Indigenous Peoples and local communities (IPs and LCs) are the environmental stewards of many of the world’s biodiversity hotspots and associated cultural heritage. Studies show that the territories and areas conserved by Indigenous Peoples and local communities (ICCAs) cover somewhere between 21 and 32 percent of global land, with 91 percent of them in “good and fair ecological condition,” and contain at least 36 percent of Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs).  

 With the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) at the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD COP15) in November 2022, biodiversity management strategies are increasingly recognizing and building upon the vital role of IPs and LCs in voluntarily conserving biodiversity outside of the framework of formal government-recognized protected areas (which account for 17 percent of global land).

As such, Phase 2 of the Global Support Initiative to territories and areas conserved by Indigenous Peoples and local communities (ICCA-GSI) was launched at CBD COP 15 to continue improving the recognition and overall effectiveness for biodiversity conservation, sustainable livelihoods and resilience to climate change effects of ICCAs. ICCA-GSI Phase 2 will focus on biodiversity conservation in relation to the role of ICCAs as part of GBF 2030 Targets, specifically on: 

• Target 3: conservation and protection of ecosystems and ensure that 30 percent of global land and sea areas are conserved/maintained by 2030;
• Target 21: biodiversity information and knowledge-sharing including the traditional knowledge, innovations, practices of IPs and LCs, and based on their free, prior and informed consent;
• Target 22: participation of IPs and LCs in decision-making related to biodiversity;
• Target 23: gender equality.

Additionally, it will focus on the role of IPs and LCs and nature-based solutions towards Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Paris Agreement.

 Phase 2 of the ICCA-GSI is implemented in 50 countries including Argentina, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, China, Colombia, DR Congo, Ecuador, Gabon, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, India, Indonesia, Iran, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Namibia, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Republic of Congo (Brazzaville), Senegal, South Africa, Suriname, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Uganda, and Vietnam.

Building on the Phase 1 of the ICCA-GSI, three distinct components, referred to as “Work Packages” continues in the Phase 2 to create a framework for systemic change at the local, national, and global levels.

Work Package 1 (Local level): Direct financial support to community-based action and demonstration on sound ICCA stewardship for the purposes of ecosystem protection, sustainable livelihoods and poverty reduction.

Work Package 2 (National level): Legal, Policy and other forms of support for ICCA recognition and conservation (including governance assessments of protected areas and landscapes).

Work Package 3 (Global level): Networking, knowledge production and exchange between national CSO initiatives at regional and global levels.

ICCA-GSI is a multi-partnership initiative that is delivered by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Small Grants Programme (SGP), which is implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). ICCA-GSI is funded by the Government of Germany, through its Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV). Key partners include the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD), the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Global Programme on Protected Areas (IUCN GPAP), the United Nations Environment Programme’s World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP WCMC), and the ICCA Consortium.