Indigenous and Local Knowledge
Local and indigenous knowledge systems are a precious source of wisdom which people tap into for creating solutions inspired by their interactions with nature, their culture, languages, and spirituality.
It refers to the understandings, skills and philosophies developed by societies with long histories of interaction with their natural surroundings. These unique ways of knowing are important facets of the world’s cultural diversity and provide a foundation for locally-appropriate sustainable development.
Discover UNESCO’s Local and Indigenous Knowledge Systems programme (LINKS), which promotes local and indigenous knowledge and its inclusion in global environmental sciences and policy processes: https://en.unesco.org/links
Get inspired by UNESCO Green Citizens projects which valorize indigenous and local knowledge for sustainable development!
Advocacy and Water Protection in Native California Curriculum
How can environmental issues be addressed in California if native people are ignored? The Advocacy and Water Protection in Native California program aims to make their voices heard through education reform.
Ocean Purpose Project
What if we turned waste into fuel? An Indonesian social enterprise has created a unit to transform plastic into hydrogen.
Odsiha Green College
In India, the Odsiha Green College project provides a forum to Adivasi Youth to find solutions within.
Preserving the ecosystem of the Al Hoceima National Park Marine Protected Area
How to protect the threatened marine ecosystem of the Al Hoceima National Park in Morocco? By establishing No-Take Zones that involve the fishing communities.
Closing the Loop on Waste Plastics Through Heritage Boat Building
In Lamu, Kenya, to combat plastic pollution, craftsmen and engineers have designed the first traditional sailing dhow made entirely from plastic waste.
Run4Salmon
For the Winnemem Wintu tribe that created the Run4Salmon movement, climate resilience means reconnecting to Mother Earth.
School of Eco Diplomacy
In Indonesia, on the border of the tropical forest and marine ecosystems, a training program in eco-diplomacy is offered to young people. Its objective: to understand and become an actor of social and ecological change.
Blue Schools
“Sadly, even if we held a beach cleanup every day on every beach around the world it still wouldn’t be enough to cleanup the Ocean. Education is a vital part of a multi-pronged approach to ecological restoration.” That’s why the Ocean Blue team created Blue Schools in 2021.
TIP Sessions
How do we really change behaviour? In India, a citizens’ group, is using its expertise in human-centred design, a Design Thinking approach, to address local problems and create impactful solutions. Climate change should not remain an abstract concept!
Boosting Climate Change Resilience in Gokova Bay Marine Protected Area
Adaptation is the key to seascape resilience in the face of booming populations of invasive species. Gökova Bay in Turkey sets an example.
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