilience and their capacity to strengthen buen vivir. The approach is developed through the local system

definition, while recognising connections to the holistic system.

Development of indigenous inquiry methodology

Once you have defined the focus of the assessment, an appropriate methodology must be developed. As

emphasised in phase 2, the local method of indigenous inquiry must be based on the local sui generis context,

and in turn relate to the global indigenous vision.

The LAs are not just locally conducted assessments of the impacts of climate change, but learning processes

that use collective reflection to analyse problems they face for development of adaptation strategies. During

this phase, the team must strengthen the initial understanding of the local CF in order to design appropriate

inquiry methodology using local methods of analysis, dialogue, visioning and decision-making. When

appropriate and necessary, local methods are complemented with scientific techniques and methodologies ofsocial research (such as those presented below), creating hybrid approaches.

Tools

Visits to communities: Organize and conduct meetings with communities to inform people about the

initiative, to consult and to build trust and understanding.

Communication for Participatory Development: Methods to encourage community participation in

development initiatives through the use of different communication strategies.

Logical framework: A tool for analysis, presentation and management that can help planners and managers

to analyse the existing situation during project preparation to establish a logical hierarchy of means by which

objectives will be met and to identify some of the potential risks, and establish means for monitoring and

evaluation.

Presentation and discussion of the baseline information.




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Collaborative Research Methods: Researchers working together to achieve the common goal of producing

new scientific knowledge. The focus is on empowering local people to take charge of the research process

this training can be achieved through numerous methods that should be determined by population data.

Methodologies for dialogue

Participatory Rural Appraisal

Phase 4 Products

Definition of the biocultural system, its component parts and all local phenomena

Definition of specific components of indigenous resilience, buen vivir and the biocultural system, which

will provide the focus to the assessment

Design specific activities of the assessment with an annual work plan

Indigenous inquiry methodology developed and specifying methods

As throughout the whole process of the LA, this phase must be conducted in a participatory manner,

it is important that community members participate in the design of the evaluation since they are

the most interested in the strategies that will result. To this end, at this stage workshops should bedesigned and facilitated by the LA team, in which the approach of the LA is built through consensus.


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After designing the assessment and its methodology the assessment activities proper can start. The process

will assess conditions and trends of the issues identified as important for the selected focus of the LA.

Steps for assessing conditions and trends

The following steps provide guidance on how to carry out this phase, but each LA team will have to adapt the

steps to the methodology and local realities.

1. Establish project team

2. Review and synthesise existing data (based on studies / reports, opinions of local experts and policy context)

3. Develop biocultural indicators of vulnerability, adaptive capacity, resilience and buen vivir

4. Inquire into existing local strategies and actions that affect the communitys ability to cope with climate

variability

a. Which techniques and practices are more appropriate as local level responses?

b. Which Institutions and customary laws are more appropriate as local level responses?

c. What are the socio-ecological networks and how can they be strengthen?

5. Description of (existing) policies and actions affecting the ability to cope with climate variability, and analsysis

of the impact of those same policies on the rights and resources of indigenous peoples.

Phase 5In this phase the designed assessment activities are implemented, applying the inquiry methodology

developed in the previous phase.

Biocultural indicators -

These are elements

that help us detect the

state of ecological and

cultural factors of a

given area, and are

based on knowledge

that integrates culturaltraditions with

environmental

observation.

Phase 5:Assessment of Conditions and Trends


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Tools

Stakeholder analysis

Participatory training methodology

Participatory Rural Appraisal

Gender analysis

Development of community-based assets


Participatory Assessment of Climate Change

Vulnerability Assessment Methodologies: Differentiating the vulnerabilities to climate risks in differentsectors and social groups.

Phase 5 Products

Plan for assesing conditions and trends

Work plan for analysis of policy and adaptation to climate variability

Documentation of the results of the analysis

Example 6 - Agricultural Calendars - Adivasi, India

A useful tool to assess local trends of climate change are traditional agricultural calendars, since they

integrate historical biocultural knowledge, so that current lags in these calendars is evidence of local climate

change and its multiple effects.

