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Indigenous organizations say increasing direct funding to Indigenous-led initiatives and transparency in the flow of funds can increase effectiveness of the pledges and build trust.

After two intense weeks in Glasgow, Scotland, Indigenous leaders attending the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference are finally returning home. Indigenous communities went to COP with a clear set of demands. But they leave with a few symbolically significant, yet vague commitments.

Although encouraged by unprecedented visibility of Indigenous peoples at COP26, Jennifer 'Jing' Corpuz, a Kankana-ey Igorot attorney from the Philippines and Managing Director of Policy at Nia Tero, warns that weak language on rights could put communities' ties to land and sea at risk, specifically as it relates to a new carbon market plan.

The Glasgow Climate Pact is a step forward, researchers say, but efforts to decarbonize are not enough to limit global temperature rises to two degrees Celsius.

"If you're looking for an ordinary thing that could have an extraordinary impact, it would be protecting these biodiversity protectors." - Tom Friedman

"We're losing a battle we can win, but only by keeping trees on our side." - John Reid, Nia Tero Senior Economist and Partnership Lead