E/2008/43 E/C.19/2008/13 examples of the kind of partnership that will become increasingly important. These mechanisms must respond to the needs of indigenous peoples and include them as partners in designing and implementing programmes that are responsive to local problems and to the goals and visions of indigenous women and men. 9. Scientists, policymakers and the international community as a whole should undertake regular consultations with indigenous peoples so that their studies and decisions will be informed by indigenous peoples’ traditional knowledge and experiences. The Permanent Forum can play a role in ensuring that the traditional knowledge and best practices of indigenous peoples relevant to fighting climate change and its impacts will be considered in the negotiation processes leading to the Copenhagen Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and beyond, including through discussions with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. 10. The principles of common but differentiated responsibilities, equity, social justice and sustainable development and development with identity should remain the key principles underpinning the negotiations, policies and programmes on climate change. The human rights-based approach to development and the ecosystem approach should guide the design and implementation of local, national, regional and global climate policies and projects. The crucial role of indigenous women and indigenous youth in developing mitigation and adaptation measures should also be ensured. 11. The Permanent Forum recommends that the international community take serious measures to mitigate climate change. The survival of the traditional ways of life of indigenous peoples depends in large part on the success of international negotiations in developing strong, enforceable agreements that will truly be effective in combating climate change. The Permanent Forum concurs with a major conclusion of the Stern report that strong and immediate measures to curb greenhouse gas emissions now will be less costly than attempting to adapt to the widespread changes that unchecked climate change will cause in the future. 12. The Permanent Forum notes the following reports and declarations: (a) Report of the Conference on Indigenous Peoples and Climate Change, held in Copenhagen on 21 and 22 February 2008, organized by the International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA); (b) Report of the North America Region Preparatory Group Meeting for the seventh session of the Permanent Forum, held in Vancouver, Canada, on 22 and 23 February 2008, and hosted by the First Nations Summit; (c) Declaration of the Latin America Region Preparatory Meeting for the seventh session of the Permanent Forum, held in La Paz on 17 March 2008, hosted by Fondo Indígena; (d) Declaration on Climate Change of the Latin America Region Preparatory Meeting for the seventh session of the Permanent Forum, held in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, on 3 and 4 April 2008, hosted by IWGIA and Centro de Estudios Jurídicos e Investigación Social. 13. The Permanent Forum welcomes the report of the United Nations international expert meeting on indigenous peoples and climate change, held in Darwin, Australia, organized by the United Nations University, the secretariat of the 08-33882 3