Land Rights for Better Conservation Outcomes

“Fortress conservation” —a model that creates protected areas by excluding communities, including Indigenous Peoples—is increasingly recognized as a major driver of conflict, displacement, and human rights violations. Although Indigenous Peoples occupy and manage around 20% of the world’s lands, their rights to lands, territories, resources, and self-governance—enshrined in international human rights law, including UNDRIP—are often ignored in conservation initiatives. Discriminatory conservation policies have resulted in massive displacements of many Indigenous communities from their lands and resources. They are also often denied of the sustainable livelihood and cultural practices essential to their identity, wellbeing, and survival.

This side event explores the critical intersection between the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) and the rights of Indigenous Peoples. As implementation moves from policy to action, this session present continuing experiences on how ‘fortress conservation’ still dominate national environment protection policies and thus fueling conflicts and criminalization of Indigenous Peoples defending their lands and territories.  It will also showcase evidence-based strategies for a rights-based, inclusive approach to conservation of biodiversity targets to prevent conflicts and strengthen genuine partnerships and collaboration with Indigenous Peoples ensuring that the protection of nature does not come at the expense of human rights.

Objectives:

• To identify challenges related to conservation-driven conflicts and impacts to Indigenous Peoples rights and wellbeing
• To discuss the shift from exclusionary to rights-based conservation approaches, prioritizing the recognition of Indigenous land rights and self-governance
• To share recommendations on how securing land rights leads to conflict prevention and partnerships for better conservation outcomes

Some Questions for discussion:

• What are the experiences of Indigenous Peoples in relation to conflicts due to conservation approaches by government and other entities and what are the impacts to IP rights and wellbeing including on Indigenous Women?
• How can we advance the implementation of the recognition of customary land rights under the GBF to prevent conflicts and ensure better outcomes of the 30X 30 targets?
• How can we build and strengthen partnerships and collaboration based on the respect and protection of Indigenous Peoples land rights and resource governance systems?

Proposed Format: Moderated Panel Discussion

(Assumed timing: 1hr and 15 mins) 

The session is a moderated panel discussion (4 speakers) with key questions to each panel member for them to respond for 3-5 minutes with two set of questions for each based on the key questions above. The  discussion will be followed by Q and A and interaction with the audience. 

Opening Remarks (5 mins): Moderator- IPRI 

Moderator will be IPRI with introduction of the session and speakers for 5 minutes

Suggested Speakers: 

• Moderated panel discussions (30 mins):  4 Speakers with 2 questions for each
• Interactive Discussion (20mins):  Q and A and interaction with audience
• Concluding remarks of each speaker- 1 minute each
• Closing Remarks & Call to Action (5 mins): Highlighting key policy recommendations for the UNPFII. 

Speakers: 

1. Edward Porokwa, PINGOS Forum, member of the UNPFII
2. Jennifer Corpuz, member of the UNPFII
3. Juan Carlos Alarcón, Plataforma Boliviana Frente al Cambio Climático
4. Joan Carling, Indigenous Peoples Rights International