This chapter explores the dangers of oversimplifying complex indigenous relationships into single statistics, emphasizing the need for genuine connections to appreciate their ecological knowledge. It highlights the inadequacies of quantifying biodiversity solely through numbers, advocating for a broader understanding that respects traditional ecological insights.
The often repeated claim that "80% of the world's biodiversity is found in the territories of Indigenous Peoples" appears widely in policy documents and reports, yet appears to have sprung out of nowhere. According to a group of researchers, including those from Indigenous groups, this baseless statistic could be undermining the conservation efforts of the Indigenous People it's meant to support and prevent further work to really understand how best to conserve biodiversity.
Two of the authors joined us to discuss how this statistic gained traction, the harm it could cause, and how better to support the work of Indigenous Peoples.
Read more in a Comment article from the authors: No basis for claim that 80% of biodiversity is found in Indigenous territories
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