What's Happening
The Arctic is warming four times faster than other regions, a trend that disproportionately harms the indigenous Sámi people — particularly their access to vital traditional resources like reindeer and salmon, used for food, clothing, weapons, and more.
As temperatures in the north rise, the snow melts and refreezes at an accelerated rate. This forms ice, preventing reindeer from reaching the lichen below and dramatically increasing malnutrition rates. "These impacts on nature are severe for our culture and means of subsistence," said Tuomas Aslak Juuso, vice president of the Sámediggi, or Sámi Parliament, of Finland. "So, the survival of the reindeer and then the survival of our means of subsistence [and] cultures is questioned."
Why It Matters
Climate change and colonialism were among the top issues raised by hundreds of indigenous people gathered in Geneva. They came from around the world to discuss these growing threats at the UN's Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, or EMRIP. They agreed that a multitude of crises will only worsen unless they are given more power and voice in international negotiations and decision-making.
This is because, in addition to driving specific policy recommendations on conflicts, AI, and other key issues, indigenous delegates continue their decades-long demand for better representation in the UN. "What we are trying to do is get some implementation resources to adapt to climate change. With Finland, for example, we don't have adaptation resources on how to adapt to these situations," said Juuso. "In order to be able to bring these issues to the global discussion, we would need to have the opportunity to participate."
The Mechanism Behind It
The UN structure requires participation through either a member state or a registered civil society organization — for example, a non-governmental organization, academic institution, or accredited indigenous organization. However, indigenous nations do not fit neatly into one of these categories and are reduced to participating as NGOs. In addition to these structural barriers, indigenous peoples also face financial and resource challenges that further hinder their ability to be heard at the international level.
This is why EMRIP participants continue to fight for enhanced participation, which would finally give indigenous nations and organizations the same access and power that the United States and other countries enjoy. This increase in influence is especially important when many countries ignore indigenous priorities. During the week, many delegates identified climate and environmental issues as an area where national governments often have different priorities than indigenous peoples, who consider the land and ecosystems more important than economic growth — a system of values they believe is at odds with the world's best interests.
Bigger Picture
"We have to try to balance immediate economic interests with long-term environmental protections," said Kym Hamilton, who is from the Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngā Rauru, Ngāti Raukawa tribes in Aotearoa, New Zealand. "I think we have a responsibility to protect our descendants."
In the UN lexicon, enhanced participation is the term often used for efforts to elevate the voices of indigenous peoples. Those gathered in Geneva affirmed the right to represent their communities in crucial global discussions that affect them. They also demand more respect from member state governments and other policymakers, something they argue will better help them survive conflicts and other crises.
What Happens Next
Hamilton offered recommendations for the seven indigenous expert members of EMRIP, including a clear timeline to create participatory status for indigenous institutions and to appoint indigenous and state representatives with equal status to lead the process. She also called for the establishment of an independent and transparent accreditation mechanism to prevent states from vetoing indigenous representatives and initiatives to provide predictable and sustainable funding to participate.
Hamilton said full participation of indigenous peoples in international deliberations includes the right to decide who represents their communities. "Governments don't always tell the truth," she said, citing the UN Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review — which all 193 member states must undergo every 4.5 years — which, she said, revealed gaps between the reports governments submitted and the actual human rights situations within their jurisdictions.
Conclusions and Future Challenges
Kenneth Deer, a member of the Mohawk Nation of Kahnawà:ke and long-time international indigenous advocate, echoed this point. "The government never speaks badly of itself," he said. "You can't let the government speak for us."
However, the UN's accreditation and recognition process can hinder progress toward collectively addressing the challenges that affect indigenous peoples, he observed. "For us, as a representative institution, there's really no clear path for us to get accredited — and that leads to attempts to improvise and find ways to get accredited."
Source / Reference
This story was originally published by Grist with the title As climate change threatens their lands, Indigenous nations demand more power at the UN on July 21, 2026.