Community Protocols and Biocultural Rights 3
The Context: “Traditional” Communities and Biodiversity
Conservation
Since the late 1980s, the key role played by IPLCs in the sustainable management of complex ecological systems has increasingly been recognised. As
early as 1987, the Brundtland Report took the view that IPLCs (referred to as
“indigenous or tribal peoples”) are “the repositories of vast accumulations of
traditional knowledge [TK] and experience that links humanity with its ancient
origins”, and warned that “their disappearance is a loss for the larger society,
which could learn a great deal from their traditional skills in sustainably managing very complex ecological systems” (Brundtland and the World Commission on Environment and Development 1987). At about the same time, the
Declaration of Belém (1988), very much imbued with Posey’s tenacious work
on debunking misconceptions about Indigenous peoples, emphatically declared
that “[…] native peoples have been stewards of 99 percent of the world’s genetic
resources” and forcefully stressed the “link between cultural and biological
diversity”.
6
In the following years, as concerns on environmental deterioration and the
erosion of biodiversity were beginning to reach the broader public, and alternative, much more participative, people-centred, and place-based approaches were
gaining momentum (Altieri et al., 1987; Freeman, 1989; Oldfield & A lcorn,
1987; Toledo, 1990), “attention has expanded to include a wide range of local
communities, including forest peoples, farmers, fishers, herders, pastoralists,
diversely manifested around the world” (IPBES, 2019). The increasing awareness
to local communities is probably best captured by the CBD, Article 8( j) of which
requires each contracting party to
respect, preserve and maintain knowledge, innovations and practices of
indigenous and local communities embodying traditional lifestyles r elevant
for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity and promote
their wider application with the approval and involvement of the holders of
such knowledge, innovations and practices.
7
According to estimates, there are around 5,000 groups of Indigenous peoples in
the world (Hall & Patrinos, 2012), amounting to 476 million people (ILO, 2021,
p. 10). Some have never been in contact with other human societies, others are
isolated (sometimes voluntarily after disastrous contacts), and yet others have had
brief contact. Other much larger groups can be found across the globe, i ncluding
in peri-urban areas and urban centres. Local communities represent an even
larger population, and are as diverse and widely distributed around the world.
When considered together, IPLCs
8 represent about 1 billion people and it is
estimated that they hold, either under customary tenure or a community-based
regime (formally recognised in domestic law), between half and two-thirds of
the world’s lands (Wily, 2011).
9
The Context: “Traditional” Communities and Biodiversity
Conservation
Since the late 1980s, the key role played by IPLCs in the sustainable management of complex ecological systems has increasingly been recognised. As
early as 1987, the Brundtland Report took the view that IPLCs (referred to as
“indigenous or tribal peoples”) are “the repositories of vast accumulations of
traditional knowledge [TK] and experience that links humanity with its ancient
origins”, and warned that “their disappearance is a loss for the larger society,
which could learn a great deal from their traditional skills in sustainably managing very complex ecological systems” (Brundtland and the World Commission on Environment and Development 1987). At about the same time, the
Declaration of Belém (1988), very much imbued with Posey’s tenacious work
on debunking misconceptions about Indigenous peoples, emphatically declared
that “[…] native peoples have been stewards of 99 percent of the world’s genetic
resources” and forcefully stressed the “link between cultural and biological
diversity”.
6
In the following years, as concerns on environmental deterioration and the
erosion of biodiversity were beginning to reach the broader public, and alternative, much more participative, people-centred, and place-based approaches were
gaining momentum (Altieri et al., 1987; Freeman, 1989; Oldfield & A lcorn,
1987; Toledo, 1990), “attention has expanded to include a wide range of local
communities, including forest peoples, farmers, fishers, herders, pastoralists,
diversely manifested around the world” (IPBES, 2019). The increasing awareness
to local communities is probably best captured by the CBD, Article 8( j) of which
requires each contracting party to
respect, preserve and maintain knowledge, innovations and practices of
indigenous and local communities embodying traditional lifestyles r elevant
for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity and promote
their wider application with the approval and involvement of the holders of
such knowledge, innovations and practices.
7
According to estimates, there are around 5,000 groups of Indigenous peoples in
the world (Hall & Patrinos, 2012), amounting to 476 million people (ILO, 2021,
p. 10). Some have never been in contact with other human societies, others are
isolated (sometimes voluntarily after disastrous contacts), and yet others have had
brief contact. Other much larger groups can be found across the globe, i ncluding
in peri-urban areas and urban centres. Local communities represent an even
larger population, and are as diverse and widely distributed around the world.
When considered together, IPLCs
8 represent about 1 billion people and it is
estimated that they hold, either under customary tenure or a community-based
regime (formally recognised in domestic law), between half and two-thirds of
the world’s lands (Wily, 2011).
9