IPLCs

Highlights for Wednesday, 20 November 2019 From L-R: CBD Deputy Executive Secretary David Cooper; Working Group Chair Hamdallah Zedan, Egypt; and John Scott, CBD Secretariat Delegates to the 11th meeting of the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on Article 8(j) and Related Provisions of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) met throughout the day to hear opening and regional statements, address organizational matters, conduct the in-depth dialogue on the contributions of indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs) to the post-2020 global biodiversity framework, assess progress towards Aichi Target 18, and discuss the links between nature and culture in the post-2020 framework. In the opening plenary, Mohawk elder Charlie Patton, Kahnawake, welcomed participants onto Mohawk territory and noted the need to “work of one mind to help heal our Mother Earth.” Elizabeth Mrema, CBD Secretariat Officer-in-Charge, emphasized that no wisdom can be left out, and that traditional knowledge transferred between generations is key to understanding nature. Inger Andersen, UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Executive Director, underscored that IPLCs have been deploying the solutions that “we need to rediscover to secure a sustainable future,” and stressed that environmental defenders, who work to protect nature, often pay for their efforts with their lives. Working Group Co-Chair Hamdallah Zedan (Egypt), for the COP Presidency, emphasized the need to be ambitious, inclusive, and optimistic. Regional groups, indigenous peoples’ organizations, and civil society organizations emphasized the importance of full and effective participation of IPLCs in the work of the Convention and the development of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework. Seven IPLC representatives were designated as “Friends of the Bureau,” representing the geo-cultural regions recognized by the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII), and Lakpa Nuri Sherpa (Asia) was designated as Working Group Co-Chair. Plenary then addressed an in-depth dialogue on the contribution of cultural diversity and the traditional knowledge, innovations, and practices of IPLCs to the post-2020 global biodiversity framework. Panelists highlighted the importance of: IPLCs’ inclusion in policy and decision-making; an international alliance for nature and culture; and nature-culture indicators. Delegates and participants were introduced to the concept of "ili", the place where one is born, including its natural, cultural, and spiritual identity. In the afternoon, the Working Group unpacked almost all of the items on its agenda. Delegates and participants reviewed progress towards Aichi Target 18 (traditional knowledge); deliberated on the role of IPLCs in the development and implementation of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework; and exchanged ideas for possible elements of work aiming at reintegration of nature and culture in the post-2020 global biodiversity framework. Regarding possible institutional arrangements, some parties recommended that a permanent subsidiary body on aspects relating to IPLCs be created, while others suggested delaying relevant decisions until the content of the new programme of work is finalized.For more details on the day’s negotiations and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin.  IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) meeting coverage, provided daily web coverage, daily reports, and a summary and analysis report from SBSTTA 23 and WG8J 11. Photos by IISD/ENB | Mike Muzurakis For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Working Group Chair Hamdallah Zedan, Egypt Inger Andersen, Executive Director, UN Environment Programme (UNEP) John Scott, CBD Secretariat, with CBD Deputy Executive Secretary David Cooper Vinod Mathur, Rapporteur Elizabeth Mrema, Officer-in-Charge, CBD Tiina Sanila-Aikio, Finland Lucy Mulenkei, Indigenous Information Network Charlie Patton, Mohawk Elder Phepsile Maseko, Traditional Healers Organisation, South Africa John Scott, CBD Secretariat Joaqin Salzberg, Argentina Moustafa Fouda, Egypt Josefa Cariño Tauli, Global Youth Biodiversity Network (GYBN) Marina von Weissenberg, Finland Alejandra Loría Martínez, Costa Rica Tim Badman, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Belal Alhayek, Syrian Arab Republic Charlotta Von Troil, EU Aslak Holmberg, Saami Council June Batang-ay and Dibara Sharipova, Tebtebba Foundation Raed Bani-Hani, Jordan Gillian Dunuan, Philippines Gunn-Britt Retter, Saami Council Around the Venue

