Side Event

Recognizing and Supporting Territories and Areas Conserved by Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities

Organizer
ICCA Consortium, Union of Indigenous Nomadic Pastoralist Tribes of Iran, and Natural Justice: Lawyers for Communities and the Environment

Date and Time
2 November 2011 18:15 - 19:45

Meeting
Seventh meeting of the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on Article 8(j) and Related Provisions

Territories and areas conserved by Indigenous peoples and local communities (also known as ICCAs) are a phenomenon of global significance for the earth's biodiversity and ecosystem functions, cultural and linguistic diversity, and livelihood security. If properly recognized and supported, ICCAs could account for the conservation of as much land and natural resources around the world as those currently under government protected areas. Since 2003 and 2004, respectively, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the CBD Programme of Work on Protected Areas (PoWPA) have stressed the need to better understand and appropriately support ICCAs. CBD Decision X/31 also calls upon Parties to recognize the role of ICCAs in biodiversity conservation, collaborative management, and the diversification of protected area governance types. This event will review and compare experiences and lessons learned with the recognition and support of ICCAs in different contexts. It will also explore how CBD Parties, Indigenous peoples, local communities, civil society organizations, and others can promote appropriate legislation and policy to support ICCAs. Speakers will discuss the global phenomenon and significance of ICCAs; international recognition of ICCAs; recognition and support of ICCAs in different national contexts, with particular focus on legal frameworks; and the second phase of an associated global legal review.