Indigenous Council
What is the Indigenous Council?
Recognizing that the Rights of Nature movement is deeply rooted in Indigenous worldviews, GARN established the Global Indigenous Council in 2022 to ensure Indigenous voices are at the heart of global advocacy and legal transformation. The Council acts as a vital platform for Indigenous leaders from around the world to connect, collaborate, and co-lead the global Rights of Nature movement, and shape strategy, policy, and legal frameworks that protect Mother Earth and her peoples.
Led by Indigenous Council Chairwoman, Casey Camp-Horinek (Ponca Nation, Turtle Island) and coordinated by two Indigenous Rights of Nature Organizers—Julia Horinek (Ponca Nation, Turtle Island) and Leonardo Cerda (Kichwa Nation, Global South)—the Council fosters knowledge-sharing, hosts quarterly virtual meetings, and supports Indigenous representation in key international spaces. Their leadership ensures coordination with underrepresented Indigenous communities and expands global advocacy efforts.
Our Mission
The Indigenous Council has been hosting initial global gatherings to plan and prioritize work for the coming years. The Council seeks to deepen engagement in global decision-making spaces, including the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and the UN Indigenous Peoples’ Caucus, towards shaping a future where Indigenous sovereignty and the Rights of Nature are jointly recognized and defended. The Council plays a key governance role within GARN, as “wisdom keepers” and movement strategists, and is critical to ensuring that Indigenous voices are not just included, but lead the path forward. With sustained support, the Council aims to grow its membership, deepen alliances, and solidify Indigenous leadership as foundational to global environmental justice.
Indigenous Council's leadership team
The Council is led by Ponca leader Casey Camp Horinek and has two organizers, Julia Horinek, Global North Indigenous Organizer, and Leonardo Cerda, Global South Indigenous Organizer who will be representing on the Executive Committee.
Traditionalist, Wisdom Keeper, Speaker, Author, Actor and Drumkeeper of the Ponca PaThaTa Women’s Scalp Dance Society, Casey Camp-Horinek is an elder of the Ponca Nation of Oklahoma, and has been on the forefront of the global Indigenous Rights of Nature Movement for over a decade. Instrumental in the drafting of the International Indigenous Women’s Treaty protecting the Rights of Mother Earth, and the adoption of the first Rights of Nature and Rights of Rivers Statues by a Tribal Nation of Turtle Island, Casey is firm in the knowledge that indigenous Solutions ARE the answer to Climate Chaos.
Casey is a board member of Movement Rights, Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network, Earthworks, and Chairwoman of the Indigenous Council of the Global Alliance of the Rights of Nature.
“We have to honor the natural laws. We have to realize that we are not protecting Nature. We are Nature protecting itself.”
Julia Horinek, a citizen of the Ponca Nation of Oklahoma, has worked extensively alongside her family in both the Rights of Nature and Human Rights Movements for the entirety of her life. A seasoned “activist”, organizer, and administrator, Julia holds tight to the traditional knowledge passed to her from her Mother and Grandmother. Through her work Julia supports the continuation of Indigenous traditions, values, and Cosmology. Julia is the Global North Organizer for GARN’s Indigenous Council, and the Plains Organizer for Movement Rights.
Leonardo Leonel Cerda Tapuy is a Kichwa activist from Serena, Ecuador, holding a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations with a specialization in Public Administration from Konkuk University, Seoul. He is the founder of the Movement for the Liberation of Indigenous and Afro-descendant Peoples, which has a presence in 22 countries. Additionally, he leads the Hakhu Amazonia Foundation, promoting projects for Amazonian progress and a circular economy.
His activism has strengthened the fight against extractive activities and the violation of Indigenous Amazonian rights at the international level. He participates in forums such as the United Nations Permanent Forum and the COP. He also provides support to various national and international organizations, empowering his community and especially Indigenous women. Finally, he will represent BILM at COP 27 in Egypt to promote the Climate Action Act signed by 22 American countries.
Kichwa Otavalo Woman | Climate, Racial, and Gender Justice Activist | Researcher and Multilateral Advocate
She is a Kichwa Otavalo woman, born and raised in the Indigenous community of Otavalo in northern Ecuador. Her work focuses on climate justice, racial justice, Indigenous peoples’ rights, and the defense of human rights, bridging grassroots efforts with multilateral advocacy.
