Oct 312 min read

Cultural Intellectual Property Rights Initiative® (CIPRI) at COP 16

The Cultural Intellectual Property Rights Initiative® (CIPRI) and WhyWeCraft® Association are attending the United Nations Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP16) in Cali, Colombia in October 2024.

Two years after the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) state and non-state parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) meet to take stock and discuss key issues including:

Stock-taking on the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework since its adoption in December 2022;
The creation of a program of work under art. 8 (j) of the CBD calling on Parties to the CBD to respect, preserve, and maintain the traditional knowledge, practices and innovations of Indigenous peoples and local communities;
The establishment of Permanent Subsidiary Body Body on art. 8(j) which will ensure the full and effective participation of Indigenous people and local communities in the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework;
Agreement on a system for monitoring progress towards achieving the 23-action oriented targets by 2030 to also include Traditional Knowledge indicators such as tracking the preservation of traditional lands and inclusion of communities in the decision-making process for strategies to reach targets such as the controversial Target 3 also known as "30 by 30";
Mechanisms to ensure direct access to safeguarding biodiversity funding for Indigenous peoples and local communities.

The Cultural Intellectual Property Rights Initiative® (CIPRI) and WhyWeCraft® advocate for, support and form allyships with Indigenous Peoples, Ethnic Groups and Local Communities by crafting legal strategies that position the custodians of generational knowledge systems as right holders, knowledge partners and key decision makers for safeguarding Biocultural Diversity.

The Cultural Intellectual Property Rights Initiative® (CIPRI) and WhyWeCraft® support the priorities of the International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity (IIFB) at COP16.

We look forward to bringing our human-rights based perspective and experience from Europe, India, Laos and the Pacific to connect with COP16 participants. Our perspectives on biocultural diversity conservation are informed by in-depth dialogues with members of the CIPRI Family, in particular Colectiva Malacate, Chiapas, Mexico, Asociația Ivan Patzaikin - Mila 23, Romania, 7WEAVES, Assam, India, local communities in Țara Beiușului, Romania, Ashoka Fellows, and our ecosystem.