Dr. David Boyd, the Special Rapporteur on the issue of human rights obligations relating to the enjoyment of a safe,
clean, healthy and sustainable environment, is preparing a thematic report focusing on “human rights and associated obligations related to healthy biodiversity and ecosystems“, which will be presented to the UN General Assembly in October.
Natural Justice, together with partner organizations including Forest Peoples Project, SwedBio, the ICCA Consortium and the CBD Alliance, drafted a submission. It contains examples and case studies of good practices by indigenous peoples and local communities to prevent or reduce harm to biodiversity; information on challenges to rights-based approaches (including lack of recognition of the rights of indigenous peoples, exclusionary conservation, and harmful incentives), and ways to provide additional protection to communities who conserve biodiversity (e.g. recognition of tenure rights, participation in decision-making processes including EIAs, legal empowerment, protection of land and environment defenders).