Highlights for Thursday, 29 August 2019 Representatives from civil society at the end of a peaceful demonstration about nature and people protection versus corporate interest. The first meeting of the Working Group on Post-2020 resumed discussions on Thursday, tackling the future work programme of the Working Group and allocation of tasks to other intersessional bodies and processes. Delegates called for inter alia: a balanced approach in thematic intersessional consultations; ensuring draft text is available ahead of the second meeting of the Working Group; and involvement of the UN Environment Management Group to ensure inputs from all multilateral environmental agreements. During the lunch break, delegates attended an information session focused on strategic planning. Nick Salafsky, Foundations of Success, presented the second of a two-part series on developing a shared strategic planning framework. He led participants in an interactive exercise on developing Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Result-Oriented, and Time-limited (SMART) targets, using, among other principles, the theory of change.In the afternoon and evening, a discussion group co-chaired by Charlotta Sörqvist (Sweden) and Dilosharvo Dustov (Tajikistan) met to discuss a non-paper prepared by the discussion group co-chairs on a possible structure of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework (GBF). Delegates deliberated on the components of, and relationships between, the rationale, the preamble, the 2050 Vision, the 2030 mission, a possible apex goal and milestones, and goals, targets, sub-targets and indicators. Discussions focused on central questions to the structure, including, inter alia: whether the 2030 mission should express an action to be taken or a status of biodiversity to be achieved by 2030; how to express the 2030 mission in a simple manner while ensuring a balanced representation of all three pillars of the Convention; how to formulate SMART goals, indicators and targets; how to ensure that levers of transformative change are specified within the scope of the GBF; and whether an apex goal would benefit or hinder effective implementation of the GBF. With only one day left of the meeting, delegates continued to push towards a tangible outcome. One delegate remarked that we want to leave with clear guidance on the “post-2020 outcome we want” to enable us to return for the second meeting with more substance than a “to do list.” Some delegates were already eager to produce and negotiate text, and urged for ensuring that the second meeting will be furnished with comprehensive preparative documents. Many called for intersessional consultations that go beyond the subsidiary bodies of the convention, the Bureau and the Secretariat. The discussion group, some delegates noted, allowed for unpacking of details of the GBF’s scope and structure. Noting how much time was taken on targets, one delegate remarked that, “the apex target is becoming a distraction,” and that there should be more focus on implementation, which is indeed where we failed with the Aichi Biodiversity Targets. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, provided daily web coverage from the 1st Meeting of the Open-ended Working Group on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. In addition, IISD Reporting Services has published a summary and analysis report which is now available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Diego Noguera For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Hlobsile Sikhosana, eSwatini Working Group Co-Chair Basile van Havre, Canada Marina von Weissenberg, Anne Theo Seinen, and Stefan Leiner, EU Takafumi Osawa, Japan Sonia Peña Moreno, and Jane Smart, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) L-R: Amy Fraenkel, Acting Executive Secretary of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), and Tita Korvenoja and Diane Klaimi, UNEP María Rivera, Ramsar Convention, and Katia Karousakis, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Cicilia Githaiga, Women Ken Paul, Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs) Abdulghani A.M. Al-Bokwali, Yemen Kevin Lunzalu, Global Youth Biodiversity Network Kenya Amy Fraenkel, Acting CMS Executive Secretary Barbara Lassen, Natural Justice Diagana Mallé, Mauritania Jyoti Mathur-Filipp, CBD Secretariat Malte Timpte, Institute for Biodiversity Network (IBN) Óscar Guevara, WWF Colombia Yemisi Fawibe, Nigeria Lactitia Tshitwamulomoni, South Africa Delegates continued work during the afternoon and evening on the potential elements and scope of the framework. Nick Salafsky, Foundations of Success, during the lunch event on Strategic Planning Frameworks - Part II Participants engage in an activity to develop a SMART target Delegates from the Arab region meet at lunch time L-R: Neville Ash, Director, UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC); Aria St. Louis, Grenada; and Alfred Oteng-Yeboah, Ghana, share a laugh at the end of the morning session Evening informal consultations Members of the 30X30 Ocean Alliance meet outside plenary (L-R) Alfred DeGemmis, Wildlife Conservation Society; Justin Kenney, 30X30 Ocean Alliance; Masha Kalinina, Pew Charitable Trusts; Lina Barrera, Conservation International; and Michael Degnan, Campaign for Nature L-R: Brian O’Donnell and Raina Thiele, Campaign for Nature, and Holly Jonas, ICCA Consortium Civil society asked parties “Who do you listen to: Nature & people or corporate interest?”

