Hi,

I work with a team of researchers developing, facilitating and negotiating quality of governance standards for multi-stakeholders in the sustainable development arena. We are trialling a participation methodology in Nepal, including Indigenous representatives.

http://www.isn.ethz.ch/Digital-Library/Publications/Detail/?ots591=0c54e3b3-1e9c-be1e-2c24-a6a8c7060233&lng=en&id=168854

Tim

Not an academic reference, but I know of a company in Brazil, Natura Cosmeticos, working with indigenous people in the Amazon. (e.g. http://www.marketwatch.com/story/amazonian-people-and-cosmetics-giant-work-to-save-endangered-rainforest-and-slow-climate-change-2013-09-10). The company also works actively with academia, so may be an interesting case for you?

Thanks Renee! This is indeed a really interesting example. I wonder who their academic partners are? Please let me know if you come across any more projects like this.

The attached article has some discussion on this point, with many relevant references.

There is a lot of this work happening in New Zealand. I really enjoyed this report on the importance of Indigenous Peoples taking the lead in ecosystem health, with reference to a specific case study:

Āneta Hinemihi Rāwiri 2012 Te Wānanga o Raukawa: Restoring mātauranga to restore ecosystems (published by Te Tākupu http://www.wananga.com/index.php/journals)

I'm currently doing a phd research in - how sustainable development and tourism can help indigenous peoples towards environment conservation and their economies, Im doing this also by doing field work in two communities from Mexico. the study is not focused on the values, but I have come across them.

Hi,

I work with a team of researchers developing, facilitating and negotiating quality of governance standards for multi-stakeholders in the sustainable development arena. We are trialling a participation methodology in Nepal, including Indigenous representatives.

http://www.isn.ethz.ch/Digital-Library/Publications/Detail/?ots591=0c54e3b3-1e9c-be1e-2c24-a6a8c7060233&lng=en&id=168854

Tim

Great! Many thanks for all the answers :)

The key in all standards development processes is to allow all stakeholders/rights-holders to inform the standards development and content from the outset - not develop the standard and then 'consult'...

For me 'good' governance can act as a surrogate for sustainability, because by definition, good governance results in collaboration that engenders problem solving and behaviour change.

Gemma,

Here is an article I wrote some years ago expressing my interpretation of the environmental ethical views of Native American elder, Keewaydinoquay, relative to sustainable harvesting of plants for medicine (or other uses). I believe this type of thinking an provide an important guide for our actions towards sustainability in other areas.

I also appreciate many of the comments above!

Actually, we can develop sustainable development indicators based on indigenous knowledge of local people. We can focus group of discussion with them and ask their feedback that more suitable with their value.

I have been working with local people to discuss few of things, including sustainable development, alternative livelihood which environmental friendly, role of resource extraction and allocation, etc. And its really applicable and give win-win solution for socio-ecological-economic sustainability.

Hi,

We use a similar approach. Using a generic framework of principles, criteria and indicators for 'good' governance, we then work with multi level stakeholders to identify verifiers that are contextually relevant to the given issue area. We then work with whatever stakeholder level is relevant to the verifier (national, district/sub-national, local/community). We ask interested parties (eg Indigenous people/tribal groupings/clans) how they would measure/evaluate these verifiers in the field.

See link below

Tim

Article An assessment of the impacts of the REDD+ pilot project on c...

See also the following discussion paper

Article Quality-of-governance standards for carbon emissions trading...

I did a write up in support of the argument for a sustainable development goal on landscapes post the COP19 in Poland last year

Land use systems, more specifically land use change is certainly in the interface of nature-human nexus and is one of the key indiactors in sustainability science

At : ww.stakeholderforum.org/sf/outreach/index.php/component/content/article/191-uncategorised/cop-archive/cop-19/cop19-day-4-forests-and-agriculture/11561-an-argument-for-a-sustainable-development-goal-on-landscapes

Dear Gemma, Indigenous people may have different perceptions and understanding on sustainable development. This group of people relies heavily on natural resources for their livelihoods.And currently this group gradually become aware of impact of climate change and learn how to adapt to changing surrounding environment.You may look into 4 dimensions : economic, social, environmental and cultural. Then define what is indigenous point of view? by geographical setting or by livelihood pattern, etc.

Dear Gemma

some of the comments on this question link may be valuable in answer to your question. 

https://www.researchgate.net/post/To_what_extent_is_Indigenous_Peoples_consent_important_in_Social_Impact_Assessment_Environmental_Impact_Assessment_or_Sustainability_studies?_tpcectx=profile_highlights

Hi Gemma, 

I have worked on developing general sustainability indicators, I am not sure how much it is useful for you work. Hope it helps.

Article Designing a General Set of Sustainability Indicators at the ...