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COP15: Indigenous people hail historic biodiversity deal

The urgency of the environmental crisis does not end with the signing of the framework, said IIFB…reports Vishal Gulati

Following two weeks of often tense negotiations of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), in Montreal, Canada, the International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity (IIFB) praised the text for its “strong language on respect for the rights of indigenous people and local communities”.

In a statement to the closing plenary of the meeting on Monday, the IIFB said: “The IIFB celebrates the timely recognition of indigenous people and local communities’ contributions, roles, rights and responsibilities to mother earth in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF).”

“We have spoken and you have heard us, let us now put those words into action.”

“Let us move swiftly towards implementation, build meaningful partnerships, and ensure adequate and direct access of indigenous people and local communities to resources to ensure that we achieve the ambition set out in this framework.”

Speaking on the final day of the meeting, Co-Chair of the IIFB, Lucy Mulenkei from Kenya, said, “Indigenous people and local communities are happy that finally we are here. With most of the recommendations that we had submitted and negotiated already reflected. We leave Montreal happy and ready for the implementation journey. We are glad we never gave up even when times were tough.”

“We still have a journey, a journey that indigenous people and local communities have always taken. We will move forward to ensure the implementation of the GBF is a success,” she added.

The urgency of the environmental crisis does not end with the signing of the framework, said IIFB.

“We must work quickly and efficiently for its implementation,” said Lakpa Nuri Sherpa, IIFB Co-Chair from Nepal, delivering the IIFB’s closing statement.

“From the depths of our territories, our ancestors and authorities are urging serious actions to protect our mother earth and all life, together with us,” he added.

“The voices of indigenous people are the voice of nature,” said Viacheslav Shadrin, Chief of the Yukagir Indigenous People from Russian Arctic.

“It’s historic. It’s a moment to celebrate,” said Jennifer Tauli Corpuz, an IIFB representative from the Kankana-ey Igorot People of Mountain Province in the Philippines.

Viviana Figueroa, from the Omaguaca-Kolla people in Argentina, speaking on behalf of IIFB, said “they are recognising that indigenous people can also make contributions to biodiversity conservation”.

“For us, it’s a major shift — they are recognising this important role that was invisible,” she added.

She particularly welcomed the inclusion of indigenous rights into Target 3 on protecting one- third of the world’s ocean and land territory (the ’30×30′ target).

The Kunming-Montreal GBF recognises the integrity and distinct nature of the lands, territories and resources of indigenous people and local communities, and their full and equitable participation in decision-making towards implementing the framework.

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Countries adopt historic deal at COP15

The deal pledges to secure 30% of the planet as a protected zone by 2030 and to stump up $30 billion in yearly conservation aid for the developing world…reports Asian Lite News

Countries approved a historic deal to reverse decades of environmental destruction threatening the world’s species and ecosystems at a marathon UN biodiversity summit early Monday. The chair of the COP15 nature summit, Chinese Environment Minister Huang Runqiu, declared the deal adopted at a late-night plenary session in Montreal and struck his gavel, sparking loud applause from assembled delegates.

In doing so he overruled an objection from the Democratic Republic of Congo, which had refused to back the text, demanding greater funding for developing countries as part of the accord.

After four years of fraught negotiations, more than 190 other states rallied behind the Chinese-brokered accord aimed at saving the lands, oceans, and species from pollution, degradation and the climate crisis.

The deal pledges to secure 30 percent of the planet as a protected zone by 2030 and to stump up $30 billion in yearly conservation aid for the developing world.

Environmentalists have compared the accord to the landmark plan to limit global warming to 1.5C under the Paris agreement, though some earlier warned that it did not go far enough.

Brian O’Donnell of the Campaign for Nature called it “the largest land and ocean conservation commitment in history.”

“The international community has come together for a landmark global biodiversity agreement that provides some hope that the crisis facing nature is starting to get the attention it deserves,” he said.

“Moose, sea turtles, parrots, rhinos, rare ferns and ancient trees, butterflies, rays, and dolphins are among the million species that will see a significantly improved outlook for their survival and abundance if this agreement is implemented effectively.”

Marco Lambertini, head of the Worldwide Fund for Nature, said ahead of the approval sessions: “It is the equivalent to 1.5C in climate and vital to catalyzing action toward a nature-positive world and holding everyone accountable.”

“However, there still remain several loopholes, weak language, and timelines around actions that aren’t commensurate with the scale of the nature crisis we’re all witnessing, and importantly may not add up to achieve this shared global goal.”

Aid boost

The text calls on wealthy countries to increase financial aid to the developing world to $20 billion annually by 2025, rising to $30 billion per year by 2030, while ensuring 30 percent of land and sea areas are effectively conserved and managed by the end of this decade.

It pledges to safeguard the rights of Indigenous people as stewards of their lands, a key demand of campaigners.

But it pulled punches in other areas — for example, only encouraging businesses to report their biodiversity impacts rather than mandating them to do so.

The 23 targets in the accord also include cutting environmentally destructive farming subsidies, reducing the risk from pesticides, and tackling invasive species.

Funding dispute

At times, the talks looked at the risk of collapsing as countries squabbled over money. The issue of how much money the rich countries will send to the developing world, home to most of the planet’s biodiversity, was the biggest sticking point.

Developing countries, spearheaded by Brazil, had been seeking the creation of a new fund to signal the Global North’s commitment to the cause. But the draft text instead suggested a compromise: creating a fund within an existing mechanism, called the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

Brazilian delegate Braulio Dias, speaking on behalf of the incoming government of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, had called for “better resource mobilization” — technical speak for more aid to developing countries, a concern echoed by the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Current financial flows for nature to the developing world are estimated at around $10 billion per year.

Beyond the moral implications, there is the question of self-interest: $44 trillion of economic value generation — more than half the world’s total GDP — depends on nature and its services.

The United States is not a signatory to the biodiversity convention due to resistance from Republican senators. US President Joe Biden supports the deal and launched his own “30 by 30” plan domestically, while the United States pays into the GEF to assist developing countries.

China chaired the conference but it was held in Canada because of China’s strict Covid rules.

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Aid boost

Funding dispute

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