Indigenous people ask G8 for climate talk inclusion

By Yoko Kubota

SAPPORO, Japan (Reuters) - Indigenous communities from around the world urged G8 rich nations on Friday to help them participate in global climate change talks, saying they contributed least to but are most affected by global warming.

Clad in colorful traditional robes, 26 representatives from countries including the United States, Canada, and Japan, along with some 400 students, activists, and academics, met on Japan's northern island of Hokkaido.

The island is the venue of the July 7-9 Group of Eight summit and home to the indigenous Ainu ethnic group.

At the meeting, members of indigenous communities blamed the market-oriented economic model of the G8 nations as the main cause for climate change, a food crisis, and high oil prices. These are issues high on the discussion agenda at the G8 summit.

"As we all know, the G8 is composed of the most powerful and richest governments in the world. The G8 is the one which makes decisions ... that have direct impact on us," said Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, Chair of the U.N. Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.

"As far as I am concerned ... we have seen that many of these problems are actually caused by the G8 themselves," added Tauli-Corpuz, also a representative of the Igorot people of the Philippines.

A declaration issued at the meeting's end said the G8 leaders should pave the way for indigenous people to be included in global climate change talks led by the United Nations.

"Indigenous peoples need to be included in all levels of climate change negotiations, because they are the most affected, but also because they have the most to contribute," said Ben Powless, a Mohawk from Canada.