In the case of the Adivasi communities in India, all aspects of life (livelihoods and relationship with

ecosystems, biodiversity, governance, spirituality), are guided by an intricate seasonal cycle, based on the

traditional map of seasons. In this jeevata chakram or life cycle, the characteristics of each season are

established and the human activities that can be undertaken within each of them (related to agriculture,

forest use, celebrations and festivals, worship and communication with the gods who protect the

community, domestic and wild animals, etc.). Through this life cycle Adivasi communities feed themselves

and support the local ecosystem, while living their life in harmony with and respect for others and the

environment, coinciding with the Andean proposal of buen vivir .

By basing the analysis of conditions and trends of climate change on the traditional calendar,

transformations and changes that are impacting the lives of Adivasi communities easily surfaced, since

they are no longer able to organize their lives accurately according to the established traditional cycle. Use

of the calendar as an analytical tool also supports the LA, providing a better understanding of concepts

such as the buen vivir and Indigenous Resilience


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The activities to be undertaken in this phase are visioning techniques or methods that support adaptive

planning processes based on analysis of possible future realities. The changes and their impacts are analysed

from the perspective of traditional knowledge, which allows a long term view of changes within historical and

future processes. The indigenous conceptualization of space and time are different from the Western

conceptualization. Time and space in the indigenous world are at the same time historical, modern, future,

local, regional and global. The movement between different dimensions of time and space through ritual,

music, dance, theater and other performative practices are understood locally. Thus, global processes and

phenomena influence the local through time-space compression.

Tools

Development methodologies and use of scenarios: develop stories about the future creatively responding

to the question What if ?... with local understanding of climate change trends combined with technical

information to construct narratives that will address potential impacts and adaptation strategies.

Forecasting Methods: Forecasting methods or projections that uses information on past trends to predict

the future. The methodology tends to use existing data on historical trends.

Methods of Visioning: Visualization is a powerful tool that supports the empowerment of communities in

deciding how to shape their own future. A collective vision comes from the discussion in a forum where

everyone can express their hopes and expectations for the future.

Below are some possibilities for implementing the aforementioned tools.

Phase 6During this phase activities that allow forecasting, visioning and projecting possible future realities are

undertaken, to develop adaptation strategies that address the likely impacts of climate change.

Communities and indigenous societies have their own processes of visioning, for example, through ritual

practices provided by shamans. It is preferable to use local methods for visioning, but they can be

strengthened by scenario techniques or other methodologies, such as those presented below as examples.

Phase 6:Futuring Activities


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I. Developing and Using Scenarios

Scenarios are not predictions, they are consistent descriptions of possible future states. Within the theme

of climate change scenarios, they have been used to develop stories about the future under different

conditions of greenhouse gas emissions. As the LA uses a local perspective and traditional knowledge in the

development of scenarios one can use local understanding of trends to create narratives that facilitate

discussion of potential impacts and adaptation strategies. Below several steps to facilitate the process of

developing and using scenarios are provided:

Step 1. Identify historical processes of climate change: Choose a time frame for assessing climate change,

for example thirty years. This is used to discuss the changes that have occurred historically. In this

step its is necessary to approach people with knowledge of historical processes in order to identify

drivers and trends.

Step 2. Identify threats or concerns felt by the community about the future trends of climate change. Using

brainstorming and discussion, the participants discuss their concerns and imagine the impact if

climate change continues.

Step 3. Identify the most important drivers of climate change: Based on data collected during the

assessment, the group discusses the most important climate change drivers for the local context.

Many processes that are drivers of climate change are very uncertain, and it is difficult to precisely

define their course.

Step 4. Define the starting point: During this step one begins to develop the narrative that will be used in

the scenarios. There are several methodological options for this step.

Option 1: No specific drivers are used as conditions for development of the scenarios. Imagine

various paths of these conditions in the future, for example, various intensities of

deforestation or increasing sea level.

Option 2. Two drivers are selected as conditions and placed in a 2x2 matrix, creating four possible

starting points.

Option 3. The Combinations of several drivers can be used to decide the starting points for various

scenarios.

Step 5. Create narratives: Using the starting point, participants develop narratives about what the future

would be under conditions of different scenarios. Divided into small groups, you can use multiple

starting points to develop multiple scenarios. The narratives are developed based on answering

questions about what will happen under different conditions. The narrative developed must be rich

and detailed.


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Step 6. Present and discuss: Each group presents its narrative and discusses the implication of each scenario

on indigenous resilience and buen vivir.

Step 7. Discuss how the community may prepare to deal with different scenarios. By refining the narratives

a discussion emerges on the opportunities and threats facing the community. A plan is developed

for adaptation strategies.

