The Importance of Indigenous Leadership in Protecting Biodiversity

After many delays due to the pandemic, final negotiations on the UN Convention on Biological Diversity are happening this year in Kunming, China, and preparations for it just ended in Geneva, so we are pleased to speak with Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations & Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity, Elizabeth Mrema, about the outcomes in Switzerland, why the world failed to meet the previous Aichi Biodiversity Targets, and how COP15 can provide a roadmap to actually halting biodiversity loss and safeguarding nature.

Because the roles and rights of Indigenous communities are widely agreed to be key to its success, we also speak with Jennifer Tauli Corpuz, a member of the Indigenous Caucus at the Convention on Biological Diversity and senior global policy and advocacy lead for Nia Tero.

Jennifer provides the Indigenous perspective on what’s currently in the draft biodiversity framework, what changes are needed to better support Indigenous land rights, and the overall importance of Indigenous leadership toward preserving Earth’s biodiversity.

Related reading:

• Reaching the Paris Agreement without protecting Indigenous lands is ‘impossible’, says report
• Indigenous land rights take center stage in a new global framework for biodiversity conservation
• Climate efforts won’t succeed without secure community rights, says Nonette Royo
• Momentum is building for a ‘robust’ biodiversity framework: Q&A with Elizabeth Mrema

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Episode artwork: Red-eyed tree frog. Photo Credit: Rhett A. Butler/Mongabay.

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