International Workshop on Indigenous and Traditional Territories (ITTs) and Biodiversity Conservation

The International Workshop on Indigenous and Traditional Territories (ITTs) and Biodiversity Conservation will bring together Indigenous Peoples’ experts from the seven socio-cultural regions to exchange knowledge and views on the vital role of ITTs in conserving and restoring biodiversity, advancing spatial planning, and addressing climate change.

The workshop will strengthen the capacity of Indigenous Peoples and local communities to engage in the implementation of the New Programme of Work on Article 8(j) of the Convention on Biological Diversity, and to contribute effectively to the First meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Article 8(j) and Other Provisions of the Convention on Biological Diversity Related to Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (SB8j-1), which will take place in  October 2025 in Panama.

The workshop will address the global recognition that Indigenous Peoples and local communities conserve biodiversity in their Indigenous and Traditional Territories (ITTs)  without these being Protected Areas (PAs) or Other Effective area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs), which marks a new pathway in the conservation paradigm.

The recommendations of the workshop will be presented at the First meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Article 8(j) and Other Provisions of the Convention on Biological Diversity Related to Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (SB8J-1) (Panama City, 27–30 October 2025), the IUCN World Conservation Congress (Abu Dhabi, 9-15 October 2025), and the United Nations Climate Change Conference – COP30 (Belém, 10 – 21 November 2025).