A series of events were organized by the ICCA-GSI at the 16th meeting of Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity Conference (CBD COP 16) which took place in Cali, Colombia in October 2024.
On 25 October 2024, the side event Increasing direct financial support to Indigenous Peoples and local communities’ territories and areas (ICCAs) for biodiversity conservation and human well-being was hosted by the UNDP-implemented GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP) and its ICCA-GSI partners to review the progress of the ICCA-GSI.
Ms. Inka Gnittke, COP16 Lead Negotiator from BMUV, opened the two-session event as the keynote speaker. She highlighted the crucial role that Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPs and LCs) play in biodiversity conservation and the significance of expanding financial and governance support for ICCAs through multi-actor partnerships.
In the first session, a variety of case studies was presented to showcase successful ICCA governance models, highlighting diversity, challenges, and opportunities for scaling up recognition and support. These were presented by ICCA Consortium members from different regions including on (i) Community-led governance initiatives contributing to biodiversity conservation by Joseph Itongwa, ICCA Consortium member (Democratic Republic of Congo); (ii) Innovative approaches to self-documentation and monitoring using participatory technologies by Luis Guillermo Izquierdo, ICCA Consortium President (Colombia); and ICCA responses to the socio-economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic by Ms. Femi Pinto, ICCA Consortium member, NTFP Exchange (Philippines) and Mr. James Mema, IMPACT NGO (Kenya).
The Global Support Initiative to territories and areas conserved by Indigenous Peoples and local communities: COVID-19 Response Initiative publication was also launched, and project examples were presented by Ms. Ana Beatriz Barona, SGP National Coordinator (Colombia) and Ms. Beatriz Schmitt, SGP National Coordinator (Panama).
In the 2nd session, a multi-stakeholder panel discussed the challenges and opportunities of supporting ICCAs in achieving Global Biodiversity Framework Targets 3, 21, 22 and 23, and how partnerships and financial mechanisms can advance IPs and LCs-led conservation. These discussions included (i) Financial mechanisms for IPs and LCs from the Global Environment Facility by Ms. Kristen Walker, Conservation International; (ii) Conservation policy expert on integrating ICCA, human rights, and gender approaches into National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans by Ms. Amelia Arreguin, Mexico, CBD Women’s Caucus; and How data and technology can strengthen recognition and documentation of ICCAs by Ms. Reina Otsuka, Digital lead, UNDP Nature Hub.
In another side event Localisation and learning in the landscape, lessons learned were presented from the SGP landscape and seascape approach, including partnerships established between civil society networks, UN agencies, and national governments to support ICCAs and socio-ecological production landscapes and seascapes at regional and global levels. The side event launched a new publication Territories of Life: Exploring vitality of governance for conserved and protected areas by Grazia Borrini-Feyerabend, developed with support from the ICCA GSI.