Harmonized Perspectives Study for the harmonization of knowledge and experience from the indigenous/local, technical and scientific spheres for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Change (CC) programming “When Mother Nature reacts, it will not only be the Indigenous peoples or Westerners the ones to be affected by it, but all of us who will all be affected. It is time to recognize that we all live in the same house and we must all take care of it, as it has always been known by the wise men and women in the world, Mother Earth will continue its cycles with or without humans in it”. Teamwork: Julián Burgos, Rosenda Camey, Enma Díaz Lara, Andrés Molina, Irma Otzoy, Álvaro Ponce, Tialda Veldman. Location: Guatemala. Date: May 2011. With the help of PSO and CARE Nederland 1 Content Executive Summary Page 3 General Introduction Page 4 Worldview of indigenous peoples related to Page 8 DRR, CC and Biodiversity / Ecosystems Introduction on the general subject of Page 16 Biodiversity / Ecosystems Introduction on the general subject of Page 22 Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) Introduction on the general subject of Page 28 Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Organizational and legal context Page 34 Synergy model that visualizes the added Page 42 value of indigenous and local knowledge Existing experiences Page 50 Conclusions and recommendations Page 60 Recommended Reading Page 63 Annexes I - V Page 66 2 Executive Summary Central America is a region of contrasts. Its multiculturalism, pluriethnicity and its mega diversity by concentrating 9% of the planet's biological wealth) as well as their conditions of vulnerability to disasters make it an interesting region for objects of this Study. It also occupies the 10th place of vulnerability due to climate change that equally affects all Central American countries; therefore, there is a need to have a unique position as a region in the face of threats and effects of CC. Also, the priority number three (3) of the Hyogo Framework for Action (2005) addresses the need to promote the involvement and active participation of indigenous and local communities to fulfill the objectives. Therefore, indigenous and local communities have ancestrally acquired knowledge and wisdom but also have adapted to new contexts and have become an important pillar in aspects of their worldview. Among them is to be highlighted the basic principles of respect and harmonious coexistence with nature and Mother Earth, cultivation of their own seeds, preservation of protected areas rich in biodiversity, conservation and sustainable management, as well as a comprehensive or holistic models and thematic development of the Study: Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), Climate Change (CC) and Biodiversity. Therefore, it is necessary to reassess and apply their knowledge and wisdom such as practices and experiences of indigenous and local communities such as growing their own seeds, interpretation of indicators of nature and other aspects of their worldview. Therefore, to avoid losing them, it is necessary to systematize their knowledge and wisdom, and deepen in studies and contributions of indigenous and local knowledge Furthermore, due to processes of social exclusion and racial discrimination, it would be vital that indigenous and local communities are considered not as objects of projects, policies and programmes but as subjects as active stakeholders involved in making decisions in the development processes that concern them. These indigenous and local communities promote and participate in management of local issues that concern them and could contribute with community-based adaptation strategies. Therefore, it could contribute to increase its community resilience to reduce vulnerability through the contribution of their knowledge and wisdom in DRR and CCA matters. In order to achieve this, is vitally important the mutual strengthening and recognition to the different types of knowledge as complementary. That is, to achieve a multidimensional and integrated approach, not reductionist, as the best way to deal with risk, disaster and climate change through a symbiosis of local and indigenous knowledge with the scientific and technical, and private initiative. It is therefore necessary to promote the synergy model for harmonization of knowledge and wisdom of indigenous and local issues on DRR and CCA. Likewise, for the harmonization issues to transcends and a culture of resilience at all levels be effectively achieved, it must also be involve governmental, non-governmental and academic organizations to achieve a harmonized vision of the subjects without thematic or conceptual separation in matters of DRR, CCA and Biodiversity, in addition to a holistic approach to its institutional practices, projects, programmes and plans. 3 General Introduction The Study for the harmonization of knowledge and experience from the indigenous / local, technical and scientific spheres for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Change (CC) programming is part of the methodology of some of the sub-programmes of the learning programme on the subject of DRR that CARE Nederland has started from July 2010 and is funded by PSO. This sub-programme, called "Integration of knowledge and experience from the indigenous / local, technical, and scientific spheres", comes from the observation that the knowledge and experiences of the different spheres are not sufficiently integrated into the programming of DRR and CC. Therefore, the objective of the sub-programme is to develop guidance on the integration of scientific projections, experiences of civil society organizations and knowledge, experiences and traditional practices in DRR and CC. The aim of the Study is to visualize the current situation on the harmonization of scientific projections, experiences of civil society organizations and knowledge, experiences and practices related to DRR and CC, and create a basis for the guidance material, the set of indicators and training/instruction programme materials that are part of the methodology of the sub-programme. The Study was a dynamic document that over time has been enriched by inputs from different learning workshops and capacity building in Central America and other parts of the world. Geographical context The geographic approach of the Study is Central America, particularly the countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua. However, to sustain the synthesis of the Study the experiences of other parts of the world related to indigenous knowledge/local have used. Therefore, the intrinsic relationship of the region with the global system is not denied. Central America, also known as Central-America, is located between North and South America, and consists of the following countries: Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama1. 1 Pag. 5, Comparative analysis of frameworks and strategic plans of CDERA, CEPREDENAC and CAPRADE, REDLAC, June 2009. 4 Central is located in the "Ring of Fire" of the Pacific circuit with narrow land mass between the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east. It also presents a diverse morphology consisting of high mountains, rivers and volcanoes, valleys and floodplains and large coastal areas. Its geography predisposes to the occurrence of a large number of natural hazards such as hurricanes earthquakes, floods, droughts, landslides, volcanic eruptions, among others2. It has been said that Central America is multi-hazard scenario, given the complexity of hazards associated with phenomena of different origins come together in the Isthmian territory3. Similarly, with some regularity is affected by major events and numerous small and medium-scale recurring events, suffering significant delays in their processes of economic and social development due to the impact of these events in society, its population, infrastructure and ecosystems4. Far from diminishing, disasters in Central America have increased steadily over the past three decades. This increase is linked to the dynamics of construction taking place in the social environment, leading in turn: • The concentration of most vulnerable social groups on risk areas, with low economic capacity to absorb the impact of disasters and recover from its effects; • Improper use of land and human settlements in hazard-prone areas such as hillsides of rivers and wetlands, combined with living conditions, fragile and insecure, with poor social and services infrastructure; • The impoverishment of rural areas and the gradual increase in threat levels through the processes of environmental degradation; and • A weak capacity for risk reduction and risk management into the development process, by public and private institutions, and national and local governments5. Additionally, a factor that influences the occurrence of disasters is the depletion characterizing important rural fringes of the Central American population, whose living conditions have been deteriorating and depend on complex livelihood strategies such as seasonal migration6. Central America has always been a multicultural region, nevertheless in the last ten years processes of constitutional and legal recognition of this condition have been initiated. The constitutional recognition of the multiethnic and multicultural nature of societies is one of aspect in Central America that has advanced the most. That is the preamble of five of the seven constitutions in the region. There has also been progress with the signing of the ILO Convention 169. For example, to date, several countries