Indigenous peoples and local communities are the best guardians of biodiversity – Indigenous caucus at the UN Biodiversity Conference 2018

 

“Indigenous peoples and local communities embody humanity’s creative intelligence and wisdom in our care and love for Mother Earth. We are on the frontlines to protect the world's remaining biodiversity, and many of our leaders have been killed defending human rights and the environment.”

 

This was the key closing message of the of the caucus* of indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs) participating in the UN Biodiversity conference, held in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, 17-29 November 2018. The Biodiversity Conference combined the 14th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP14), the highest governing body of the Convention, as well as the 9th meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (COPMOP9) and the 3rd meeting of the Parties to the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing (COPMOP3).

Indigenous peoples and local communities make up just 5% of the world’s population but contribute to protecting nearly 80% of the world’s biological diversity, making them the world’s best chances of protecting our planet. Yet, many of their practices, initiatives and collective actions are not recognised or supported, representing a major lost opportunity to achieve the CBD’s objective. Indeed, some communities are actively removed from their lands in misguided efforts to ‘conserve biodiversity’.

 

“With our traditional knowledge and practices, we have contributed and continue to contribute to the objectives of the convention. Indigenous women, in particular, are key holders, practitioners and transmitters of knowledge, and indigenous youth are the future citizens who take care of our planet. It is critical to support their visibility and participation in the entire CBD process.”

 

Even more critical than participation in CBD processes, is recognition, support and participation in national and local policy and practice related to biodiversity and sustainable development. The caucus reiterated that “for IPLC participation to be mainstreamed, we need to be able to make and follow up on our proposals in all modalities of CBD processes.” Beyond the CBD, IPLCs’ collective action, recognition, and support at local and national level is key.