The FPP team at the Convention on Biological Diversity Conference of Parties

Nature is being destroyed all over the world. This issue is currently problematised as the destruction of biodiversity. States have started to work together to prevent this in 1992 by signing the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Rio, Brasil. They have been meeting every two years ever since. The 10th Conference of parties (COP) starts today in Nagoya, Japan, to review the global strategy to halt biodiversity loss for the next decade. This is an incredibly complex and technical process with a 195 pages draft decision that will be negotiated for two weeks.

This is a crucial moment in the making of policies that affect indigenous peoples, their territories and nature. Indigenous peoples heavily rely on nature and biodiversity for their livelihoods, spirituality and transmission of knowledge. Furthermore, the CBD catalyses large amounts of funds to conservation organizations, which often harm the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities such as their rights to lands and resources.

To address this, the International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity (IIFB) is engaging in the COP on behalf of indigenous peoples. It works to ensure that the rights of indigenous peoples are respected and their role in the sustainable use and conservation of biodiversity is recognised and supported. Some of this will be through public statements in plenary meetings and much of it will be through discussion and lobbying of state representatives backstage.

The FPP team is composed of indigenous peoples from Bangladesh, Thailand, Uganda, Panama, Cameroon, Suriname and three people from Italy, France and Netherlands. We have come to Nagoya to promote the rights of indigenous peoples worldwide with the IIFB.

As the conference develops, this blog will provide you with a peek at the backstage of the conference, topical updates and perspectives. Stay tuned!