If humanity wishes to live in harmony with the natural world, learning from cultures and communities who have achieved this for thousands of years would be a good place to start. Indigenous people need only to keep remaining in their ancestral lands to provide incalculable value for the health and resilience of our planet. Native stands firm against the prevailing neo-colonialist tendencies within carbon markets, placing indigenous communities at the heart of everything we do. 

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We recognize the invaluable role these stewards play in maintaining planetary health and economic stability, and work hand in hand with them to help bring their NbS to market equitably. We advocate for institutions that preserve indigenous cultures and knowledge and our projects often involve regional and national stakeholders to support this goal. 

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As indigenous communities articulated in an open letter, well-implemented conservation projects can unlock much needed finance, not just for the world’s most biodiverse regions, but for the communities on the frontlines of climate change. When done right, NbS projects have robust positive effects on indigenous communities. They offer the opportunity to build a sustainable future defined by their own traditions, cultures and values, to safeguard their legal rights, and to make financial resources available to uphold their ancestral traditions and defend their lands from exploitation. Furthermore, NbS projects have established the foundation for bolstering indigenous financial autonomy, enabling the pursuit of sustainable livelihood opportunities, improved access to healthcare and education, empowerment of women and community development.

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We ensure direct benefits to carbon, biodiversity, and community by collaborating with indigenous peoples as equal partners. Native secures Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC), providing a platform for direct access to NbS markets and bypassing third-party mediators.

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We are driven to engage meaningfully with our indigenous partners. We do not just consult with them, but rather we support them to lead the solutions. We trust that they know best how to protect and regenerate the ecosystems they have already been protecting for generations. 

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We work closely with local NGOs, local and national government and employ participatory approaches to plan short, medium and long-term outcomes with the communities, helping them deploy funds to maximize financial and cultural autonomy including learning hubs, forest ranger programmes, scholarships, medical centers, boats etc.

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At Native we understand that each indigenous community is unique, with its own cultural context, values and needs. We realize an inclusive and culturally sensitive approach is essential to accurately measure social impact and promote positive and sustainable outcomes. It is of the utmost importance to us that our projects have positive social impacts on our indigenous partners, which is why we adopt a social impact framework with community engagement at its core. 

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What other carbon project developers see as “co-benefits”, we prefer to agree with indigenous people themselves who view them as “core-benefits”, because not only are these benefits central to our indigenous community partners, they are also essential to advancing a holistic sustainability approach. By maintaining as much emphasis on these core-benefits as we do on providing high quality NbS, Native offers forward-thinking solutions that extend beyond carbon to encompass a range of SDGs.  

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The evidence is clear: when indigenous communities are legally and financially empowered, ecosystems thrive. However, every community needs running water, medical centers and schools. Native’s model ensures communities do not face the stark choice between environmental conservation and economic development