Indigenous Declaration for Protecting Half of Earth

Page 1

OFTERRITORIAL

JOINTDECLARATION OF THEINDIGENOUS PEOPLESOF THE WORLDTO THE CBD

RECOGNIZEOUR RIGHTS: THE FIRST STEP INHEALINGOUR MOTHER EARTH

Indigenous Peoples and nationalities, on the occasion of the 23rd meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and TechnologicalAdvice ( SBSTTA ) of the Convention on BiologicalDiversity ( CBD) , to be held from November 25 to 29, 2019, on the occasionof Workshop on ProtectedAreas in the framework of the post- 2020 process conducted by the CBD, to be held between December 1 and 3 , both events in Montreal, DECLARE THAT:

1. A prosperous nature is fundamentalto life on Earth. The food we eat, the water we drink and the air we breathe are pillarsof human survival, which depend on a series of delicately balancedinteractions inthe natural world . But greed and profit addiction has put us in a crisis that has reached a scale that threatens everything. There is an extinction of species at a rate a thousand times higher than normal, where two thirds of wild animalpopulations could disappear in the course of our lives. As with climate change, there is growing concern about the possibilityof reaching dangerous inflection points, which would cause the collapse of key ecosystems and threaten human survival on the planet.

2. Intimes of crisis, we need appropriate answersfor the world but also for the rights of the peoples and communities that live on the lands. That is why we are concernedthat NGOs are advocating for the protectionof only 30% of land and aquifer areas. Indigenous territories easily exceed that 30% , but inproposingthis, NGOs ignore this fact and position themselvesas conservationmanagers, and de facto impose a status quo position regarding their functions as climate finance operators and their needto be submissive toward governments.

3. Withoutconsultingus andwithout listeningto our proposals, conservationelites continue to ignorethat indigenouspeoples have innovative and realistic experiencesfor the protectionof biodiversity, even omittingthe explicit recognitionofscientists from the IntergovernmentalPanel on Climate Change and the IntergovernmentalPlatformof Biodiversityand EcosystemServices, who this year have finally highlightedwith concrete data the contributionofour peoplesfor conservationandthe need to protect our rightsto guarantee climatestability andbiodiversity. 4. That is why we are lookingfor a simple solution: protect and allow the recovery of more than halfofthe planet in a naturalstate, with integral, functional and connected ecosystems, as well as manage all the land andoceansin a sustainableway, under the leadershipand active participationofindigenouspeoples, resultingin a planet where humanity and naturehave a chance, even as globaltemperaturesrise. Fiftypercent ofthe


COMMUNITIES Planet needs to be protected , which does not mean the creation of more government protected areas , but rather fully and formally recognize the rights and forms of governance of indigenous peoples over their territories . 5.50/ 50 is the kind of clear and ambitious goal that inspires the world to take concrete actions to save lifeon Earth. And the key to makingthis happenwill be an importantUN summitin China in 2020, inwhich governmentsmust set new globalgoals to protectthe planet, with commitmentsthat lead to actionandnot words. On the other hand, the other 50% must be managedsustainablyby the year 2030, consideringhumanneeds, if we want to meetthe goals ofthe Paris Agreementandthe SustainableDevelopmentGoals, everythingunderthat goal will be puregreen makeup.

Therefore , we INVITE the National States, the multilateral and bilateral organizations , the public and private institutions , the different expressions of faith , academia , and all those solidary person who identifies with our vision and mission of the world , to the following : 1. The governments of the world , together with indigenous peoples , must give birth to a new global agreement for nature, one that turns the crisis facing our natural world into one of the highest global priorities and makes it at the highest level by presidents and prime ministers , in the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity and forums.

2. This agreementshould call to protect andallow the recoveryof at least half of the planet andmanage allterritories and seas in a sustainable manner, with a clear objective of 30% of protected area by 2030, respecting indigenousrights and at least 20% of areas conservedby indigenouspeoples and localcommunities ( ICCAs) and other effective area-based conservation measures ( OECMs) by that date.

3. The agreementmust havethe active supportof indigenouspeoples. We cannot protectthe planetwithout traditionalknowledge, managementpractices and sustainablelivelihoodsfor those who live in or near conservationareas. Respect for the rights of indigenouspeoples and local communitiesis absolutelyessential andshould provide the baseline for any agreementin terms of conservationgoals. 4. This agreementmust also includefinancial andtechnical supportfor the world's poorest countries, which are also the ones that host to most of the biodiversity that remains on the planet, always puttingthe needs of indigenous peoples and local communities at the centre.

