As original stewards of our lands and waters, First Nations are uniquely positioned to lead efforts to protect, conserve, and sustainably manage the environment and its resources. The AFN has been participating in international climate negotiations for the past several years including the Conference of the Parties for the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity. First Nations is leading the way toward realizing the Government of Canada’s ambitious Nature Agenda of protecting 25% of lands and waters by 2025 and 30% by 2030 through the establishment of Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs) and Guardian programs.