Press release from the International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity.

No other UN environmental process has a dedicated, permanent space for Indigenous Peoples and local communities. The newly-approved Subsidiary Body on Article 8j recognizes the vital contributions of Traditional Knowledge to the success of the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), and will be led by the Indigenous Caucus. 

November 1, Cali, Colombia. – After two weeks of tense negotiations, the International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity (IIFB) is celebrating the approval of one of their key demands at this COP: the creation of a Permanent Subsidiary Body on Article 8j (SB8j).

“We Indigenous Peoples and local communities are making history. For the first time a UN environmental agreement adopted and established a permanent Subsidiary Body for Indigenous Peoples and local communities on traditional knowledge. This is a huge progress for us because the Convention is a legally binding instrument for parties,” says Viviana Figueroa, from IIFB. 

“Indigenous peoples and local communities around the world are celebrating because we will have a space where we can develop a new international law to protect, to promote and conserve this important traditional knowledge, not only for us, but for future generations as well,” she says.

This new body will be a space for Indigenous Peoples and local communities to work together with Parties and other organizations to apply and promote our traditional knowledge in the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. 

“This is a watershed moment in the history of multilateral environmental agreements. The establishment of the Permanent Subsidiary Body on Article 8(j) will provide a high level platform to further highlight the contributions of IPs and LCs to protection of the planet and share learnings. We would have wanted the modus operandi of SB8J to be adopted at this meeting, but we are committed to working on the modus operandi at the first meeting of SB8J, and ensuring that the new work program on Article 8j advances without delay,” said Jeniffer Corpuz, from IIFB.

As stewards of nature, Indigenous Peoples and local communities have been caring for and protecting the biodiversity on our lands since time immemorial. Studies have shown that biodiversity is declining less rapidly on our lands, and to achieve the CBD goal of living in harmony with nature, governments need to listen to, and work with, the communities who are already living in peace with the natural world.

“We are very excited. This is definitely a step forward in the recognition of the rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities. It is also a recognition of our knowledge and how it contributes to biodiversity conservation”, says Adamu Adija of the IIFB. 

“What happened in that room it’s just going to resonate around the world”, added John Locke.

One of the main challenges of the KMGBF is ensuring that its policies are implemented on the ground. The IIFB believes that SB8j will support the protection and progress of Indigenous Peoples and local community rights, both at the international level, but also, crucially, at the national one. 

Issues related to Article 8j on Traditional Knowledge have been addressed in the Ad-Hoc Working Group on 8j (WG8j), which, despite being created as a temporary body, has existed for over 20 years. The continued existence of the WG8j – and now the creation of a permanent one – shows that the knowledge and practices of Indigenous Peoples and local communities are, and will continue to be, a key part of biodiversity conservation. 

This is a historic win for the IIFB, who have been engaging in the CBD for over two decades. In that time, they have advanced their rights and promoted their traditional practices in biodiversity conservation, and this tireless work has culminated in the creation of a permanent space for them to continue their work.

“Under the leadership of the COP16 Presidency, all CBD Parties have truly made COP16 a “People’s COP,” heeding the voices of those on the frontlines who nurture and protect the planet’s last remaining biodiverse regions,” concluded Lakpa Nuri Sherpa, Co-chair of the IIFB.

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Photo courtesy of IIFB.