Adopt ‘traditional knowledge’ indicators for monitoring global biodiversity framework: Amnesty International

Proposals for monitoring a landmark global agreement on biodiversity risk undermining the rights of Indigenous Peoples and other affected communities, according to human rights group Amnesty International. These plans to monitor the worldwide biodiversity should be changed to uphold and protect human rights, it said in a statement. 

The proposed framework is designed to track progress towards the Global Biodiversity Framework, a conservation agreement that aims to protect 30 per cent of the world’s natural habitats by 2030. Amnesty International has raised concerns that these plans may not sufficiently assess whether the rights of Indigenous Peoples and other original inhabitants are being protected.

Discussions on the proposed monitoring framework, including the indicators to be used for assessment, are set to take place in Nairobi, Kenya, on May 11, 2024.

The monitoring framework as proposed fails to adequately protect the rights of Indigenous Peoples, nor does it recognise the essential and unique role these communities play in preserving biodiversity, Chris Chapman, Amnesty International’s Advisor on Indigenous Rights, said in a press statement. 

“This raises the risk of facilitating ‘fortress conservation’ methods where original inhabitants, who are often Indigenous Peoples, are forcibly evicted from protected areas,” Chapman said.

The Global Biodiversity Framework, signed in 2022, acknowledged that the lands and territories of Indigenous Peoples and local communities should be recognised as a distinct category of conservation area. 

However, the current monitoring framework fails to differentiate these areas from state-operated conservation projects. Amnesty International has demanded that this be corrected during the discussions in Nairobi.

Indigenous Peoples and local communities have proposed four ‘traditional knowledge’ indicators be added to the monitoring framework. These indicators are designed to assess the well-being of these communities, evaluate how states are protecting their land rights and measure their involvement in decision-making processes, according to Chapman.

Chapman emphasised that the selected monitoring indicators reflect unique character of Indigenous lands and the crucial contribution Indigenous Peoples make towards conservation.

“Studies have shown that Indigenous communities are the most successful guardians of the natural environment, with about 80 per cent of remaining global biodiversity found on the lands of Indigenous Peoples,” he added.