Policy Advocacy

Regarding the broader topic of indigenous, communal territories, and protected areas governance (Chapter 31) of the Science Panel for the Amazon report, I find it important to highlight the following lessons learned: There is no future for the Amazon without the involvement of their people in the management and decision-making process revolving around their natural resources. The evidence has shown that deforestation, fragmentation, and other destructive activities have diminished into indigenous-managed territories. Additionally, the present legal framework in all the national cases analyzed has significantly evolved toward the recognition of local people´s rights and identities and is working toward the inclusion of their traditional ecological knowledge in the managerial practices implemented in their territories. 

Some recommendations seem to be relevant for further advancing the proposed future managerial schemes:  Capacity building is determinant toward the goal of self-managed forest and territories by local indigenous people; stakeholder´s will and enabling legal frameworks will not be enough if indigenous and communal organizations do not have the knowledge and technological tools needed to properly decide over their resource´s management. Closely related to this idea, external stakeholders must accompany the implementation of this process, namely, local and international NGOs, the government, and other grassroot organizations, among others, to provide advisory, and shared experiences. It is also key to identify funding and self-sustainable means through innovative development processes and entrepreneurship to ensure medium to long-term sustainability to the managerial process started. Finally, we need to acknowledge that every single case is different and will require solutions tailored to their own needs and organizational level. The enormous cultural and ecological diversity of the Amazon region has shaped their local realities through history and deserves to be properly addressed accordingly.

What actions can be taken by conservation advocates to help to implement these strategies at scale?” In other words, “How can conservation advocates promote structural change that makes these strategies viable at scale?”
(In Reference to Chapters 30 + 31)
In regards to the challenge of implementing strategies to promote conservation objectives in the Amazon – I wanted to take more of a hybrid approach that blends in the role of indigenous peoples with the potential of the Amazonian bioeconomy. From reading both chapters – I came to understand that there is vast potential in both and they will ultimately rely on the success of one another. One of the first and most important components is the strengthening of the territorial land and water rights of indigenous peoples – which will ultimately enable indigenous peoples to have the capacity to manage and conserve these lands they govern. This has been identified as a viable alternative to conservation as local indigenous territorial management has “to be one of the most effective ways to guarantee ecosystems, quality of life, and respect for cultural and territorial rights.” (Chap 31.14) So to identify potential strategies – I present below three strategies that are ultimately interlinked with each chapter: (1) Forest Management; (2) Tourism Development; and (3) Commodities Bioeconomy.

Indigenous Territorial Management of Forests is a critical component to promoting conservation-based initiatives due to the fact that deforestation rates are significantly lower than outside of indigenous territories (Chap 30.16). Forest Management serves as a vital tool as it can yield a variety of significant benefits from focuses on agroforestry, silviculture, and land value increases. Agroforestry and Silviculture management would yield additional benefits such as improved quality and yields – which would produce valuable economic returns for indigenous communities engaged in these practices. In addition, by utilizing indigenous forest management – the value of these forested areas can exponentially increase as they are conserved and recovered. This would ultimately be valuable for the second strategy – tourism development.

Tourism Development, primarily Ecotourism is an effective tool at promoting conservation as it adds value to the environment that would serve as an alternative economic activity. Chapter 30 invokes a situation that must be evaluated in developing a tourism market for indigenous communities that does not “mystify” them. The chapter states, “To this end, it is important to avoid myths such as the “returning to El Dorado” or other fantastical constructions that identify the forest dwellers as “good savages” (Chap 30.35) Instead, we should utilize the highly biodiverse regions of indigenous territories to promote sustainable tourism that is entirely operated by the local community – of which those residing in indigenous territories maximize their potential economic gains while consistently valuing and promoting cultural and environmental conservation.

              The Commodities Bioeconomy is another integral example presented in the chapters that could be shifted to benefit local indigenous communities. One example brought up in the chapter that stuck out and I found extremely high in potential was the promotion of cities as gastronomy centers – with emphasis on the investment of cooking schools. This chapter provided a focus on the acai production market and how valuable it currently is to the Amazonian economy – but also hinted at the under-utilization of edible plants that are indigenous to the Amazon such as the “163 edible fruits native to the Amazon” (Chap 30.24). By adopting an ‘Amazonian cuisine’, indigenous communities could maximize both tourism and the commodities bioeconomy by producing delicacies that they would normally eat on a day-to-day basis for visiting tourists – which could result in a higher appreciation for conservation of this great landscape.

