Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Update: Outcomes of recent meetings

Following up on our previous E-news article that looked ahead to the 8th meeting of the CBD Working Group on Article 8(j) and Related Provisions (WG8(j)-8) and the 17th meeting of the CBD’s Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA-17) held in October 2013 in Montreal, Canada, we now provide a brief update on some main outcomes of relevance and importance to indigenous peoples.

The full outcomes of WG8(j) can be read in the final meeting report, UNEP/CBD/COP/12/5, which contains six recommendations to the 12th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the CBD (COP12). 

All SBSTTA-17 (outcome) documents, statements and presentations are temporarily available as in-session documents, and can be found here.

Indigenous participants pleased with the good progress made in agreeing on first phase of a draft action plan on customary sustainable use of biodiversity

WG8(j)-8 agreed on the first phase of a plan of action to promote and support customary practices of indigenous peoples that are relevant for sustainable use and conservation of biodiversity. This first phase focuses on three tasks: incorporation of this issue in national CBD implementation plans; support for and collaboration with community-based initiatives that focus on customary sustainable use; and to identify and operationalise best practices on customary sustainable use and protected areas (related to Free, Prior and Informed Consent and establishment, governance and management of protected areas). The agreed actions are designed to be very straightforward and indigenous participants at the meeting called on the Parties to start implementing these actions right away. They also agreed  to be fully committed to carrying out the first phase of this plan in good collaboration and partnership with Parties and others.

Read more in the final meeting report, UNEP/CBD/COP/12/5, Recommendation 8/2

 

Parties reach compromise agreement to do more research before deciding whether or not to start using the term ‘indigenous peoples’ in the future work of the Convention

In our previous edition of the E-Newsletter we announced that WG8(j)-8 was going to discuss the potential update of the CBD terminology from ‘indigenous and local communities’ to ‘indigenous peoples and local communities’. While 98% of the Parties at the meeting were in favour of using ‘peoples’, in line with the Rio+20 outcome document and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) (amongst others), a small number of countries still expressed reservations. As the Convention still works on a consensus basis, a compromise had to be reached, which was the decision to commission a study on the legal and practical implications of the use of ‘peoples’ in the convention, based on which a final decision will be made by COP12. Obviously indigenous participants to the meeting felt discouraged about this compromise, a sentiment which was shared by the many Parties in favour of updating the terminology right away.

Read more in UNEP/CBD/COP/12/5, Recommendation 8/6. 

Parties warmly welcome initiatives on community-based monitoring 

There was a lot of appreciation and support from Parties at WG8(j)-8 for the work done by the newly emerging network of indigenous peoples and local communities who are generating relevant local-level data and information about ecosystems and community well-being through community-based monitoring and information systems (CBMIS). This information complements data and global statistics about the state of biodiversity and the progress in implementation of the CBD Strategic Plan at (sub)national levels being generated by Parties, agencies and others. This was an important acknowledgement and support for indigenous peoples and local communities involved in this work, and generally for the increased acceptance and valuation of traditional knowledge in global assessments on biodiversity, climate change and human well-being. 

Read more in UNEP/CBD/COP/12/5, Recommendation 8/1.

Indigenous peoples disappointed with experiences at SBSTTA-17

For the 17th meeting of the SBSTTA the CBD Secretariat experimented with a new format, composed of panel discussions during the first three days, in a plenary setting, without any draft recommendations. These were developed at a later stage in 'friends of the chair' evening meetings. The final, general recommendations were discussed during the last two days.  Because of this unusual set-up, indigenous and local community participants had problems fully engaging in discussions and providing meaningful input. In their closing statement, the International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity (IIFB) said that “this SBSTTA has left us having to present at the end of the session with a one minute intervention, being advised that our longer intervention would be posted on the website rather than considered in session, and being excluded from other discussions. (…) Much has been accomplished over the past several years for the more equitable inclusion of indigenous peoples and local communities in biodiversity work.  We do not want to see this undone or dismissed. (..)  Unless improved, this process is not the definition of full and effective participation of indigenous peoples and local communities, and we are not convinced that this format will assist in successfully achieving the Aichi Biodiversity Targets”.

Read the full closing statement of the IIFB here.