Cette note d’information a pour objet d’aider les pays à reconnaître et à soutenir les territoires et les aires du patrimoine conservés par les peuples autochtones et les communautés locales (APAC), en restant sensibles et respectueux des nombreuses questions en cause. Elle contient des éléments de base sur les APAC ainsi qu’un condensé de leçons apprises, et des recommandations pour les gouvernements qui mettent en oeuvre le Programme de travail de la CDB sur les Aires protégées (PoWPA).
Se espera que la presente Nota Informativa los oriente de manera sensible y respetuosa teniendo en cuento los muchos temas involucrados. Contiene hechos fundamentales acerca de las ICCA, sintetiza lecciones aprendidas, y ofrece recomendaciones para los gobiernos qui implementan el Programa de Trabajo sobre Áreas Protegidas del CDB (PoWPA). La Nota ofrece también consejos sintéticos sobre qué hacer y qué no hacer dirigidos a los gobiernos y la sociedad civil qui están comprometarget_idos en mantener los immensos beneficios de las ICCA en términos de conservación y sustento a los medios de vida.
The project of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MARN) titled “Promoting Sustainable and Resilient Territories in Landscapes of the Central Volcanic Chain in Guatemala,” funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), with support from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) through technical assistance, helped establish Payment for Environmental Services (PES) mechanisms in Concepción Chiquirichapa, Quetzaltenango, and Esquipulas Palo Gordo, San Marcos, in Guatemala, aimed at protecting water resources and forests. These mechanisms combine compensation and payments linked to water use, with the active participation of local stakeholders, especially women. Technical Advisory Committees were formed to oversee implementation, and technical and financial guidelines as well as community agreements were established. The process included capacity building, outreach, and monitoring. Currently, the initiative benefits more than 38,000 people through 216 conservation agreements.
The Motagua River Basin Integrated Environmental Management Project aims to reduce land-based pollution and unintentional emissions of POPs that affect aquatic ecosystems—particularly marine and coastal ecosystems—through integrated watershed management and capacity building in Guatemala and Honduras. Within this framework, a pilot project was implemented to protect and restore water recharge areas in the Cerro San Gil Springs Protected Reserve, Puerto Barrios, Izabal, within the Las Escobas River basin, the municipality’s main water source. Through partnerships between public institutions, conservation organizations, and local communities, ecological restoration efforts, patrols, and conservation agreements were promoted. A total of 85 hectares were restored and 1,800 hectares were protected. The initiative benefited more than 32,000 residents and strengthened local governance for water and ecosystem conservation.
Guatemala is considered as one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change, facing threats to water and food security as well as livelihoods. Despite this, climate action has received insufficient consideration in the country’s development agenda and local planning.
To address these issues, the EbA-LAC program has collaborated with relevant institutional teams to establish a joint approach towards guiding municipalities in the incorporation of climate considerations into their planning and budgeting processes. Through advocacy actions, key actors have updated the public investment system to include adaptation products, providing a procedural framework for municipalities to access funding and include adaptation measures in municipal budgets. In addition, by improving inter-institutional coordination, facilitating joint municipal planning tools, as well as strengthening municipalitechnical capacities, EbA-LAC has succeeded in paving the way for municipalities to leverage synergies towards an increased resilience.
Indigenous peoples living near protected areas in Costa Rica have limited access to livelihood opportunities, while logging, poaching, and other challenges have threatened biodiversity in the country. Indigenous entrepreneurship in sustainable tourism can generate local income and, at the same time, contribute to biodiversity conservation and cultural heritage protection. However, restricted access to credit, particularly among Indigenous women, prevents many from engaging in this sector.
The Government of Costa Rica, with support from the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), launched RAÍCES — a pioneering startup incubator that provides Indigenous-led sustainable tourism businesses with non-refundable seed capital, capacity building, and support to develop nature-positive business models.
RAÍCES has mobilized USD 1,947,019.48 to support 40 Indigenous-led businesses (64% of them led by women), contributing to the sustainable management of 2,222 hectares of forest.
Promoting fishing, responsible tourism, and marine-coastal conservation through the use of low-impact fishing gear and activities are the pillars of FEPACOIBA’s good management practices. This is complemented by the support and coordination of partners for training, research, and data generation for decision-making, both by authorities and internally within organizations, for the management of marine and coastal resources. Also, within the framework of technological innovation and with the support of regional organizations such as MarViva, satellite monitoring is implemented to prevent illegal fishing and ensure the safety of local actors when navigating the coasts. Likewise, tourist activities are carried out with respect for the natural environment.
Women have a fundamental role in biodiversity conservation in Costa Rica and globally. However, gender-based barriers limit their access to biodiversity-related financial mechanisms, such as payments for environmental services and credit for sustainable agriculture and bio-businesses.
In 2020, the Ministry of Environment and Energy of Costa Rica (MINAE) and the Biodiversity Finance Imitative (BIOFIN) of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) launched the umbrella programme +Women +Nature to promote gender equality in biodiversity. Central to this initiative are three mechanisms to increase women’s access to finance, including two credit lines and one payment for environmental services scheme.
These mechanisms have strengthened women’s agency in conservation through USD 6,979,050 in credit lines and 530 payment for environmental services contracts, contributing to biodiversity conservation and inclusive economic development in Costa Rica.
In Panama’s western highlands, small coffee farmers face growing pressures from pests, plant diseases and climate change. Heavy reliance on chemical pesticides has harmed biodiversity, degraded soils and threatened pollinators. This solution shows how endophytic fungi, microorganisms that live naturally inside plants, can serve as effective biological pest control adapted to local conditions. Fungal strains were identified and transformed into low-cost formulations that were tested on coffee farms, where they significantly reduced the need for chemical inputs. The initiative brings together scientists, government institutions and local communities, with a strong focus on training and empowering women farmers. By addressing biodiversity loss, land degradation and gaps in technical capacity, the project strengthens sustainable livelihoods and climate resilience. Farmers benefit through higher yields, lower costs and healthier ecosystems, creating a scalable model for sustainable coffee production in Panama and beyond.
«Unidos por la naturaleza en el camino hacia 2045: una visión estratégica de 20 años para la Unión» articula el compromiso de la UICN con «un mundo justo que valora y conserva la naturaleza» y establece una dirección clara para las próximas dos décadas. Orienta los esfuerzos colectivos para salvaguardar la biodiversidad, inspirar el compromiso social e impulsar un cambio transformador hacia un futuro sostenible.
«Unidos por la naturaleza en el camino hacia 2045: una visión estratégica de 20 años para la Unión» articula el compromiso de la UICN con «un mundo justo que valora y conserva la naturaleza» y establece una dirección clara para las próximas dos décadas. Orienta los esfuerzos colectivos para salvaguardar la biodiversidad, inspirar el compromiso social e impulsar un cambio transformador hacia un futuro sostenible.
«Unidos por la naturaleza en el camino hacia 2045: una visión estratégica de 20 años para la Unión» articula el compromiso de la UICN con «un mundo justo que valora y conserva la naturaleza» y establece una dirección clara para las próximas dos décadas. Orienta los esfuerzos colectivos para salvaguardar la biodiversidad, inspirar el compromiso social e impulsar un cambio transformador hacia un futuro sostenible.
