- The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the implementation of the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework calls for a ‘whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach’ incorporating the rights, knowledge, contributions, and values of Indigenous Peoples and local communities, women and girls, and ‘all actors of society’. To ensure this, there must be effective implementation of Targets 22 and 23.
- Target 22 has concrete commitments and language relating to representation and participation, access to justice, rights over lands, territories and resources, respecting cultures and traditional knowledge and the full protection of environmental human rights defenders. However, since its adoption there has been confusion at the national level on implementing a human rights-based approach, especially in the context of biodiversity action, which has led to some push back. There are multiple challenges in achieving this target, but the biggest one to overcome is the need for cross sectoral work. The engagement, willingness and accountability across multiple government departments outside of the environment ministries to make legal and political change will be necessary – which can be difficult to achieve and manage. A further challenge lies in its monitoring, with no agreed and clear method of measuring progress existing for governments. Significant work, both within and outside of the formal CBD process will be needed to utilise existing data and plug the gaps. Target 22 requires action from all, which presents a challenge but also an opportunity, within which collaboration and partnership will be fundamental.
- Target 23 has concrete commitments and language relating to gender equality in the implementation of the framework, recognising equal rights and access to lands and resources for women and girls, as well as participation and leadership on biodiversity for women and girls. It is also complemented by a Gender Plan of Action, which sets out concrete outcomes and example actions for implementation, including the appointing of gender and biodiversity national focal points. However, there remains confusion, gaps and challenges in implementation at the national level. These include a lack of willingness at local and political levels and misunderstanding on empowerment of groups and a view of competing rights; and lack of human resources, technical support and skills gaps; knowledge gaps and data gaps and the lack of information sharing; the framing of women as vulnerable and victims rather than partners and co-investors; and the disconnect between biodiversity and gender issues and wider economics and development.
- Based on the discussions the group have drafted several principles, directed at all actors, to scale up inclusive, gender-responsive, locally led biodiversity action. They draw on the Principles for Locally Led Adaptation[1], developed under the auspices of the Global Commission on Adaptation, and on the Shandia Principles[2] developed by the Global Alliance of Territorial Communities. They are intended to provide a guiding framework to help governments, donors, NGOs and others support and scale up transformative action to conserve, restore and sustainably use and manage biodiversity in ways that are locally-led, gender-responsive – in line with the CBD Gender Plan of Action – and inclusive of a wide diversity of often marginalised stakeholders including women, youth, children, disabled people, displaced people, Indigenous Peoples and other marginalised ethnic groups and local communities. Evidence shows that these approaches are, ultimately, more effective for biodiversity as well as being more socially just.
- Recommendations and Principles are annexed to this report.
[1] Principles for locally led adaptation | International Institute for Environment and Development (iied.org)