Vol. 1, Issue 13, Part M (2015)

Abstract
International forums are increasingly acknowledging the importance of indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs) in the sustainable use and management of natural resources (e.g., the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services). There is little or no support for IPLCs to continue managing their land. Only four ecosystem services, worth $1.16 trillion annually, are discussed in this research, all of which are provided by IPLC-managed lands (excluding coastal, marine, and other resources). IPLCs benefit from these four ecosystem services (ES), which include carbon sequestration, bio control, air, and water regulation, but do not reap any advantages themselves. Rather, they face additional climate and natural disaster-related difficulties as a result of mainstream society's own actions. Aside from that, it identifies the most pressing issues and makes the case for the establishment of stewardship mechanisms to encourage and support the IPLC's land management practises in order to better safeguard biodiversity, water, and other Earth's natural resources for future generations.