Canada

Sustainable Livelihoods in Canada's Arctic

The Canadian management system for polar bear was first put in place in the 1960s in recognition of the Indigenous right to harvest wildlife, and to ensure that populations of polar bear across the Canadian Arctric remained viable.

In a region where the cost of living is extremely high and economic prospects are scarce, polar bear hunting is a source of nutritious food and an opportunity to generate income and undertake traditional cultural practices.

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Watch below the Arctic Council's video about promoting traditional ways of life in the Arctic.

Promoting the Traditional Ways of Life of Arctic Indigenous Peoples - English from Arctic Council on Vimeo.

Cook Islands

Access and benefit-sharing in the Koutu Nui community

Dr Graham Matheson, a medical researcher brought up in the Cook Islands, had long observed the traditional use of native plants for medical and therapeutic applications. In 2003, his research on medical and therapeutic remedies based on plant extracts and associated traditional knowledge led to the establishment of CIMTECH, a company which incorporates the Koutu Nui indigenous community as a shareholder. A benefit-sharing agreement was also reached with the Koutu Nui under mutually agreed terms. After the launch of a skincare line derived from genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge from the Cook Islands, tangible benefits are being channelled to the Koutu Nui community, including improved livelihood security for the staff employed at the laboratory and processing facility in Rarotonga.