Pyeongchang, Republic of Korea, October 5, 2014
 

The International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity would like to thank the Republic of Korea for their hospitality in allowing us to speak on their lands, and you, Mr Chair for this opportunity to address the members of the Conference of Parties.

We will hand in most of our comments to be reflected in the record, and will introduce our recommendations to the COP in detail in the appropriate working Group sessions. We would like to now indicate some of the priority issues we will address in this session.
 

1. Terminology on Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities:

The IIFB is pleased to see a draft decision changing the outdated terminology “indigenous and local communities” to the more legally correct term “indigenous peoples and local communities” that we have consistently demanded. We agree that the Convention should not be reopened for negotiation on terminology. However, with the adoption of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) in 2007 and numerous other related developments, the CBD should use “indigenous peoples and local communities” in its future decisions and secondary documents in order to clarify and interpret the terms used in Article 8(j) of the CBD.
 

2. Safeguards: We appreciate the increasing recognition of the role of traditional knowledge, innovations and practices in all relevant programs of work. We particularly welcome initiatives that promote partnerships between indigenous peoples and local communities and others, such as in collaborations with scientists in exchanges of knowledge. However, where-ever these are discussed, there need to be durable safeguards that effectively protect our rights to our genetic resources, biodiversity, traditional knowledge, innovations and practices. Guidelines need to be developed, with our full and effective participation, for free, prior and informed consent. These should include a balanced assessment of both potential risks and benefits involved in programs, activities and knowledge exchanges. Mechanisms such as safeguard information systems being developed under REDD+ schemes should be put into place to monitor compliance.
 

3. Biopiracy and Synthetic Biology

Biopiracy of indigenous peoples' traditional knowledge and genetic resources continues. The Nagoya Protocol and tasks 7, 10 and 12 of the Article 8(j) Working Group seek to solve this, but biopiracy cannot be effectively addressed without recognition of indigenous peoples' customary laws as part of a strong compliance regime, and full respect for the right to give or withhold consent. Synthetic biology, a new and emerging issue, exponentially increases the risk of biopiracy and has largely unknown environmental, social, cultural, and health impacts. We support a precautionary approach and call for a ban on the use of synthetic biology and any releases of its products.

4. Participation, women, and youth: We are thankful for continual improvement in the recognition of indigenous peoples' and local communities' participation in the CBD. We wish to work with parties to improve this throughout the text, and include a standard reference to our participation where it has been omitted, such as in Item 27 on the Sustainable Use of Biodiversity. We also look for standard reference to the role of women and youth where-ever it is appropriate, and measures to enhance their participation in the development and implementation of COP decisions.

5. Financing: We have a continuing concern with financing our participation in the development and implementation of programs of work. Our lands, waters and territories are necessary for the achievement of the Aichi Targets and the aims of the Convention. This will not be achieved without sufficient financing for our full and effective participation at all levels, and in all stages of decision making, development, planning, implementation, management. Financing mechanisms should take women and youth into special consideration and ensure their participation.
 

6. Traditional livelihoods of indigenous peoples are based on sustainable use of biodiversity, therefore indigenous peoples and traditional knowledge should be seen as valuable assets for integrating biodiversity to the post-2015 United Nations Development Agenda and the sustainable development goals. IIFB encourages to support the development of traditional livelihoods of indigenous peoples, in order to support sustainable development and reduce poverty.

Thank you, Mr. Chair

Submitted for the record:
 

Agenda Items 11, 12 14: Strategic Plan for Biodiversity

We would like to thank the secretariat for preparing the fourth edition of the Global Biodiversity Outlook. GBO4 provides a general updated picture of the progress towards the 20 Aichi Biodiversity Targets. While there has been progress in achieving some of the targets, it is clear that many targets won’t be reached by 2020 unless major changes in approach take place as soon as possible.

At the same time, an increasing number of independent studies and research reports are pointing out that exceptionally high rates of biodiversity are found in areas that have historically been inhabited and managed by indigenous peoples and local communities, pointing to evidence of overlap between biodiversity ‘hotspots’ and indigenous territories in various regions in the world. The holistic and integrated management systems of indigenous peoples and local communities - which relate very closely with the Ecosystem Approach of the CBD - contribute to many Aichi targets that aspire to achieve sustainable use and conservation of ecosystems and species, and mitigate climate change effects.

The role of IPLCs in the CBD therefore goes much beyond Target 18 on traditional knowledge and customary sustainable use; rather, indigenous knowledge and customary practices are a centrally important and cross-cutting theme that can potentially have a major positive effect in terms of implementation of (nearly) all of the 20 targets.
 

