April 29, 2025– At the recent UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, the International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity (IIFB) delivered a powerful statement calling for stronger Indigenous leadership in global biodiversity efforts.
Speaking on behalf of IIFB, Jennifer Tauli Corpuz highlighted the progress made under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), which recognizes the vital role of Indigenous Peoples in protecting nature. This framework, adopted at COP 15, includes at least seven targets that reflect Indigenous rights and contributions.
A key achievement welcomed by IIFB is the creation of a new permanent body to focus on Indigenous issues under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). This replaces the previous working group and marks a big step forward in ensuring Indigenous voices are heard in global biodiversity policy.
IIFB urged that the new body continue inclusive practices, like having Indigenous co-chairs and advisors, and be guided by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, especially the right to self-determined representation.
Beyond structure, IIFB stressed the need to move forward quickly on actual work. Several KMGBF targets refer directly to Indigenous lands and rights, and these ideas must be clearly defined and acted upon.
IIFB called on the UN and CBD Secretariat to fully support this new body with the necessary resources and leadership opportunities. They reaffirmed their commitment to working towards a more inclusive and effective biodiversity framework that puts Indigenous Peoples at the center.