The Mongabay podcast episode features Nonette Royo, a lawyer from the Philippines and Executive Director of The Tenure Facility, an organization of so-called “barefoot lawyers” working to secure land tenure rights for Indigenous, local, and Afro-descendant communities worldwide. To date, the initiative has mobilized more than $150 million in funding and helped communities secure legal land rights over approximately 34 million hectares through 35 projects—an area larger than Greece.

Recorded at the COP30 climate summit in Belém, Brazil, the conversation highlights why legal recognition of customary land rights is critical not only for cultural survival but also for biodiversity conservation and climate resilience. Royo discusses the role of community-led legal strategies, distinguishes between individual and collective tenure systems, and underscores the importance of mapping and verification processes grounded in community consent.

The podcast also touches on broader commitments made during COP30—such as a pledge by multiple governments to recognize 160 million hectares of Indigenous and local community lands alongside significant financial pledges for land tenure. It concludes with reflections on future directions, including enhanced implementation pathways and access to climate finance for Indigenous-led land governance.