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Context:

• The 23rd session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues commenced in New York on April 15, highlighting concerns over the slow pace of recognition of indigenous territories (IT) despite growing awareness.

Reporting and Action:

• The nine Amazonian states are expected to provide updates on progress toward the goal of protecting 80% of the Amazon during the session.

Challenges in Land Protection  in Indigenous Territories (IT):

• Failure to meet the targets: Failure to protect land may impede meeting the targets of the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, notably Target 3 aiming for 30% land and water protection by 2030.
• Sluggish progress: Progress has been sluggish, with only around 7 million hectares of ITs recognized between 2021-2023, predominantly comprising expansions of pre-existing areas.
• Recognition Delays: Despite the increasing recognition of the importance of ITs, there is a significant delay in formally recognizing these territories, hindering efforts to implement protective measures and manage resources sustainably.
• Policy Inadequacies: Existing conservation policies and frameworks often fail to adequately incorporate the unique needs and rights of Indigenous Peoples, leading to ineffective protection strategies and conflicts over land use and resource management.
• Pressure from External Forces: ITs face mounting pressures from external factors such as industrial development, extractive industries, agricultural expansion, and infrastructure projects, which threaten the integrity of these territories and exacerbate environmental degradation.
• Lack of Resources: Indigenous communities often lack the financial resources, technical expertise, and institutional support needed to effectively manage and protect their territories, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation and encroachment by external actors.
• Legal Uncertainties: Legal uncertainties regarding land tenure, ownership rights, and jurisdictional boundaries contribute to the marginalization of Indigenous Peoples and create obstacles to asserting their rights to their ancestral lands, perpetuating a cycle of land insecurity and vulnerability.

Significance of Indigenous Territories:

• Biodiversity Hotspots: Indigenous territories (ITs) encompass approximately 22% of the Earth's land surface and are home to an astounding 80% of the remaining global biodiversity, making them crucial hotspots for conservation efforts.
• Cultural Preservation: ITs serve as the ancestral lands of Indigenous Peoples, preserving their unique cultures, languages, and traditional knowledge systems that are invaluable for sustainable resource management and biodiversity conservation.
• Ecosystem Services: These territories play a vital role in providing ecosystem services such as clean water, air purification, soil fertility, and climate regulation, benefiting not only Indigenous communities but also surrounding regions and the global ecosystem.
• Sustainable Land Management: Indigenous communities have historically practiced sustainable land management techniques, including agroforestry, rotational farming, and traditional hunting and gathering methods, which contribute to maintaining ecosystem health and resilience.
• Climate Resilience: ITs often possess traditional ecological knowledge that enhances their resilience to climate change impacts, offering valuable insights for adaptation strategies and contributing to broader climate resilience efforts.

Conclusion:

• ITs, renowned for their biodiversity, urgently require protection; however, they have only recently been included in global discussions on protected areas.
• Despite their crucial role, Indigenous Peoples receive less than 1% of climate finance, primarily due to their insufficient recognition of climate change and conservation policies.
• There is an urgent need to protect the Amazon and urged the Forum to integrate this urgency into its formal stance, proposing the launch of a Global Pact for its protection.

Source

https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/forests/un-permanent-forum-on-indigenous-issues-progress-towards-protecting-indigenous-territories-slow-say-experts-95576

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