Indigenous Peoples’ and Local Communities’ Collective Contributions to Biodiversity Conservation Through ICCAS and the Community Conservation Resilience Initiative

3 Nov 2015
TUESDAY, 3 NOVEMBER, 18:15 - 19:45, LEVEL 3, ROOM 7B:

We hereby would like to invite all who will be in Montreal for the CBD meetings next week to an inspiring side event on the collective contributions of indigenous peoples and local communities to the implementation of the Strategic Plan of the Biodiversity Convention, and the most appropriate ways to strengthen the resilience of such contributions.

Territories and areas conserved by indigenous peoples and local communities (ICCAs) are gaining increasing recognition for their multiple values and significant contributions to biodiversity conservation and restoration, including in several recent CBD Decisions (e.g. XI/14, XI/24, XI/25, XII/3, XII/5, XII/12 and XII/19). The German Ministry of the Environment (BMUB), UNDP GEF-SGP, the ICCA Consortium, IUCN and UNEP-WCMC are jointly implementing the ICCA Global Support Initiative (GSI), the main goal of which is to foster the appropriate recognition of, and support to, ICCAs and the promotion of their effectiveness via enhanced capacities in at least 26 countries.

Complementary to the global ICCA movement and GSI is the Community Conservation Resilience Initiative (CCRI), which aims to sustain and strengthen the resilience of community conservation practices in light of internal and external threats. At least 60 communities in 20 countries will be involved in the CCRI over the next four years, with the support of the German Government’s International Climate Initiative as well as SwedBio, The Christensen Fund and Siemenpuu Foundation.

This side event will pay particular attention to agenda items 3 (Strategic Plan) and 4.3 (forest biodiversity). It will include: a) an overview of the Global ICCA Support Initiative and regional and national efforts currently underway; b) presentation of the preliminary findings of the CCRI and outcomes of the global conference on “Fostering Community Conservation”, held in Durban, South Africa, from 31 August to 4 September 2015; and c) highlighting of the gaps in GBO-4 concerning ICCAs and other community conservation initiatives and how community documentation and monitoring of biodiversity can contribute to broader assessments and inform government and donor priorities for conservation. Invited speakers include members of the ICCA Consortium and Global Forest Coalition (including representatives of Indigenous Peoples’ Organisations), the Secretariat to the CBD, the German Ministry of the Environment, and GEF-SGP.