Representatives of indigenous peoples from around the world not only exposed the REDD mechanism as a false solution to climate change, but also as a process that contributes to human rights violations in indigenous populations.

Berenice Sanchez of the Nahua people of Mexico, exposed the threats and problems that REDD is causing in Mexico.

She said the indigenous peoples have no role in the implementation of REDD projects, she also mentioned the role of indigenous peoples is invisible because the United Nations has not taken real commitments to respect and enforce indigenous peoples collective rights. The principle of free, prior and informed consent is not respected.

She also criticized the role of some organizations that mediate between those who want to implement REDD projects and indigenous communities. She explained that at the initiative of some NGOs like WWF and Conservation International a Consultative Council was created. “It is a space that the Mexican government is using to try to show there is a consultation underway, that there is a participatory, inclusive process to be able to report to the United Nations that the safeguards provided under REDD are being complied with. However, these NGOs are designing a consultation process for the indigenous peoples with the participation of one or two indigenous organizations in order to fundraise. They have no information about REDD. This is the role these NGOs are playing: they do strong lobby to speed up the REDD processes”.

The panel was made up by Tom Goldtooth, Executive Director of the Indigenous Environmental Network, Berenice Sánchez member of the Nahua people in Mexico, Alberto Saldamando lawyer and human rights activist and Marifel Macalanda, indigenous representative of the Philippines.

Marifel said the pilot projects in Asian countries showed some of the consequences of the implementation of REDD projects: division of communities, violation of the right to consultation and consent, corruption, etc.

She said the REDD projects in countries like India and Bangladesh imply militarization and harassment of communities “this is done on the name of sustainable development”.

Meanwhile, Tom Goldtooth concluded that “indigenous peoples came to Rio twenty years ago to force transnational corporations and governments to rethink their relation with mother earth. Looking at Rio+20 we see that no progress has been made, quite on the contrary, they are coming up with policies that further destruction”.