116 Ingrid Hall
various exchanges and negotiations; this allows us to state that these positions
do not reflect a nature regime specific to IPLCs, but instead relate to positions
developed in specific contexts according to other non-indigenous actors.
The Spaces for IPLCs’ Exercise of Ontological Diplomacy
The analysis presented here basically concerns three meetings that took place in
the following order: the First Global Thematic Dialogue for Indigenous Peoples
and Local Communities, the 11th Meeting of WG8j, and the 23rd Meeting of
the SBSTTA. Each of these meetings has particular characteristics, especially
as regards the participation of IPLCs, which decreases in degree from the first
meeting to the last. In addition, there is continuity across the three events. The
recommendations from the Global Thematic Dialogue feed into the reflections
of the WG8j, which, in turn, feed into those of the SBSTTA to further preparation of the next COP 15 (which was supposed to be held in autumn 2021). In
this section, I give an overview of the various spaces in which IPLCs participate
according to the relevant meetings. As Campbell and her co-authors (2014, p. 6)
point out, the rules that regulate when and how IPLCs can speak in the various
contexts under investigation are essential in order to understand how IPLCs position themselves in negotiations. I present the various types of meetings according
to the creation date of the corresponding working group in order to take account
of the gradual opening up of the CBD to IPLCs.
At this point, it is necessary to clarify that the aim of these meetings is to
produce various kinds of (non-binding) legal texts that formalize principles and
mechanisms concerning a range of biodiversity-related topics (including conceptions of the relationship between nature and culture).
7 The State Parties that
are signatories of the Convention negotiate
8 the texts resulting from previous
meetings with a view to their validation at the COPs. Throughout the meetings,
various kinds of negotiation take place: before the meeting, State Parties examine
the texts, and then they may form and share their opinions; during the meeting,
the State Parties negotiate with their regional partners (such as the European
Union) at parallel sessions; and in plenary sessions all the Parties have to reach
a compromise collectively. The ethnographic data that is harder to capture is
the informal interactions that take place in the corridors. Since unanimity is
required, if the parties do not come to an agreement, then it can be decided to
leave a text “under brackets” to be discussed again later, at the COPs that vote on
the definitive texts.
9 Certain moments during these meetings, however, are not
directly to do with negotiations but aim to contribute information that is judged
relevant by the CBD secretariat. This includes presentations made in plenary
sessions before the negotiations proper, or “side events” carried out on various
themes at midday or in the evening (in other words outside of the time dedicated
to negotiations). On these occasions, various kinds of information are put forward concerning an initiative or a piece of research. As we will see, IPLC express
themselves according to the kind of access they have to the different spaces.
various exchanges and negotiations; this allows us to state that these positions
do not reflect a nature regime specific to IPLCs, but instead relate to positions
developed in specific contexts according to other non-indigenous actors.
The Spaces for IPLCs’ Exercise of Ontological Diplomacy
The analysis presented here basically concerns three meetings that took place in
the following order: the First Global Thematic Dialogue for Indigenous Peoples
and Local Communities, the 11th Meeting of WG8j, and the 23rd Meeting of
the SBSTTA. Each of these meetings has particular characteristics, especially
as regards the participation of IPLCs, which decreases in degree from the first
meeting to the last. In addition, there is continuity across the three events. The
recommendations from the Global Thematic Dialogue feed into the reflections
of the WG8j, which, in turn, feed into those of the SBSTTA to further preparation of the next COP 15 (which was supposed to be held in autumn 2021). In
this section, I give an overview of the various spaces in which IPLCs participate
according to the relevant meetings. As Campbell and her co-authors (2014, p. 6)
point out, the rules that regulate when and how IPLCs can speak in the various
contexts under investigation are essential in order to understand how IPLCs position themselves in negotiations. I present the various types of meetings according
to the creation date of the corresponding working group in order to take account
of the gradual opening up of the CBD to IPLCs.
At this point, it is necessary to clarify that the aim of these meetings is to
produce various kinds of (non-binding) legal texts that formalize principles and
mechanisms concerning a range of biodiversity-related topics (including conceptions of the relationship between nature and culture).
7 The State Parties that
are signatories of the Convention negotiate
8 the texts resulting from previous
meetings with a view to their validation at the COPs. Throughout the meetings,
various kinds of negotiation take place: before the meeting, State Parties examine
the texts, and then they may form and share their opinions; during the meeting,
the State Parties negotiate with their regional partners (such as the European
Union) at parallel sessions; and in plenary sessions all the Parties have to reach
a compromise collectively. The ethnographic data that is harder to capture is
the informal interactions that take place in the corridors. Since unanimity is
required, if the parties do not come to an agreement, then it can be decided to
leave a text “under brackets” to be discussed again later, at the COPs that vote on
the definitive texts.
9 Certain moments during these meetings, however, are not
directly to do with negotiations but aim to contribute information that is judged
relevant by the CBD secretariat. This includes presentations made in plenary
sessions before the negotiations proper, or “side events” carried out on various
themes at midday or in the evening (in other words outside of the time dedicated
to negotiations). On these occasions, various kinds of information are put forward concerning an initiative or a piece of research. As we will see, IPLC express
themselves according to the kind of access they have to the different spaces.