Highlighting efforts led by Indigenous Peoples and local communities to monitor conservation’s social dimensions

Abstract

The Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) includes principles to pursue its targets through equitable conservation governance that respects rights. However, meaningful commitments to elevate the roles of Indigenous Peoples and local communities have been limited to date, and there is negligible monitoring of social impacts and governance associated with the Convention on Biological Diversity. Global- or regional-scale monitoring of protected and conserved areas often focuses on management effectiveness from a Western scientific perspective, which relies heavily on ecological indicators, with little or no inclusion of Indigenous Peoples and local communities’ values and the social challenges related to those areas. While tools are emerging to address the gap in coverage of governance, rights, justice, and equity, progress is slow. This means that even by 2030 – during a period of unprecedented expansion of conservation initiatives – there will be no adequate way to assess performance on rights and equity, an alarming and inexcusable situation.