We would therefore like to recommend that, in order to stand a better chance of achieving the 20 targets of the Strategic Plan, the role of IPLCs in biodiversity sustainable use and conservation should be fully recognised and supported, and their full and effective participation should be ensured in the future steps of the implementation of the Aichi targets, including the revision and updating of the NBSAPs, setting targets and indicators at the national and local level, implementation on the ground, and in the production of national reports.
 

Agenda Item 12: Mid-Term Review of Progress Towards the Goals of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020, & the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, & Further Actions to Enhance Progress
 

We would like to thank the secretariat for preparing the fourth edition of the Global Biodiversity Outlook. While there has been progress in achieving some of the targets, it is clear that many targets won’t be reached by 2020 unless major changes in approach take place as soon as possible. We highlight that GBO4 identifies that Target 18 has been poorly reported in national reports and that traditional knowledge continues to decline as indicated by the loss of linguistic diversity and large scale displacement of indigenous and local communities.
 

At the same time, an increasing number of independent studies and research reports are pointing out that exceptionally high rates of biodiversity are found in areas that have historically been inhabited and managed by indigenous peoples and local communities, pointing to evidence of overlaps between biodiversity ‘hotspots’ and indigenous territories in various regions in the world. The holistic and integrated management systems of indigenous peoples and local communities contributes to many Aichi targets that aspire to achieve sustainable use and conservation of biodiversity.
 

The role of IPLCs in the CBD therefore goes much beyond Target 18 on traditional knowledge and customary sustainable use; rather, indigenous knowledge and customary practices are a centrally important and cross-cutting theme that can potentially have a major positive effect in terms of implementation of (nearly) all of the 20 targets.

We would therefore like to recommend that, in order to stand a better chance of achieving the 20 targets of the Strategic Plan, the role of IPLCs in biodiversity sustainable use and conservation should be fully recognised and supported, and our full and effective participation should be ensured in the future steps of the implementation of the Aichi targets.

And we would like to make the following recommendations for changes to the draft decision:
 

That the IIFB are invited to assist in the analysis of the GBO4 by the Executive Secretary with the aim of proposing ways to enhance guidelines for future national reports; and

That in the SBSTTA review of the main implications of key findings of GBO4, in particular the targets where there is insufficient progress, including Target 18, that the IIFB Working Group on Indicators be invited to assist the Ad Hoc Technical Group on Indicators ; and
 

The full and effective participation of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities in setting national targets with corresponding indicators & monitoring mechanisms to be aligned with the Strategic Plan ; and
 

That the key actions regarding Goal E on Participatory planning, knowledge management & capacity building include the use of the prior approved Traditional Knowledge Indicators; and

That in considering the Key Scientific & Technical Needs related to the Implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 in regards to Traditional Knowledge, that better ways to include traditional knowledge systems and the collective actions of IPLCs is acknowledged as expert knowledge system which may be complemented by scientific knowledge or which may complement scientific knowledge;

Agenda Item 15. Financial mechanism

Under the item 15, GEF is the main body for financial mechanisms focuses on national policies and targets. We noticed the lack of inclusion of indigenous and local community.

The financial mechanism GEF with indigenous peoples is encouraging for collaboration to protect environment and sustainable use. The financial mechanism should increase more effectiveness to support indigenous and local community organizations to achieve the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020.

We encourage the financial mechanism and state parties to ensure meaning participation of indigenous and local peoples organizations. To recognize and respect the contribution of indigenous and local communities in respect UNDRIP, CBD, ILO 169 and more flexibility the financial mechanism.

As reference
 

1. GEF guideline: The full and effective participation of Indigenous Peoples should be sought in the identification, development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of all relevant project activities. Responsibility for assuring public involvement rests within the country, normally with the government, project executing agency or agencies, with the support of GEF Partner Agencies. GEF-financed projects should, as appropriate, address the social, cultural and economic needs of Indigenous Peoples affected by GEF-financed projects.

2. Related to the GEF financial mechanism the IIFB appreciate the GEF’s decision in having Indigenous Peoples as part of its Advisory Group that will support and ensure the participation of ILCs in GEF’s activities and grants at national level. The IIFB would like to recommend GEF the inclusion of ILCs participation in the GEF meetings with the correspondent funding and translation and the friendly reception of ILCs request for funding. Moreover the IIFB would like to continue the process of capacity building for ILCs with necessary funding and with the inclusion of Indigenous women, youth and elders. For the IIFB the creation of scholarships for undergraduate and graduate ILCs students is critical in areas such as biology, environmental lawyers, and scientists with an intercultural frame.

