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The Ogiek community of Mt. Elgon has begun developing a long-term strategic plan to guide the future of its ancestral land, strengthen cultural identity and protect the environment for generations to come. The initiative comes after the community won a landmark court case in 2022 that restored the status of an 80,000-acre ancestral territory to community land. Supported by Nia Tero, the initiative is expected to produce the Ogiek’s first long-term, community-led vision and development plan.

Nia Tero’s experience offers lessons for nonprofits and funders seeking to shift power to Indigenous Peoples. At Devex Impact House during 2026 New York Climate Week, Nia Tero leaders discussed how meaningful power shifting requires changes not only in funding, but also in who governs, participates, and decides what communities need.

Nia Tero is partnering with Arizona State University (ASU) to develop a course on Indigenous Peoples’ rights and the care of Mother Earth in Latin America and the Caribbean. Offered in English and Spanish, the course will welcome its first cohort in January 2027, combining Nia Tero’s experience supporting Indigenous Peoples in international policy spaces with ASU’s expertise in learning design and accessible education across geographies.

Nia Tero released its multimedia 2025 Annual Report. The report’s theme, A Year of Braiding, explores how Nia Tero's work connects people, places, and policy to strengthen and expand Indigenous Peoples' guardianship globally.

The new multimedia digital format combines illustrative maps, video highlights, and visual storytelling, enabling readers to gain a comprehensive understanding of Nia Tero's global impact.

Fragmentation and barriers to Indigenous Peoples' access to decision making reduce the effectiveness of U.N. conventions on climate change, biodiversity loss, and land degradation, but can be addressed through action by nation-states, funders, and others.

Announced by the Brazilian government during COP30, the decision to complete the process of final recognition of four Indigenous territories in Brazil will provide greater environmental protection and self-determination for the original peoples of the following areas: Kaxuyana-Tunayana, Uirapuru, Manoki, and Estação Parecis Indigenous lands. The most extensive of these by far is the Kaxuyana-Tunayana land demarcation, spanning over 2.1 million hectares.