Transformative pathways: indigenous peoples and local communities leading and scaling up conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity

The project supports improved conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity by ensuring that the contributions of indigenous peoples and local communities are better recognised, supported and expanded, including in the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. It is led by a consortium of 13 organisations, a majority of whom are indigenous peoples’ organisations. The project directly supports local initiatives for self-determined land and resource governance, producing sited, local, positive biodiversity and cultural outcomes, and co-development of community- owned monitoring frameworks to present evidence and demonstrate outcomes. Working with national and sub-national governments and other key actors, the project also co-develops mechanisms for full and equitable participation in national biodiversity-related policy and planning. These partnerships engage global CBD and IPBES processes through direct monitoring, reporting and dissemination of results.

Project data

Countries: Kenya, Peru, Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia
IKI funding: 11,487,402.00 €
Included preparation phase: 349,329.00 €
Duration: 06/2022 till 05/2028
Status: open
Implementing organisation: Forest Peoples Programme
Political Partner: Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) - Philippines

Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry (MECCF) - Kenya

Ministry of Environment (MINAM) - Peru

Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) - Indonesia

Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) - Thailand
Implementing Partner: Autonomous Territorial Government of the Wampis Nation

Chepkitale Indigenous Peoples Development Project (CIPDP)

Chirapaq

Indigenous Information Network (IIN)

Inter Mountain Peoples Education and Culture in Thailand (IMPECT) Association

Partners for Indigenous Knowledge in the Philippines (PIKP)

Pga k’nyau Association for Sustainable Development (PASD)

Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP)

Interdisciplinary Centre for Conservation Science (ICCS), Oxford University

LifeMosaic

Partners of Community Organizations in Sabah (PACOS) Trust

UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC)
Online: https://transformativepathways.net/

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State of implementation/results

The Project is now in its third year of implementation and has now a new project partner – PACOS Trust who is implementing the project in Malaysia.
National partners are supporting indigenous and local communities in biodiversity conservation activities, development and implementation of community life plans, engagement with stakeholders in relation to communities‘ land rights and nature protection.
Community mapping and biodiversity monitoring programmes have been initiated and communities receive training and accompaniment in monitoring activities, including from ICCS at the University of Oxford, who has also been developing capacity-building materials and technical guidance documents. The first of these was published in May 2024 and provides practical guidance for indigenous peoples and local communities on community environmental monitoring (published in English, French, Spanish, Swahili and Thai). A similar guidance document on sustainable use will be published soon. Additionally, a comprehensive guidance document for conservation professionals on conservation and human rights will be published.
Transformative Pathways website presents articles and publications from project partners in 5 languages (English, Spanish, Thai, Swahili and Ilocano). Additional functions such as interactive maps and training materials depository are being developed.
The project supports participation of indigenous representatives at global and regional meetings related to CBD processes and organises side-events to highlight the importance of indigenous peoples’ contribution to biodiversity conservation.
Project partners are undertaking work to support the development of indicators for the monitoring of implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (particularly those related to indigenous peoples and local communities and human rights). In the running up to the CBD COP16 in Cali, Colombia, project partners supported and participated in the World Summit on Traditional Knowledge related to Biodiversity, led by the International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity (IIFB). The summit was held in Bogota, Colombia from 26-29 August.
At regional and national level, partners have been engaging in the National and Biodiversity Action Plans reviews through government-led consultations, project-led mobilization of actors and actions, and participation in relevant regional dialogs.
AIPP continues to grow the regional learning hub for Indigenous Peoples on biodiversity and climate by organizing regional conferences with the attendance ofparticipants from 11 countries representing 32 Indigenous Peoples’ communities, Indigenous Women, Indigenous Youth, and development organizations. The operationalization of the regional learning hub contributed to the adoption of the E-Sak Ka Ou Declaration, now available in 12 languages and featured on 13 websites.

Latest Update:
03/2025