Los conocimientos tradicionales y la utilización consuetudinaria sostenible de la diversidad biológica

The document serves as a guide for indigenous peoples and local communities to understand their rights and responsibilities under international frameworks regarding biodiversity. It focuses heavily on the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), particularly Articles 8(j) and 10(c), which mandate that parties respect, preserve, and maintain traditional knowledge and encourage customary use of biological resources. The guide outlines various voluntary instruments, such as the Akwé: Kon Guidelines and the Tkarihwaié:ri Ethical Code of Conduct, and discusses other relevant frameworks from the FAO, ILO, and UN. It also identifies key challenges, such as the restrictive nature of 'compatibility' requirements for conservation and the lack of clarity regarding intellectual property rights.

• The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), a binding treaty adopted in 1992 and ratified by 193 governments, establishes critical protections for indigenous and local communities through Article 8(j) and Article 10(c).
• Article 8(j) of the CBD imposes three primary obligations on member states: recognizing traditional knowledge as comparable to scientific knowledge, promoting its wider application with the free, prior, and informed consent of the holders, and ensuring the fair and equitable sharing of benefits derived from its use.
• Article 10(c) of the CBD requires parties to protect and encourage the customary use of biological resources, which necessitates ensuring security of tenure for traditional territories and respect for customary laws and cultural values.
• The CBD has adopted several voluntary instruments to implement these rights, including the 2004 Akwé: Kon Guidelines for cultural, environmental, and social impact assessments, and the 2010 Tkarihwaié:ri Ethical Code of Conduct for researchers working with indigenous communities.
• Beyond the CBD, other international frameworks provide support, such as the FAO's International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (2001), which recognizes 'Farmers' Rights' to conserve and sell seeds, and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2007), which grants rights to control and protect cultural heritage and intellectual property.
• A significant limitation of Articles 8(j) and 10(c) is that they only apply to communities whose traditional lifestyles or practices are deemed 'relevant' or 'compatible' with conservation, potentially excluding those displaced or marginalized by external pressures.
• The document identifies a lack of clarity and ongoing conflict regarding intellectual property rights, noting that CBD parties often defer these issues to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) rather than addressing them within the Convention.
• Community-led initiatives, such as the Baka people in Cameroon's Dja Biosphere Reserve, have used GPS and software to map territories and document customary practices to negotiate recognition of their rights with government agencies.

APA

Natural Justice (n.d.). Los conocimientos tradicionales y la utilización consuetudinaria sostenible de la diversidad biológica. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Traditional-Knowledge-SP.pdf

Chicago

Natural Justice. Los conocimientos tradicionales y la utilización consuetudinaria sostenible de la diversidad biológica. n.d. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Traditional-Knowledge-SP.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Natural Justice |title=Los conocimientos tradicionales y la utilización consuetudinaria sostenible de la diversidad biológica |url=https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Traditional-Knowledge-SP.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{naturaljusticendlos, author = {{Natural Justice}}, title = {{Los conocimientos tradicionales y la utilización consuetudinaria sostenible de la diversidad biológica}}, institution = {Natural Justice}, url = {https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Traditional-Knowledge-SP.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }