USAID partner will present at the COP 15 "The contribution of indigenous peoples to emission reductions in the Amazon"
Panelists include the Chief Almir Surui, of the Surui peoples in Rondonia, Brasil, and Rebecca Moore of Google

The side event will focus on practical experiences and approaches that can help inform the REDD debate - helping to ground the policy and political discussions in tangible examples where indigenous peoples and community-based projects are working through the challenges

Photo: The Katomba Group

COPENHAGEN, Denmark – On December 12, 2009 at Halfdan Rassmussen room, on the Bella Center, in Copenhagen Denmark, a side event of the “15th Session of the Conference of the Parties -COP 15-,” USAID partner Forest Trends Katoomba Group, has scheduled a side event to discuss “Indigenous and community engagement in REDD”, including the experience of the Surui people in emissions reductions in the Amazon.

Panelists include the Almir Surui, Chief of the Surui peoples in Rondonia, Brasil, Rebecca Moore of Google, and also Tony Brunello, Deputy Secretary for Climate Change and the Environment for the State of California, representatives from Fundación Amigos de la Naturaleza Bolivia, La Confederación Nacional de Pueblos Indígenas de Bolivia (CIDOB), and Instituto Socioambiental (ISA) as well as Jane Goodall of the Jane Goodall Institute (TBC).

The organizers highlight the event as a very good opportunity to hear about experiences underway in Brazil, Bolivia, the United States, the role that indigenous peoples and local communities can play in developing projects and policy and the contribution of indigenous peoples to emissions reductions in the Amazon.