CBD Meeting on Sustainable Use Held in Montreal

The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) hosted a meeting from 31 May to 3 June in Montreal on the sustainable use of biological diversity, with particular focus on customary sustainable use (i.e. Article 10(c)). Participants agreed on recommendations regarding elements of a strategy to integrate Article 10(c) as a cross-cutting issue into the CBD work programmes and thematic areas, beginning with the programme of work on protected areas, as well as recommendations on: developing further guidance on sustainable use and related incentive measures for Indigenous peoples and local communities; and considering measures to increase the engagement of Indigenous peoples and local communities and governments at the national and local levels in the implementation of Article 10 and the ecosystem approach. They also focused on how to operationalize the three indicators adopted for traditional knowledge: status and trends of linguistic diversity and numbers of speakers of Indigenous languages; status and trends in land-use change and land tenure in the traditional territories of Indigenous peoples and local communities; and status and trends in the practice of traditional occupations. The advice and recommendations developed at the meeting will be submitted to the seventh meeting of the CBD Working Group on Article 8(j) this November, as well as to the 11th Conference of the Parties (October 2012).

Meeting documents, including the agenda and information on indicators, can be found here. More information about the meeting can be viewed on the Traditional Knowledge Information Portal. Thanks to Elsa from the TK Bulletin for the links and description!