II. Forecasting Methods

Step 1. Define indicators to project: To begin with the group discusses what indicators they want to project

into the future, for example forest cover where deforestation is a problem, or agricultural production

where this is seen to be reducing. Indicators are then decided on for each factor that is importantto project for deciding how to plan for future conditions.

Step 2. Collect data on past trends of the indicators selected: In this step it is likely that a combination of

information will be required. For some indicators it might be possible to collect information as far

into the past as possible from local records or collective memory while for others, outside

information such as reports or census data might be needed.

Step 3. Use a table or grid to construct projections based on data: A simple table can be used to construct

the projections, such as the example shown here:

The timeline shown on the top of the table may be adjusted, the important thing is that it is a

timeframe that is important and meaningful to the collective. It is advisable to have small groups

and each to discuss one indicator. As the data for the indicator is filled in, graphic illustrations may

be used to make it more appropriate to the local knowledge. The results of the projections can be

discussed in terms of any major surprises or trends that are negative and can or should be changed.

Indicator Twoyears ago

Lastyear

Currentyear

Ina year

Intwo years

Infive years

Community

Population

Potato

Production

Visitors

to the park

Certain events

Uncertain events


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After the data for each indicator has been filled in, a line in the table for Certain Key Events is added

and participants think about events that are likely to occur and impact upon the projections made

for each indicator. Another discussion occurs about how these events will affect the projections.

Next, a new line for Uncertain Key Events is added and events that may or may not occur but could

be important to the projections are added. The projections should be adjusted based on a discussion

of how these events will affect projections.

Paso 4. Discuss how to prepare for the projections: The indicator groups come back together to discuss

their projections for each indicator in the collective group. A discussion is facilitated about the

results including the following questions:

Are the trends positive or negative for the community? How so

What will be the impact on the community and well being?Can we change the outcomes? How?

How should we prepare for them?

III. Visioning method

Visioning is a powerful tool that supports the empowerment of communities in deciding how to shape

their own future. This is a common method that is used by all communities in the world. A collective vision

emerges out of discussion in a forum where all can discuss their hopes and expectations of the future. It

is useful for developing a long term vision through a collaborative process. The following steps can be used

to help support the creation of a common vision.

Step 1. Decide timeframe of visioning: The timeframe of the vision is important and will depend on the

particular focus of the community and situation. In the climate change area it is advisable to use

visioning for a long term vision, up to 20 or 50 years, to ensure processes for building resilience

are considered. A good way to begin the discussion is through discussing the communitys concerns

today.

Step 2. Develop the vision of the future: Several methods can be used to develop the vision of the future.

One way is to take the participants on an imaginary journey into the future and ask them to

describe how they see their community. This imaginary journey can be complemented by a

physical walk around the community to help participants start to build a real vision of how the

community is changed in the future. If this is not possible then a debrief in the form of illustrating

what was imagined can help clarify the differences between peoples visions. If the group has

already developed scenarios then they can use the outcomes from the scenarios to focus on the

positive aspects of the future and develop a vision around them.

Step 3. Illustrate future vision: This step is best performed in small groups with each group drawing the

vision or making a collage. Make sure that each drawing or picture is able to tell the story of how

the future will look under the vision.


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Phase 6 Products

Illustrations (charts, maps, etc..), future scenarios, visions and projections for use in development of

adaptation strategies

Collective reflection and discussion of possible future



Step 4. Present and discuss the most important aspects of the vision: In a plenary session, all groups

present their vision, and discuss the differences and similarities between the visions. All of the

ideas are grouped and discussed collectively, or people may vote on each idea they feel is important

to help build consensus on which ideas are central. It is important that all participants have a say

as the objective is to build a collective vision of the community.

Example 7 - Visioning Tools - Maasai, Kenya

For the Maasai people, the Oloiboniis the most powerful person in the community. He/she is a spiritual

leader and prophet and there is usually only one per clan.

The Loibons are the Maasai prophets and clairvoyants. They are usually informed of any activity carried

out in the community and its decisions are final and not negotiable. Among the Maasai people the Loibon

is respected more than the head of state. The Loibons are aided in their work by a leader of the age group

called olaiguenani, who is elected before circumcision to lead its age group to old age.

