* Any views expressed in this opinion piece are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters Foundation.
Indigenous peoples and other NGOs are being excluded from key international climate meetings taking place this week that could determine the future of the world's rainforests, say a network of 40 environmental and human rights organisations denouncing the lack of transparency and participation in the discussions.
Organisations including the Rainforest Foundation UK, Friends of the Earth
(USA & France (Les Amis de la Terre France)), Global Witness and The Wilderness Society
are criticising the Paris-Oslo Process, which aims to establish an 'Interim Partnership' agreement between rich and poor countries to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD), for lack of genuine consultation in the drafting of the agreement, and failing to take into account underlying issues that need to be tackled in the fight against deforestation.
The Paris-Oslo Process, developed when Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg of Norway and President Nicolas Sarkozy of France coordinated countries to gather outside the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change mechanism after the failure to agree a climate deal in Copenhagen, also brings capital negotiations to the table for discussion, with interim funding of $6 billion expected to be pledged by May for spending by 2012.
They say that a failure to address underlying problems could lead to so-called fast-start financing becoming a "false start for REDD."
The group is also concerned with the lack of clarity on how the process would link with or report back to the UNFCCC, in the lead up to the global climate summit in Cancun in December, and that it could run the risk of undermining social and environmental safeguards close to finalisation in what is the legitimate forum for agreement.
A statement issued by the group stated, "The [Paris-Oslo] process to date has lacked genuine transparency and openness with lack of participation of civil society or indigenous peoples' representatives at the table in either the first meeting in Paris on 11th March or the second meeting in Bonn on 12th and 13th April."
It continued, "A bad REDD system is worse than no system at all for the world's climate, its forests and its people. If the Interim REDD Partnership focuses narrowly on emissions reductions and fails to take into consideration the need to establish mechanisms for implementing and monitoring the safeguards, ignoring the potential effects of REDD on human rights, biodiversity, and poverty, it sets itself up for failure and could easily do more harm than good."
"Forest dwellers like indigenous peoples have a right to full and effective participation, in accordance with international human rights norms and principles, and in particular a right to give or withhold their free, prior and informed consent regarding decisions affecting their rights, including customary land rights. A failure to do so would be a violation of their rights."
The group, citing compelling evidence that deforestation rates are lower and forest restoration improves with indigenous peoples, civil societies and local communities' involvement, calls for deadlines finalising the Interim Partnership Agreement to be extended beyond May 27th so that indigenous peoples can participate meaningful.
Many believe the current deadline to finalise the partnership agreement will not provide adequate time for consultation on the globally important issue, and will largely exclude indigenous peoples.
The group also calls for more transparency in these meetings to ensure that they do not undermine the UNFCCC negotiation process.
"To be successful, the Interim REDD Partnership Agreement must be a partnership not only of developed and developing states but also of civil society and indigenous peoples. Peoples living in and near forests will be most directly affected by REDD activities. They must, therefore, have a seat at the table and adequate time to understand and comment on the proposed Interim REDD Partnership Agreement."
The Rainforest Foundation UK supports indigenous peoples and traditional populations of the world's rainforests in their efforts to protect their environment and fulfil their rights to land, life and livelihood. Its work includes campaigning to influence national and international laws to protect rainforests and their inhabitants.
