The Podong Indigenous Peoples Initiative is a global initiative that aims to recognize and support Indigenous Peoples’ contributions to the conservation of biodiversity and climate actions through their indigenous knowledge systems, while ensuring their full and effective leadership and access to adequate resources for the implementation and achievement of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the Paris Agreement.

The initiative is co-designed, co-developed and co-led by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), IUCN’s Indigenous Peoples’ Organisation Members (IPOs) and the International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity (IIFB), who all have signed an agreement to jointly develop and implement the initiative.

The initiative’s ultimate outcome is to maintain, enhance and restore the integrity, connectivity and resilience of globally significant biodiversity located within Indigenous territories. This is achieved through four, mutually supportive pillars, fully co-designed and co-led by Indigenous leaders, that aim to increase inclusive, gender-responsive, and fully financed, Indigenous-led in situ conservation action.