A major new guidance document on conservation and human rights was launched on Tuesday 29 October 2024 at the sixteenth Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). This ground-breaking publication, titled Conservation and Human Rights: An Introduction, has been developed by the Interdisciplinary Centre for Conservation Science (ICCS) at the University of Oxford, in collaboration with Forest Peoples Programme (FPP).
The connection between conservation and human rights
There is strong evidence that many traditional systems of environmental stewardship are very effective - but the standard model of conservation, which is based on the creation of national parks and other types of conservation area, has often displaced people, violating their rights and at the same time disrupting these stewardship systems. This can have devastating impacts both on the people involved and on biodiversity.
A rights-based approach involves supporting indigenous peoples and local communities to take the lead in conserving their own nature. Conservation projects led by indigenous people tend to have better conservation outcomes than those where they have only a passive role. Rights-based conservation therefore impacts positively on protection and sustainable use of nature - the broad definition of conservation - as well as supporting people who are often severely marginalised.
The new report
This guidance offers a comprehensive overview of international human rights instruments and frameworks, and of their application to conservation. It provides much-needed resources and practical tools to help conservation professionals understand what a human rights-based approach to conservation involves, setting out relevant human rights of people who are particularly affected by the traditional ‘fortress conservation’ approach - Indigenous Peoples, local communities, women, and environmental human rights defenders.
“Conservationists should not think about human rights law as a framework that constrains their actions, but as one which can serve as a guide for how to do conservation well and effectively from the bottom up, in collaboration with Indigenous Peoples, local communities, and other rights-holders – which also happens to be the most effective form of conservation,” said Anouska Perram from FPP, who is a contributing author.
The publication comes at a crucial time after nearly 200 countries reaffirmed their commitment to a human rights-based approach to conservation in 2022, when they adopted the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework at COP15. However, achieving this commitment will require a major transformation in how conservation is implemented—shifting from top-down conservation models to approaches that support locally-led conservation initiatives, which are more effective and equitable, as the guidance maintains.
"This guidance document represents a critical step in redressing the balance between traditional, state-protected areas and conservation efforts led by Indigenous Peoples and local communities," said Dr Helen Newing from ICCS, University of Oxford who is one of the lead authors. "It will also help conservationists foster a rights-based approach to conservation, by improving their understanding of the application of international human rights norms and standards to conservation."
Key practical tools outlined in this guidance for conservation in partnership with Indigenous Peoples and local communities include:
- Social safeguard and human rights due diligence procedures
- Human rights impact assessments
- Free, prior, and informed consent processes
- Grievance mechanisms
- Support for remedy and restitution in conservation practices
In addition to protecting human rights, this guidance emphasises the importance of actively supporting rights-holders in fulfilling their rights. In light of this, it includes several tools for supporting rights-holders to protect and conserve their lands, territories, and biodiversity - including by reconciling past and current injustices and by mapping and monitoring their own lands and biodiversity.
“Long-term, generationally successful conservation requires that the rights that individuals and groups hold to their lands, territories, and resources are recognised and protected, and that their self-determined and locally-led efforts to protect and conserve those areas are supported - financially, technically, and politically. Rather than passive recipients of external interventions, Indigenous Peoples and local communities are custodians and stewards of their lands, territories, and resources and active in their defence,” states Helen Tugendhat from FPP, who is a contributing author to the guidance.
The Conservation and Human Rights document marks a significant step towards building a more inclusive and equitable future for conservation, aligning with international commitments and offering a pathway to better outcomes for both biodiversity and the communities that depend on it.
The executive summary of the document can be read here: English Summary / Spanish Summary
The whole document can be read here: English, Spanish, and French versions