She completed her undergraduate studies at the Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ), and in 2019 was awarded a full scholarship to pursue a Master’s degree at FLACSO Ecuador. Her research focused on the impacts of mining activities on Indigenous communities in the Ecuadorian highlands. In 2020, she was elected Vice President of the Kichwa Council of Otavalo, where she led environmental initiatives in both rural and urban areas of their territory.
She is the founder of Wallpay Crew, a collective that promotes projects rooted in climate, racial, and gender justice with Indigenous youth from various nationalities across Ecuador. Through this space, she leads the annual WYMUN (Wallpay Youth Model United Nations on Climate Change) in Otavalo, a simulation that generates policy proposals to address the climate emergency from a community-based perspective.
Currently, she collaborates with Hakhu Amazonia, the Black Indigenous Liberation Movement (BILM), Yuturi Warmi, Napo Resiste, and Hakhu Amazon Design. She also contributes to the Indigenous Council of the Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature (GARN).
At the multilateral level, she has represented her community in key spaces such as the UN Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP) and the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. She has participated in climate negotiations at COP26, COP27, COP28, and will attend COP29, focusing on climate finance negotiations.
From 2024 to 2025, she is a scholar of the Latin American Youth Climate Scholarship (LAYCS), which enables her to attend high-level events such as the SB60 intersessional climate conference in Bonn, Germany.
Her work has been recognized by FORBES, Harvard University, and soon by VOGUE. She remains committed to building from the Indigenous root toward global change—from the territory to collective dignity.
Declaration for the Indigenous Council
It is public knowledge that, for many years now, the world has been going through a grave climate crisis. Those most responsible for this crisis are not assuming their political and human responsibility to deal with this problem. As a result, the harmonious balance between humanity and Mother Earth has been fractured, endangering the present and future of life on Earth. We, the Original Peoples and Nations, are deeply connected with the defense and preservation of nature; it is an essential part of our being. Throughout the years, we have warned the world about this systemic crisis and that we must recover our dignity and responsibility in the care of life. Indigenous Peoples own 32% of the global territory and 80% of the best conserved biodiversity on the planet, which represents a fundamental contribution to the struggle against the climate crisis.
On this occasion, thanks to the support of brothers and sisters who have the same conviction and concern for preserving our Mother Earth, and to our ancestors who have endured a tremendous struggle to maintain solutions to the current climate crisis we face., we have gathered a group of leaders of different nationalities, with representation in different countries, each with their own experience of struggle and a joint message to confront this global crisis.
This is how the Indigenous Council of the Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature was created, where we are strengthening as native peoples and nations so that our voice, and the voice of Mother Earth can be heard by the national States and the world.
As Indigenous Council we reaffirm that the self-determination of our peoples and territories, nature and all its beings be recognized and respected.
We demand a review of the economic policies of national governments, regional and local governments, in which different alternatives are sought, based on Buen vivir – living well and not the exploitation of the so-called natural resources within our territories and in the world. What modern society considers a natural resource we Indigenous Peoples consider sources of life.
We urge that the Rights of Nature and the Rights of Mother Earth be included in the constitutions of the countries, and be recognized by international bodies, such as the United Nations.
We are against false solutions to climate change and to this crisis proposed by governments. Financial and industrial interests do not allow for that change. We demand that nation states stop advancing in false solutions such as carbon trading, which is dominated by multinationals and hydrocarbon industries.
We believe that strict compliance must be given to the agreements and commitments adopted by governments to confront climate change. Therefore, we request a thorough evaluation of the use of resources for these agreements and demand a real commitment for those countries that are not complying with them.
We, as a collective of protectors, want to ensure that the sacredness of water is protected to include; springs, wetlands, oceans, rivers, ponds, aquifers and any body that contains water. For water is the essence of all life and life cannot function without clean water. In addition, we also want to ensure that the forests and land that provide our livelihoods are protected.
As nations and indigenous peoples, we will be vigilant that our voice is heard. We call on everyone to commit to defend, respect and protect our Mother Earth. The climate and ecological crisis does not affect only some, but it affects humanity and all life that is in peril. We call on the United Nations to declare a climate and global crisis.
We also call on brothers and sisters of indigenous peoples, from different parts of the world, to join this cause, to be part of this Indigenous Council, and to protect together Nature as a rights baring entity.