The main function of the Laiboni, as the sacrifices, is essentially to bridge the gap between man and God

(or the other world), although the influence of a Loibon is generally limited to reading the mind, Gods

intentional waves through divination, for example, reading the stones thrown from a bull horn. The Laiboni,

given this ability, is especially consulted whenever misfortune arises, such as the lack of rain or epidemics.

They are also healers, very experienced in the medicinal properties of plants growing in their environment,

which leaves, roots or bark can be used to treat a wide variety of illnesses, both physical ailments or ritual

treatment for social and moral transgressions of the community.

In a cultural context such as the Maasai people, it is essential to take into account the traditional visioning

methods through Laiboni, and to incorporate their future climate predictions, this tool can link traditional

knowledge with other methods of visioning.


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The IPCCA strategy includes three parallel processes: local assessments, coordination through the Secretariat

and a global assessment. The overall objective of the three processes is to nurture the development of

indigenous strategies of responses to climate change. The responses will take place at several levels: local,

national and global, all supporting the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of

Indigenous Peoples.

The following steps provide guidance for this phase:

Step 1: Analysis of Responses

Historical / previous and current responses to climate change are analysed to ensure that lessons

learned are incorporated into adaptation strategies. The analysis requires participation and must

include all information gathered during the assessment process.

Step 2: Developing Strategies for Achieving Goals

Possible strategies are developed through an analysis of expected future and current situations. The

development of life plans is a methodology that can support this phase of analysing possible strategies.

Step 3: Choosing Strategies

Having several choices of action plans for adaptation is positive, but it is also important to be able to

focus on the most viable based on the resources available. The decision regarding which strategies are

most viable should be undertaken in the most participatory manner possible, to ensure that the

greatest amount of information and views are taken into account. In the local context, the processes

of governance and community management as appropriate vehicles for strengthening self-

determination of communities. It is also important during this phase to foster links with processes and

institutions at national, regional and global levels that can support action / adaptation plans locally.

Phase 7During this final phase of the assessment process, the community uses the recommendations of the

assessment and visioning activities to generate possible future adaptation strategies at local level.

It is important that during this phase, the LA team coordinates with the global assessment through the

Secretariat, thus ensuring that adaptation strategies at various levels support local assessments and ensure

coherence. However, the immediate focus of the LA is to develop strategies for local adaptation.

Phase 7:Developing Adaptation Strategies


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Step 4: Designing Adaptation Projects

After the development of specific adaptation strategies to focus on specific actions to adapt to the

short, medium and long term changes are designed and planned, it is recommended to develop

activities and projects, thus facilitating the process of seeking funds for implementation.

Example 8 Adaptation Strategies - Karen, Thailand

Having assessed the trends of climate change at the local level, and the impacts they pose to the livelihood

of the community of Huay Manao, Karen tribe in Thailand, the Local Assessment process required the

implementation of new meetings and workshops to elucidate what kind of local strategies could be used

to accommodate present and future changes.

The LA teams work was based on the development of a table which shows the answers proposed by the

community for each of the impacts. As the changes also represent opportunities the Manao Huay LA have

taken into account both negative and positive impacts for each subject.

The answers relate to traditional methods of observation of the environment, such as retrieving specific

knowledge and traditional agricultural practices, as well as the incorporation of new or foreign tools, that

are friendly to the environment and the way of life of the Karen people.

From the results of this table one can carry out the Strategic Planning of Local Adaptation and with it, the

Life Plan for the communities involved in the LA.

Topic Causes Posive Impact Negave Impact Proposed Soluon

Los Na Lom

became Na

Don

Increasingtemperatures

Less precipitaon.Reduced water

levels in some

streams

It makes plowing

easier

Less need for labor

Beer performance in

producon

Easier to maintain.

Insufficient water

Some animals havereduced or even

disappeared

Do not drain water

from the Na Lom aerharvest

Construcon of waterreservoirs

Tools


Participatory rural appraisal

Appreciative Inquiry

Phase 7 Products

Development of Life Plans for community strategies before future scenarios

Plans for local adaptation, with established activities to be developed

Proposed Adaptation Funding to be accessesd, based on strategies developed

Recommendations for National Adaptation Plans of Action (NAPAs)

Logical framework

Systems theory

Participatory Assessment CC


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48/48

IPCCA

Indigenous Peoples

ipcca local assessment toolkit_eng

Documents