Giitu, Thank you, Ms/Mr chair, and good morning/[afternoon] everybody!

Indigenous Peoples knows that it is close connections between human health and planetary health.

Indigenous Peoples are knowledge holders, and specialists in sustainable use of biodiversity. Our culture and communities are deeply connected to nature and resources. Due to this connection and dependence, we live our lives with respect and in harmony for mother earth, our living planet.

Indigenous Peoples are also rights holders. We have rights to our areas through our historical usage of our lands, territories, and waters. Our job is to protect the land that ties us to the past and our history.

Climate change is now affecting our culture and way of life, including traditional livelihoods and food production.

We see that climate change has direct and indirect impacts on physical and mental health and well-being in my homeland, Sápmi. For us it is necessary to come up with effective long-term measures for well-being and resilience.

We also see that ecosystem services are more important than ever for environmental and human health and well-being. Yet, they are limited and often taken for granted.

Mr/Ms chair,

Last session, I was in a panel in this room and talked about green colonialism, and the Fosen-case in Norway. The Fosen-case is about the establishment of wind farms that violates sámi reindeer herders’ rights according to the UN Convention on Civil and political Rights, article 27.

I am sorry to say that the update on the Fosen-Case is sad. The ongoing human rights violation continue. In late February this year, a large group of young sámis, and other Indigenous human rights defenders had protests outside the government buildings in the capital Oslo, because it had gone 500 days since the Supreme Court judgment, and the Government of Norway had done nothing to stop the ongoing human rights violation. The clock is still ticking, and the Sámi reindeer herders in Fosen are still suffering.

Finally, Ms/Mr chair,

Because I am the Artic region’s member in the steering committee for the global Coalition on Indigenous Peoples' food systems. I feel that I must say that our food and knowledge systems can contribute to more sustainable food systems worldwide.

We are producers of healthy, nutritious, environment- and climate-friendly food. Our food systems have high levels of self-sufficiency, that gives a low carbon footprint.

Food systems are relevant for the rights-based discussions on the theme today. For example, climate change leads to reduced food security and diseases linked to dietary changes and has negative consequences for mental health and well-being.

The Sámi Parliament ask the Permanent Forum to recommend governments to respect, preserve and promote Indigenous Peoples’ food and knowledge systems as game-changers for the benefit of all of humanity.

Ollu giitu. Thank you!