Highlights for Wednesday, 28 August 2019 The global civic movement AVAAZ delivers Letters for Life on Earth to world leaders who are called upon to champion a new global deal for nature that protects half the earth, and uses the other half sustainably. More than 2.8 million citizens support this petition. Read all 10 books. The first meeting of the Working Group on Post-2020 resumed discussions on the elements of the structure and scope of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework (GBF) on Wednesday.Delegates completed discussions on clusters two, three and four on: enabling conditions and means of implementation for the GBF, including resource mobilization, financial mechanisms, capacity-building, technical and scientific cooperation and technology transfer, knowledge management, and communication; planning and accountability modalities, mechanisms and tools, including National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans (NBSAPs); national reports, the review process, and voluntary contributions; and cross-cutting approaches and issues, including mainstreaming, synergies, partnerships, Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs), gender and youth. During lunch delegates attended an information session on scientific evidence for informing the design of the framework. Presentations included: Ana María Hernández, Chair of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), who outlined key IPBES statistics on the impacts of direct drivers of biodiversity loss, and noted the scientific evidence that will be provided by the upcoming IPBES assessments on transformative change and the nexus of biodiversity, water, food and health. Jian Liu, UN Environment Programme (UNEP), who outlined key findings illustrating biodiversity as a “hidden crisis”. He presented scientific evidence showing that pollution, climate change and biodiversity are the three major interlinked challenges to meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), concluding that with the approaching tipping points, transformational change is long overdue. Irene Hoffmann, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, who outlined scientific evidence on multiple interacting drivers of change affecting biodiversity for food and agriculture, and proposed four areas for action, including, among others: addressing knowledge and data gaps; supporting emerging biodiversity-friendly management practices; and improving cross-sectoral collaboration. Andreas Benjamin Schei, Norwegian Environment Agency, summarized the outputs of the ninth Trondheim Conference on Biodiversity. He highlighted participants’ focus on the urgent need for, inter alia: mainstreaming biodiversity; ecosystem restoration; capturing a variety of ways of understanding nature; increased coherence in implementing the Rio Conventions at the national level; and the ability to track post-2020 implementation. In the evening, a discussion group chaired by Charlotta Sörqvist (Sweden) and Dilosharvo Dustov (Tajikistan) met to reach a common understanding on the structure and scope of the outcome-oriented elements: vision, mission, goals and targets. Delegates also attended an information session on Nature-Based Solutions and the Climate Action Summit.With such a short week to complete discussions, day two saw in-depth and focused interventions on the potential elements on structure and scope of the GBF. Delegates started wondering whether the outcome of this first meeting will provide an adequately developed foundation for subsequent meetings, and eventually enable a GBF worthy for adoption at the 2020 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP 15). Plenary discussions reflected a strong sense that implementation should be a key focus. Indeed, there were many echoing voices emphasizing that if we do not address financial arrangements and enabling conditions, we will be setting ourselves up for failure. It would mean, stressed several delegates, that we have not learned from our mistakes in the context of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets. Familiar debates emerged regarding the balance between ambition and feasibility. One delegate cautioned against, “biting off more than we can swallow,” while another participant said, “with the approaching global tipping points, transformational change is needed yesterday.” IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, provided daily web coverage from the 1st Meeting of the Open-ended Working Group on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. In addition, IISD Reporting Services has published a summary and analysis report which is now available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Diego Noguera For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page The dais during the morning session Niklaus Wagner, Switzerland Georgina Catacora-Vargas, Bolivia Aurélie Taylor Patience Dingom and Prudence Tangham Galega, Cameroon Daniel Wai-Poi, New Zealand Daniel Wepukhulu, Kenya Byoung-Yoon Lee and Yuri Kim, Republic of Korea Carlos Manuel Alomía, Ecuador Elizabeth Taylor Jay, Colombia Delegates during Wednesday’s proceedings Maria Luisa Angélica del Río Mispireta, Peru, and Santiago Bertoni, Paraguay Georgina Chandler, Birdlife International María Rivera, Ramsar Convention, and Katia Karousakis, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Brooke Hynes, Australia Linda Krueger, The Nature Conservancy Marta Eugenia Juárez Ruiz, Costa Rica Jeanne N’Tain, Côte d’Ivoire Eder Peña, Venezuela Rita Uwaka, Friends of the Earth Nigeria Iván Vejar Pardo, Chile Resiato Salyan, Women Amielle DeWan (left), National Geographic Fellow, facilitated the lunch session on Recent Assessments IPBES Chair Ana María Hernández Irene Hoffmann, UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) L-R: Joji Cariño, Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP); Aslak Holmberg, Saami Council; and Lakpa Nuri Sherpa, AIPP Maria (Masha) Kalinina, the Pew Charitable Trusts, and Marina Antonopoulou, WWF Delegates at informal meetings outside the plenary room The South African delegation Representatives from Civil Society during a break L-R: Óscar Soria, Avaaz; Hesiquio Benítez Díaz, Mexico; and Laura Rico, Avaaz