Protecting the Rights of Indigenous Peoples – Promoting the Sustainability of the Global Environment?

One predominant presumption in the present international legal discourse is that indigenous peoples, when allowed to participate, can make a valuable contribution to the sustainability of the global environment due to their traditional knowledge and practices relating to the environment. The aim of this article is to discuss whether and under which conditions the legal recognition of the special rights of indigenous peoples in relation to the environment can be seen as promoting the protection of the planet Earth.