MEDIA STATEMENT
Protecting Our Land and Ocean Relies on Rights for Indigenous Peoples
The release of the United Nations Local Biodiversity Outlooks 2 outlines critical role of Indigenous and local communities in safeguarding biodiversity
Washington D.C., September 23, 2020 - A complement to the fifth edition of the Global Biodiversity Outlook, the second Local Biodiversity Outlooks assesses the views and contributions of Indigenous and Local Communities (IPLCs) to the conservation of biodiversity, finding their their vital role has been “disregarded,” to date, marking a “missed opportunity” as the world seeks to address the dual challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss.
The report argues that IPLCs are critical partners in protecting biodiversity, and that because the majority of the world’s most biodiverse areas are found within their ancestral lands, securing their rights to land would secure biodiversity.
The report is published by the Forest Peoples Programme in collaboration with the Centres of Distinction on Indigenous and Local Knowledge, Indigenous Women’s Biodiversity Network, International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity, and Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity.
In response to the virtual launch of the report today, Campaign for Nature, issued the following statements:
Brain O’Donnell, Director of the Campaign for Nature
“The Local Biodiversity Outlooks serves as an important reminder that much of the world’s biodiversity is located on the lands of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities, and that a growing body of research has highlighted the key role of IPLCs in protecting this biodiversity. The report’s authors provide a powerful argument for the critical need to uphold and respect land rights for IPLCs.”
“The Campaign for Nature believes that not only is it a moral imperative to recognize the rights of Indigenous Peoples, it is also essential to achieving the world’s biodiversity goals. We can only achieve the goal of at least 30% protection of land and oceans by 2030 with the leadership of Indigenous Peoples and with full respect of Indigenous People’s rights.”
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The Campaign for Nature works with scientists, Indigenous Peoples, and a growing coalition of over 100 conservation organizations around the world who are calling on policymakers to commit to clear and ambitious targets to be agreed upon at the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in Kunming, China in 2021 to protect at least 30 percent of the planet by 2030 and working with Indigenous leaders to ensure full respect for Indigenous rights.
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Kirsten Weymouth
National Geographic Society
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