5. Likewise, the agreementshouldrequirethat each countrydevelop anAction Planfor Nature, a clear strategythat shows how it is expected to reduce the negative human impact on the environment, reduce carbonpollutionandprotectnature. These plans mustbe compatible with the SustainableDevelopmentGoals to eliminatepoverty, as well as with the objective of the Paris ClimateAgreementto keep global warming belowa


OFTERRITORIAL temperature rise of 1.5 degrees Celsius. And it must be the result of full local and national consultation with all actors, and especially with indigenous peoples and local communities. Finally , we REQUEST the States and other key actors (multilateral and bilateral organizations , public and private institutions, different expressions of faith , academia ) in the three Rio conventions : biodiversity , climate change and desertification , the following : 1. Secure Indigenousterritories: our territories continue to be attacked, and at regional level there is no clear progress in the titling of the territories. Governments must protect 100% of indigenousterritories, which does not mean the creation of more protected areas, but to grant indigenouspeoples the titles of territoriallaw and perform the physical and georeferenceddemarcation. It is time that we are fully included inthe key conservation discussions, respecting our rights.

2. Guaranteefree, prior and informedconsent; andthe cessationof criminalizationto our demands: our territories continue to be taken away, and our people continue to be killedfor standingup. The level of physical, psychologicaland symbolicviolence in our countries, whether inthe territories, in the mediaor in public discourse, has grownto alarminglevels. 3. Financialmobilizationfor conservationledby indigenouspeoples: Western science already recognizes us as the best solution against the climate crisis and the so -called “ sixth extinction ”. We are already prepared and we need mobilizationof funds administered by governments, the United Nations and the private sector to support us in our conservation strategies. 4. Organizationalstrengthening: we need to strengthen our own forms of organization, which implies technical and financial support, especially to empower our youth and women. To be effective, global policies against climate change must work with our organizations. Indigenouspeoples and localcommunities are the most effective in protecting the forest, protecting our rights is protectingthe environment and food security of our peoples. 5. Promotetraditional knowledge at the centre of conservation strategies: Our traditional knowledge and wisdom contribute to sustainability, as the scientific assemblies of the Intergovernmental Panelon Climate Change (IPCC) and the Intergovernmental Platform of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) have already recognized this year. Itis time that national states recognize our knowledge and that national scientific entities support us.


TERRITORIAL

SIGNINGORGANIZATIONS :

* COICA ( Coordinator of the Indigenous Organizations of the Amazon Basin) * COIAB ( Coordination of the Indigenous Organizations of the Brazilian Amazon Brazil) * CAI ( Indigenous Advisory Board, Argentina ) * CONAQ ( National Coordination Coordination of RuralBlack Communities

Quilombolas - Brazil ) * ORPIO ( Regional Organization of Indigenous Peoples of the Amazon -Perú) * ANTA ( National Association of Agricultural Workers in El Salvador ) * CIDOB ( Confederation of Indigenous Peoples of the East, Chaco and Amazonia of Bolivia * ORPIA ( Regional Organization of Indigenous Peoples of the Amazon - Venezuela ) * OPIAC ( National Organization of Indigenous Peoples ofthe Colombian Amazon * ( Organization of Indigenous Peoples of Suriname ) * APG ( Assembly of the Guaraní People of Bolivia ) * CNAMIB ( National Confederation of Indigenous Women of Bolivia ) * CONUMARI ( Organization of Peasant and Indigenous Women - Paraguay ) * APA ( Amerindian Peoples' Association - Guyana ) * ANC ( Coordinator of the National Peasant Articulation - Dominican Republic ) *

Aidesep ( Interethnic Association for the Development of the Peruvian Rainforest Perú) *FENCOA ( National Federation of Agricultural Cooperatives - Colombia ) * FFD ( Family Farm Defenders USA ) * IPACC ( Indigenous Peoples of Africa Co -ordinating Committee ) * ESAFF ( Eastern and Southern Africa Small Scale Farmers. Tanzania and Uganda ) * AMAF - BENIN ( Friends of Francophone Africa - Benin) * CAMV ( Support Center for Pygmy and Minority Vulnerable Indigenous Peoples Congo ) * CTOP ( Togolese Coordination of Farmers' Organizations and Agricultural Producers - Togo ) *

* * * * *

BED ( Brod Ecological Society , Croatia ) MAP -EPI ( Farmer Action Movement - Belgium ) Land Workers Alliance - UK DDS ( Deccan Development Society Women Sanghams , India ) FES ( Foundation for Ecological Security , India) CENESTA ( Centre for Sustainable Development and Environment - Iran)

*

Philippine ICCA Consortium ( Philippine Indigenous and Community Conserved Areas Consortium ) * ANGOC ( Asian NGO Coalition for Agrarian Reform and Rural Development member networks and partners work in 14 Asian countries ) * UAWC ( Union ofAgricultural Work Committees - Palestine ) * MONLAR ( Movement for Land and Agricultural Reform Sri Lanka ) * AMAN ( Indigenous Peoples Alliance of the Archipelago - Aliansi Masyarakat Adat Nusantara - Indonesia )


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.