If you are an indigenous representative and want to promote and guarantee the Rights of Nature, become a member of the Indigenous Council of GARN here:
Es de conocimiento público que, desde hace muchos años, el mundo está atravesando una grave crisis climática. Los mayores responsables de esta crisis no están asumiendo su responsabilidad política y humana para tratar con ese problema. Por ello, se ha fracturado el equilibrio armónico entre la humanidad y la Madre Tierra, poniendo en peligro el presente y futuro de la vida en la tierra. Nosotros los Pueblos y Naciones Originarias estamos profundamente conectados con la defensa y preservación de la naturaleza; es parte esencial de nuestro ser. A través de los años, hemos advertido al mundo sobre esta crisis sistémica y civilizatoria, y que debemos recuperar nuestra dignidad y responsabilidad en el cuidado de la vida. Los Pueblos y Naciones Indígenas poseemos el 32% del territorio global y el 80% de los territorios con biodiversidad mejor conservada del Planeta, lo cual representa un aporte fundamental a la lucha contra la crisis climática.
En esta ocasión, gracias al apoyo de hermanos y hermanas que tienen la misma convicción y preocupación por preservar nuestra Madre Tierra, y a nuestros antepasados que han soportado una tremenda lucha para mantener las soluciones a la actual crisis climática a la que nos enfrentamos, nos hemos reunido un grupo de líderes y lideresas de distintas nacionalidades, con representación en distintos países, cada uno con su experiencia de lucha y un mensaje conjunto para enfrentar esta crisis global.
Así se creó la iniciativa del Consejo Indígena de la Alianza Global por los Derechos de la Naturaleza, donde estamos fortaleciéndonos como Pueblos y Naciones Indígenas para que nuestra voz y la de la Madre Tierra sea escuchada por los Estados nacionales y el mundo.
Como Consejo Indígena reafirmamos que se reconozca y se respete la libre determinación de nuestros pueblos y territorios, la naturaleza y todos sus seres.
Demandamos revisar las políticas económicas de los gobiernos nacionales, regionales y locales, en las cuales se busquen alternativas diferentes, basadas en el Buen Vivir y no en la explotación de los mal llamados recursos naturales dentro de nuestros territorios y en el mundo. Lo que la sociedad moderna considera un recurso natural nosotros los Pueblos Indígenas consideramos fuentes de vida.
Urgimos que los Derechos de la Naturaleza y los Derechos de la Madre Tierra estén incluidos dentro de las constituciones de los países y sean reconocidos por las instancias internacionales, como lo son las Naciones Unidas.
Estamos en contra de las falsas soluciones propuestas por los gobiernos ante el cambio climático y ante esta crisis. Sabemos que los intereses financieros e industriales no permiten ese cambio, sino que buscan mantener sus cómodos estilos de vida. Exigimos a los Estados nacionales no seguir con las falsas soluciones como el comercio de carbono, que está dominado por las multinacionales y las industrias de hidrocarburos.
Creemos que se debe dar un cumplimiento estricto a los acuerdos y compromisos adoptados por los gobiernos para enfrentar el cambio climático. Por eso solicitamos realizar una profunda evaluación del uso de recursos para dichos acuerdos y exigir un verdadero compromiso para los países que no lo estén cumpliendo.
Nosotros, como colectivo de protectores queremos asegurarnos de que el carácter sagrado del agua se proteja para incluir; manantiales, humedales, océanos, ríos, estanques, acuíferos y cualquier cuerpo que contenga agua. Ya que el agua es la esencia de toda la vida y la vida no puede funcionar sin agua limpia. Además, también queremos garantizar que los bosques y la tierra que nos proporcionan el sustento estén protegidos.
Como Naciones y Pueblos Indígenas estaremos en vigilia y exigimos que nuestra voz sea escuchada. Hacemos un llamado a todos al compromiso de defender, respetar y proteger a nuestra Madre Tierra. La crisis climática y ecológica no afecta solo a unos, si no que afecta a la humanidad y pone a la vida misma en peligro, llamamos a las Naciones Unidas a que declare una crisis climática y global.
También hacemos un llamado a hermanos y hermanas de pueblos indígenas, de distintas partes del mundo, a que se unan a esta causa, que sean parte de este Consejo Indígena, y protejamos juntos a la Naturaleza como sujeto de derechos.
Si eres un representante indígena y quieres promover y garantizar los Derechos de la Naturaleza, conviértete en miembro el Consejo Indígena de GARN aquí:
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