CONSERVATION ET ZONES PROTÉGÉES

Friends of the Earth International (FoEI) advocates for a shift from 'fortress conservation' to a rights-based approach in the design of protected areas (PAs). The document emphasizes that the most effective conservation outcomes occur when lands are governed by indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs). It highlights the significance of Indigenous and Community Conserved Areas (ICCAs), which potentially cover 21% of the global territory, and calls for the post-2020 global biodiversity framework to recognize and protect 100% of these areas. FoEI proposes a hierarchy for expanding PAs that prioritizes the recognition of historical IPLC contributions, the protection of critical ecosystems in uninhabited regions, and the improvement of ecological representativeness and connectivity, all while ensuring public funding and the exclusion of biodiversity offsets.

• Protected areas (PAs) are valuable tools for combating biodiversity loss and the climate crisis, provided they are correctly implemented and managed to protect species, habitats, and natural processes.
• The 'fortress conservation' model, characterized by the imposition of PAs without free, prior, and informed consent, has led to land dispossession, forced evictions, and human rights violations, effectively acting as a new form of colonization.
• Conservation outcomes are optimized when areas are governed by indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs), whose rights must be respected and implemented.
• Indigenous and Community Conserved Areas (ICCAs) are estimated to cover approximately 21% of the global territory and 22% of global biodiversity key areas; if incorporated, 31% of the planet's land would be dedicated to conservation or ecological maintenance.
• FoEI argues that the post-2020 global biodiversity framework should aim to recognize, protect, and promote 100% of ICCAs, provided the rights of IPLCs are respected.
• A proposed hierarchy for improving the PA system prioritizes: 1) recognizing historical IPLC contributions and maintaining their control over lands; 2) protecting ecosystems in uninhabited regions; 3) increasing the quantity, quality, and connectivity of high-value habitats based on scientific data; 4) ensuring conservation measures are not used as offsets for biodiversity-destroying projects; 5) establishing separate accounting and indicators for the CBD; and 6) controlling drivers of biodiversity loss such as harmful subsidies.
• Effective PA systems require public funding to ensure functionality and to support IPLC land access, explicitly rejecting corporate agreements or offset funds.

APA

Friends of the Earth International (n.d.). CONSERVATION ET ZONES PROTÉGÉES. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Conservation-et-zones-protegees.pdf

Chicago

Friends of the Earth International. CONSERVATION ET ZONES PROTÉGÉES. n.d. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Conservation-et-zones-protegees.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Friends of the Earth International |title=CONSERVATION ET ZONES PROTÉGÉES |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Conservation-et-zones-protegees.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{friendsoftheearthinternationalndconservation, author = {{Friends of the Earth International}}, title = {{CONSERVATION ET ZONES PROTÉGÉES}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Conservation-et-zones-protegees.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }