On Friday morning, plenary heard a report from Article 10(c) Contact Group Co-Chair Tone Solhaug (Norway), who noted remaining bracketed tasks on: reviewing national and sub-national policies to ensure protection and encouragement of customary sustainable use; and exploring the relationship between climate change and customary sustainable use. In the afternoon, the plenary adopted eight recommendations, with further text remaining bracketed for COP 11 consideration.

During the closing plenary, the African Group stressed the importance of ensuring equitable benefit-sharing from access to traditional knowledge. Brazil emphasized the importance of local communities’ participation in CBD processes. Canada praised the in-depth dialogue as an opportunity to discuss the communities’ contribution to the CBD objectives. The Maritime Aboriginal Peoples Council recommended the Bureau suggest a mechanism to standardize use of “indigenous peoples” and “free prior informed consent” under the CBD. The International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity underscored parties’ responsibilities to carry out their work on the premise of indigenous peoples’ rights. A local community representative highlighted the need for more action-oriented language on local communities. CBD Executive Secretariat Djoghlaf emphasized the special role of community representatives as Working Group Co-Chairs. Co-Chair Hoshino gaveled the meeting to a close at 5:03 pm.

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