The CBD's resource mobilization strategy and financial mechanism: a human rights approach

The Human Rights and Biodiversity Working Group (HRBWG) urges Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to adopt an inclusive and human rights-centred approach to its Resource Mobilisation Strategy and Financial Mechanism. 

The second resumed session of the CBD COP16 in Rome offers a crucial chance to address unresolved issues from COP16 in Cali, where limited observer participation and the dismissal of key proposals resulted in major shortfalls. These included limited integration of a Human Rights-Based Approach (HRBA) into the Resource Mobilisation Strategy itself, and a lack of clear, actionable guidance for the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to ensure its operations reflect the principles of equity, inclusivity, and accessibility. 

COP16.2 provides a critical opportunity to strengthen these documents by clarifying how a human rights-based approach – a crucial element of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) – applies to biodiversity finance, contributing to a successful and more equitable implementation of the GBF and the CBD as a whole.

This position paper sets out recommendations on how best this can be done to ensure that indigenous peoples and local communities are included in biodiversity finance. Read the paper in English, French and Spanish