Search the SPREP Catalogue

DECISION ADOPTED BY THE CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES TO THE CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY AT ITS ELEVENTH MEETING XI/24. Protected areas

With a view to strengthen implementation of the programme of work on protected areas (PoWPA) and to align implementation with available funding and technical support, the Conference of the Parties at its tenth meeting adopted several measures in decision X/31. These include, inviting Parties to develop a long-term action plan for the implementation of the PoWPA (or to reorient, as appropriate, relevant existing plans), contributing to the implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 (paragraph 1(b)) and to use the protected area biodiversity allocations included in the fifth replenishment period of the Global Environment Facility (GEF 5) in a timely and appropriate manner, as well as bilateral, multilateral and other financial support relevant for protected areas, and to use their PoWPA action plans as the basis for accessing these funds (paragraph 10(b)).

Indigenous peoples and local communities have managed and protected a variety of natural environments and species for a variety of reasons, cultural, spiritual and aesthetic, as well as socio-economic. Today, there are many thousands of indigenous territories and other areas conserved by indigenous peoples and local communities across the world. Indigenous peoples’ and local communities’ conserved territories and areas (ICCAs) are natural and/or modified ecosystems containing significant biodiversity values, ecological services and cultural values, voluntarily conserved by indigenous peoples and local communities, both sedentary and mobile, through customary laws or other effective means. They help maintain genetic diversity, conserve threatened species, and provide corridors for species’ movements. The cultural and economic livelihoods of millions of people depend on them for securing resources such as energy, food, water, fodder, shelter, clothing, and for providing income. ICCAs contribute to global food security by conserving important crop wild relatives, and traditional and threatened landraces. ICCAs play a critical role in ensuring access and respecting rights to customary sustainable use of biodiversity and also provide a fertile classroom for the passing on of inter-generational environmental knowledge, innovations and practices.

Currently some 13% of the world’s terrestrial surface and 4% of marine areas (0-200 nautical miles) under national jurisdiction is protected. These areas serve to safeguard biodiversity and ecosystem goods and services. However, it is well known that they face multiple drivers of change and threats that contribute to their decline and degradation. As our conceptions of the roles and functions of protected areas evolve over the coming decade, we expect that corresponding adjustments in policy will allow protected areas to continue contributing to livelihoods and cultural practices, generating tourism revenues, bolstering local and national economies, mitigating and adapting to climate change, and providing habitat for populations and species.

The overall purpose of the Programme of Work on protected areas is to support the establishment and maintenance by 2010 for terrestrial and by 2012 for marine areas of comprehensive, effectively managed, and ecologically representative national and regional systems of protected areas that collectively, inter alia through a global network contribute to achieving the three objectives of the Convention and the 2010 target to significantly reduce the current rate of biodiversity loss at the global, regional, national and sub-national levels and contribute to poverty reduction and the pursuit of sustainable development, thereby supporting the objectives of the Strategic Plan of the Convention, the World Summit on Sustainable Development Plan of Implementation and the Millennium Development Goals. The Programme of Work identifies four programme elements, 16 goals (each with a more specific target) and 92 activities for the Parties, many of which have specific timetables. The Programme of Work on Protected Areas is one of the most ambitious global conservation programmes ever agreed. It may appear daunting to many governments. Many activities are linked and some overlap. While some actions need to be taken by every government, others can be addressed only once and the results shared. Countries will usually not start from zero: there is already a huge amount of relevant progress, along with experience, tools and data to draw from.