The World Conservation Congress brings together states, economic actors, scientists, members of civil society and citizens to fight against the collapse of biodiversity, and ends on Saturday 11 September. Among the 1,400 members of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) which is organizing this event, representatives of indigenous peoples from all over the world made the trip to Marseille. Whether they come from Amazonia, Africa or Asia, these peoples are calling for their opinion on environmental issues to be better taken into account at the international level.
Thanks to their way of life, their history and their culture, indigenous peoples can make a contribution to the fight against climate change.
"Indigenous peoples are in contact with living things and have traditional ecological knowledge based in particular on observation and on knowledge transmitted from generation to generation", described to France 24 Eugénie Clément Picos, doctoral student at EHESS in social anthropology.
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"Many indigenous peoples of the Amazon, for example, regulate their practice of hunting and fishing and heal themselves with plants," Fiore Longo, France advocacy officer at Survival International, an NGO that defends the rights of indigenous peoples. These populations are distinguished by their strong, sometimes even sacred, link to nature. "Their way of life is not based on accumulation but rather on reciprocity. For them, when we take something from nature, we must give it back. This way of thinking allows us to preserve natural resources for them. future generations ", continues Fiore Longo.
According to the UN, indigenous peoples, estimated to number 370 to 500 million, own, occupy or use 22% of the earth's land. They generally live in protected areas and on land that has been very little invested by human activity. "A large part of the areas of great biodiversity on Earth are governed by indigenous peoples," adds Jenny Springer, director of the IUCN global program on governance and rights, contacted by France 24.
In a column published in the newspaper Le Monde, the economist Peter Seligmann, co-founder of the NGO Nia Tero managed by indigenous leaders, goes even further by evoking the case of forests, essential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. tight.
“Those occupied by indigenous peoples - half of the world's great forests - experience the lowest deforestation rate on the planet. forests! ”he writes.
A victory for the Amazon
At the Marseille congress, indigenous peoples defended their peaceful relationship with nature. On Friday, an emergency motion on the protection of the Amazon, proposed Sunday by organizations of indigenous peoples, was adopted. As more than 11,000 m² of the world's largest forest was destroyed in 2020, IUCN members agreed to "support area-based conservation objectives, with the aim of protecting, conserving and sustainably managing at less 80% of the Amazon by 2025 ", in cooperation with indigenous peoples. They also demanded recognition of their rights to these lands and the suspension of industrial activities in these areas.
#IUCNcongress: Unanimous adoption of the motion “Avoid the point of no return in the Amazon by protecting 80% by 2025”!
@UICNfrance welcomes this result, recognizing the importance and role of indigenous peoples in the Amazon.
pic.twitter.com/vBgF7QHSkc
- French Committee of IUCN (@UICNfrance) September 10, 2021
After the vote, Gregorio Diaz Mirabal, of the Coordination of Indigenous Organizations of the Amazon Basin (COICA), which is at the origin of this motion, dedicated this victory to "those who left, those who were killed. , those who continue to be persecuted in the defense of our territory ". According to environmental activists, violence against indigenous populations in the Amazon and the expropriation of their land have increased since the coming to power of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro.
The adoption of this motion could not have happened without a change in the voting system within IUCN.
This year, indigenous peoples, who previously voted in the NGO category, were able to vote on their behalf and table this emergency motion.
This system ensures a balance between the voices of States and those of non-State members, NGOs and indigenous peoples' organizations, the latter being in the minority.
In addition, for a motion to be accepted, it must be passed by both houses.
>> To read also: In Brazil, the Amazon burns in general indifference
While IUCN is committed to reducing financial barriers to membership for indigenous peoples' organizations, membership is costly for many organizations. Contributions to IUCN vary from 300 Swiss francs (276 euros) up to 20,000 Swiss francs (18,500 euros) annually, depending on specific criteria, including income. "Entrance fees are so high for us. Where do they think indigenous peoples get their money from?" Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, former special rapporteur on indigenous peoples' rights, told AFP. 'UN.
For the first time, a World Summit on Indigenous Peoples and Nature was organized by indigenous peoples' organizations that are members of IUCN.
The side event aimed to "raise awareness that stronger measures are needed to protect the rights of indigenous peoples and their role as stewards of nature," explains Jenny Springer.
At the end of this meeting, they drew up a global agenda, including a section on respect for the rights and governance of indigenous people on their lands.
Indigenous voices "ignored during official summits"
But some organizations show mistrust of the Marseille congress. Several of them have set up a "counter-summit to make voices heard which are ignored during official summits", explains Fiore Longo, whose NGO participated in its organization. According to her, the official congress is not inspired by the way of life of the natives, yet recognized as effective in preserving biodiversity. "It does not call into question our model of life and our consumption system," she continues, stressing that "this congress is sponsored by highly polluting multinationals".
The counter-summit is also attacking a motion, supported by France, calling for the protection of at least 30% of land and sea areas by 2030. "Indigenous peoples have been protesting against protected areas for years because when their territories are located in these areas, the natives are driven out and can no longer access their land, "she protested.
Eugenie Clément Picos also regrets a lack of consideration of indigenous populations from an environmental point of view.
"These peoples work a lot together and unite to be stronger but their weight at the international level in the bodies is very anecdotal. They are used more as an argument than considered as actors in the preservation of the environment", deplores- she does.
In total, 16 of these 23 organizations participate in voting on motions.
These texts are not binding but will make it possible to give major orientations and priorities for the next international climate conferences: COP26 in November and COP15 on biodiversity in April 2022.
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