TAG: GS 3: ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT
THE CONTEXT: Until recently, global conservation efforts predominantly focused on “protected areas” (PA) and “other effective area-based conservation measures” (OECM), largely overlooking indigenous territories’ contributions to ecosystem preservation.
EXPLANATION:
- However, recognizing the intrinsic value of these territories, there has been a shift towards incorporating indigenous lands into conservation discussions.
- The protection of Indigenous Peoples’ territories is crucial for biodiversity conservation and meeting global targets, yet progress in this area has been sluggish.
- As discussions unfold at the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, it becomes evident that despite increasing recognition, indigenous territories are not being safeguarded at the necessary pace.
Implications for Biodiversity Conservation
- The failure to protect indigenous territories poses a significant obstacle to achieving targets outlined in international frameworks such as the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
- Target 3 of this framework, aiming for 30% protection of land and water by 2030, may be jeopardized without adequate safeguarding of indigenous lands.’
- Indigenous territories, comprising 22% of the Earth’s land surface, harbor 80% of the remaining global biodiversity, emphasizing the urgent need for their protection.
Challenges and Slow Progress
- Despite growing recognition, progress in recognizing and titling indigenous territories has been slow.
- Initiatives such as Brazil’s proposal to protect 80% of the Amazon by 2025 face considerable challenges in implementation.
- Reports indicate that between 2021-2023, only a fraction of indigenous territories were formally recognized, with most being expansions of already recognized areas rather than new designations.
- This slow pace falls short of the urgent need to protect these critical areas.
Urgency and Call for Action
- As environmental crises like droughts and forest fires intensify, there is a pressing need for accelerated action to protect indigenous territories.
- There has been emphasis on the urgency of addressing these challenges and urge global forums like the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues to integrate ambitious protection goals into their agendas.
- Calls for a Global Pact for the protection of the Amazon underscore the gravity of the situation and the need for coordinated, international action.
Financial Implications
- Despite the vital role indigenous peoples play in land protection, they receive less than 1% of climate finance, highlighting systemic disparities in funding allocation.
- The lack of recognition of indigenous territories’ conservation contributions in climate finance mechanisms underscores the need for policy reforms to ensure equitable distribution of resources.
United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII):
- The Permanent Forum is an advisory body to the Economic and Social Council established by resolution 2000/22 on 28 July 2000.
- The Forum has the mandate to discuss indigenous issues related to economic and social development, culture, the environment, education, health and human rights.
- The first meeting of the Permanent Forum was held in May 2002, with yearly sessions thereafter.
- It is one of three UN bodies that is mandated to deal specifically with indigenous peoples’ issues.
- The others are the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoplesand the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of indigenous peoples.
According to its mandate, the Permanent Forum will:
- provide expert advice and recommendations on indigenous issues to the Council, as well as to programmes, funds and agencies of the United Nations, through ECOSOC;
- raise awareness and promote the integration and coordination of activities related to indigenous issues within the UN system;
- prepare and disseminate information on indigenous issues The Permanent Forum holds annual two-week sessions.