Agenda Item 23. Global Strategy for Plant Conservation

IIFB I would like to note the special role of indigenous peoples and local communities in the conservation of plant biodiversity in many regions of the conservation of biodiversity depends on the use of traditional methods of sustainable resource management. Therefore, we would like to acknowledge the need for the use of traditional knowledge for the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation, especially for target 9 and 13, and also to remind the Parties that the conservation of biodiversity is the basis of food security and a vital part of efforts to ensure the eradication of poverty. We call upon the Parties to support the proposal of some countries, and announce the next year - the Year of Biodiversity in Poverty Alleviation.

Agenda Item 25. Biodiversity and climate change

Indigenous peoples and local communities have been and are the stewards of the forest and remaining biodiversity in the world, but they are also the most vulnerable and the first victims of climate change.

- The lands, waters and territories of indigenous peoples present multiple environmental services that are of great value in climate change mitigation and adaptation, but also central to our culture, identity, spirituality and bien vivir, or living well and in harmony with nature. Because of these multiple values, the work program on biodiversity and climate change should not only be seen from the perspective of efforts to avoid deforestation and degradation of forests and much less limited to carbon markets. All biodiversity, climate change related policies, strategies, plans, programmes should respect and recognize the collective rights of indigenous peoples to forest, lands, territories and resources in line with international standards and instruments such as UNDRIP and ILO 169, the Akwe: kon Voluntary Guidelines, biocultural community protocols and other relevant mechanisms. These should all be in line with the objectives of the CBD and Aichi target 18.

- The national biodiversity monitoring and safeguard information systems, should be done with full and effective participation of indigenous peoples and local communities. There should be a harmonization of decisions between and among UN bodies, conventions and mechanisms (such UNFCCC, CBD, etc.) related to these systems.

- We welcome the Warsaw Framework for REDD plus, agreed at the 19th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in 2013, and the methodological guidance on the implementation of REDD+ activities that it provides. REDD+ activities should be subject to the Full and Effective participation of indigenous peoples and local communities, their free, prior and Informed Consent and mutually agreed terms on equal and benefit sharing.

- The financing mechanisms relating climate change must help indigenous peoples to play their key role in climate change and biodiversity related policies and programs. As such, we insist on the presence of indigenous peoples representatives in the financial decision- making process related to biodiversity and climate change and on the elaboration of national and international-level programs such as the GCF and other financing mechanisms.

- Biodiversity plays a key role in climate change mitigation and adaptation. As such, we demand to the UNFCCC and CBD to organize workshops for the strengthening of capacities of indigenous peoples on climate change mitigation and adaptation in relation to ecosystem and biodiversity in order to fulfill the Aichi targets.
 

Agenda Item 26. Ecosystem Conservation and Restoration

IIFB welcomes that the recognition of the extricable and inherent link between biodiversity, poverty eradication and sustainable development. We need improved recognition of the importance of the conservation of biodiversity in our lands, waters and territories to the achievement of Aichi Biodiversity Targets 11, 13, 14, 16 and 18 through such mechanisms as indigenous and local community conserved areas (ICCAs). It is vitally important for the achievement of these targets to conserve and restore ecosystems for the benefit of ILCs and their livelihoods.
 

Agenda Item 27. Sustainable Use of Biodiversity: Bushmeat and Sustainable Wildlife Management

We welcome the decision XI/25 of the parties and support the establishment of Collaborative Partnership on Sustainable Wildlife Management (CPW) and the International Partnership of the Satoyama initiative. We request the parties to give a specific reference to Indigenous and local communities in the recommendation of the decision as having standing membership in the partnership and an ongoing role in sustainable wildlife management.

We encourage participation by indigenous and local communities in the Collaborative Partnership on Sustainable Wildlife Management( CPW) and invite donors to contribute to the implementation of the of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 in order to ensure our effective participation.

Gender
 

We salute the proposed Gender Plan of Action and in particular welcome the substantive inclusion of indigenous women throughout the document. However, we believe that case studies should include indigenous women perspectives and call for the development of gender-based biocultural indicators. We also call attention to the fact that all over the world indigenous women continue to suffer from environmental violence through various forms, including the forced relocation by transnational companies and the expansion of extractive industries and militarisation of our lands, amongst others, such violence is impacting on women and children and on biodiversity and traditional knowledge.
 

Indigenous Youth

With each meeting, we sadly note the reduction in the number of indigenous youth who have the opportunity to participate in these key decision-making meetings. The IIFB reminds parties of decision XI/8 B, acknowledging the importance of youth participation in decision- making processes at all levels, and we wish financial support that would make this possible. Indigenous peoples are the custodians of biodiversity, and their future depends on transferred of all of their traditional knowledge, experience and practices to youth, a critical link in the unbroken chain of our ways of life and being.