(In reference to Chapter 31 of the Science Panel for the Amazon report)

Multiple strategies were stated in chapter 31 to achieve the goal of strengthening land and natural resource governance/ management over protected areas, Indigenous lands and local communities’ territories. One of the first key strategies addressed was an increase in the respect given to the territorial rights of indigenous/traditional communities, which form the basis for conservation-friendly livelihoods and creative alternatives to be successful in these regions. Conservation advocates can place forward momentum on this strategy by increasing the inclusion and representation of indigenous/traditional stories and values in mainstream media outlets. This will hopefully advance the general public’s understanding of their cultures and values and inspire more individuals to advocate for Indigenous/ traditional ownership over these lands to hold strong. One potential, more specific action to be taken by conservation advocates would be to extend invitations for direct collaboration with Indigenous stakeholders to discuss exactly how they would prefer these narratives to be presented. Through meetings, discussions, interviews and media production, their words could be chosen carefully and individual contributors could maintain full ownership over their stories. I feel that Indigenous/ traditional stakeholders appearing themselves in the final media outputs whether it be through audio, video or written word would allow a deeper connection to be made with audiences while ensuring that ownership of narratives will be kept to those providing them.

The next strategy addressed is the strengthening of legislation and institutional procedures that protect Indigenous and traditional peoples’ and communities’ land and water rights by use of regulatory frameworks, along with surveillance and law enforcement. This strategy is stated as critical for achieving positive outcomes related to both social justice and environmental conservation. In areas where governments are willing and able to champion the rights of Indigenous/ traditional communities, legislation could be strengthened through targeted policy-making and written clauses to protect these rights. Conservation advocates could assist in this process by producing informational documents on potential political appointees and how greatly they value the protection of these lands to aid in voting processes, depending on the style of governance. In regards to institutional procedures such as surveillance and law enforcement to protect these rights, conservation advocates could fill in gaps for areas where governance may be weak or corrupt. One potential idea would be to create a “hotline” of sorts, either through phone calls or internet where injustices could be reported to a nonpartisan, international coalition. These statements would regard infringements on the rights of Indigenous/ traditional communities and prompt investigations in areas where there may be no safe or productive means of reporting such occurrences otherwise. While international partners would have no direct means of stopping these infringements, they could publicize the injustices and prompt global social movements to defend these communities.

Another strategy addressed was the incorporation of conservation & sustainable management objectives, as related to Indigenous/ traditional communities, into investment plans and sectoral legislation. This plan could be advanced by conservation advocates investing in bio-economy-related infrastructure in order to accelerate the process of such investments becoming productive and creating profits. Another way that “everyday environmentalists”, or people unaffiliated with any true form of conservation agency could get involved is through legal manipulation of stock markets. Individual, small-scale investments into targeted start-ups/ industries could help facilitate growth in clean energy creation, bio tourism, etc. When compounded on a large scale, these investments could have the potential to create structural shifts in the market and promote bioeconomic ventures while suppressing industries damaging to these communities. By investing in operations owned by Indigenous or traditional communities, sustainable management over their affairs would be ensured for generations to come. In regard to incorporating sustainable management objectives to sectoral legislation, conservation advocates could promote partnerships between Indigenous/ traditional communities and nonprofits offering legal aid to permanently establish these objectives in writing with all proper legal terminology.

A final strategy mentioned was the progressive creation of capillary financial models that enable autonomous and local management of territories and resources with the effective participation of the Amazonian peoples/ communities. An effective capillary model should have, as much as possible, all value created in the economy re-absorbed into the local community rather than outsourced. This would mean that value generation would remain within the hands of Indigenous/ traditional communities instead of going to surrounding, urban areas. A circular economic model providing for all needs in these communities would eliminate outside dealings with urban providers of food, energy, etc. and ensure autonomy and local management of resources. Conservation advocates could aid in this process through the introduction of economic and energy consulting services to these communities to aid in the design of high-functioning, circular systems. Advocates could also continue to contend the creation of any infrastructure on Indigenous/ traditional lands that do not directly benefit such communities and/ or offer profit margins to them.

Este es un tema que me parece extremadamente interesante, y al respecto tengo algunas preguntas.

Es esta una de las mejores estrategias de generar impacto?

Deberían las organizaciones [publicas y/o privadas] de conservación tener un frente común para promover políticas que fortalezcan la governanca ambiental? o un espacio donde no sólo se cultive la memoria institucional colectiva (usualmente es: nuevo gobierno y todo lo anterior se olvida), pero un espacio para fortalecer las actuales políticas, leyes, reglamentos, etc.

En Loreto se tiene el Sistema de Conservación Regional que intenta entre otras cosas hacer esto pero nos falta mucho, cómo hacer que estos procesos de promoción de políticas sean más dinámicos y (nuevamente) que se cultive la memoria institucional colectiva?

Por donde empezar?