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This report by Friends of the Earth International categorizes 233 CBD decisions into five programmatic approaches: Community Forest Management (MCB), Biodiversity, Rights, Financialization (false solutions), and Governance. It provides a detailed analysis of key 'Principles and Declarations' and other relevant decisions to help indigenous peoples and local communities hold governments accountable for their international biodiversity commitments.

The report examines 233 CBD decisions, categorizing them into five priority axes for Friends of the Earth International (ATI): community forest management, biodiversity, rights, 'false solutions' (financialization of nature), and governance. It highlights key 'Principles and Declarations' and other relevant decisions, emphasizing the need to convert international agreements into national policies through National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs). The analysis focuses on the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities, the ecosystem approach to management, and the critique of market-based conservation mechanisms.

The document reviews 233 CBD decisions, categorizing them into five programmatic areas: Community Forest Management (CFM), Biodiversity, Rights, Financing (False Solutions), and Governance. It specifically details 'Principles and Declarations' and other relevant decisions that support a rights-based approach to conservation and warn against the 'financialisation of nature'.

The report by Friends of the Earth International critiques 'false solutions' to biodiversity loss and climate change, which it defines as market-based mechanisms that commodify nature. It argues that these solutions—such as carbon credits and biodiversity offsets—allow corporations to continue polluting through 'compensation' while stripping local and indigenous communities of their land rights. The document details a four-phase process of commodification where nature is redefined as 'natural capital' and 'ecosystem services.' It concludes that true solutions must address the root causes of ecological destruction by challenging capitalist accumulation and prioritizing social, gender, and environmental justice.

The report argues that 'false solutions' to environmental crises are characterized by the financialisation of nature, where ecosystems are treated as 'natural capital' and traded as commodities. These mechanisms, such as carbon credits and biodiversity offsets, allow corporations to continue polluting by paying for compensation elsewhere, often leading to the violation of Indigenous and local community rights. The document contrasts these with 'real solutions' based on grassroots power, social and gender justice, and the dismantling of capitalist accumulation.

The document emphasizes that community forest management (GCF) cannot exist without organized communities and the protection of their cultural and spiritual ties to their territories. It highlights the right of association as a fundamental human right, supported by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and UN declarations on indigenous peoples and peasants. The text argues that cultural rights—including traditional knowledge, language, and spirituality—are inextricably linked to land tenure; therefore, protecting the territory is the primary means of safeguarding these cultural rights. It calls for the integration of biocultural heritage into global biodiversity frameworks to combat the collapse of biodiversity and the loss of traditional knowledge.

The document asserts that community forest management (CFM) cannot exist without organised communities and the protection of their cultural and spiritual ties to their territories. It identifies the right to association as a fundamental human right supported by international frameworks, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The briefing further argues that cultural rights—such as the preservation of traditional knowledge and languages—are inextricably linked to territorial protection, as traditional practices occur within specific biological environments. It concludes that integrating biocultural heritage into global biodiversity frameworks is necessary to combat both the climate crisis and biodiversity loss.

The assessment finds that while Panama has integrated environmental and social considerations into its permitting process and recognizes Indigenous rights, its mining legal framework is outdated and lacks a cohesive national development policy. Key weaknesses include a lack of specific regulations for mine closure, inadequate oversight of tailings and waste, and weak transparency in the distribution of financial benefits. The report recommends modernizing the Code of Mineral Resources, establishing mandatory financial guarantees for mine closures, and joining the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI).

The report evaluates Panama's mining policy framework against international best practices. While it identifies strengths in environmental impact assessment processes and indigenous rights recognition, it highlights critical gaps in legislative modernization, financial transparency, and mine closure regulations. The document argues that Panama lacks a clear national mining policy, leading to legal instability and weak fiscal and environmental oversight.

Jon Eagle Sr., the Tribal Historic Preservation Officer for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, details the environmental and cultural harms caused by the Dakota Access Pipeline. He argues that the pipeline's continued operation, despite court rulings that its permits were illegal, constitutes a violation of treaties and a continuation of historical trauma against the Lakota people.

The 2020 assessment of the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF) finds that progress toward reducing deforestation from extractive sectors and infrastructure is slow. Despite some national policies and corporate commitments, a lack of transparency, weak enforcement, and a continued reliance on top-down extractive economic models hinder success. The report emphasizes that ending natural forest loss by 2030 requires a paradigm shift toward valuing forests and supporting community-led sustainable development.

The 2020 NYDF Progress Assessment finds that natural forest loss has increased since 2014, failing the target to halve the rate. While governments and companies have adopted some policies and commitments, implementation is slow, transparency is limited, and the pace of large-scale infrastructure and resource extraction continues to threaten intact forests. The report highlights a critical gap between high-level policy and on-the-ground enforcement, noting that Indigenous and local communities often lack influence in development planning and face increasing repression.

The report finds that the rate of natural forest cover loss has increased since 2014, failing to meet NYDF Goal 1. Progress on Goals 3 and 4 is slow, hampered by a lack of transparency in the extractive and infrastructure sectors, weak government enforcement of environmental laws, and a systemic failure to integrate the rights of indigenous peoples and smallholders into development planning. While some governments have established protected areas and REDD+ strategies, implementation is often undermined by political instability and the prioritization of resource extraction over forest conservation.

The 2020 NYDF progress assessment finds that natural forest loss has increased since 2014, with infrastructure and extractive industries posing growing threats. While some governments and companies have adopted sustainability policies, implementation is slow, transparency is limited, and environmental protections are being reversed in some regions. The report highlights a significant power imbalance that marginalizes indigenous peoples and local communities, and notes that financial flows for poverty reduction and deforestation prevention remain minimal compared to non-forest-aligned investments.

The 2020 NYDF assessment finds that natural forest loss has increased since 2014, failing the goal to halve the rate by 2020. The report highlights growing threats from large-scale infrastructure and extractive industries, noting a significant lack of transparency among companies and governments. While some progress has been made in designating protected areas and developing national forest strategies, implementation remains slow, and environmental protections are often weakened. The document emphasizes the need for a paradigm shift in valuing forests and the adoption of four specific strategies to align macroeconomic planning and project implementation with forest conservation and sustainable development.

The 2020 assessment of Goal 10 of the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF) finds that global progress in forest governance remains slow, with weak legal frameworks and limited enforcement continuing to drive deforestation. While some countries have implemented positive measures—such as Indonesia's permanent Forest and Peatland Moratorium and the regional Pacto de Leticia in the Amazon—these are offset by deregulation in countries like Brazil, Bolivia, and Peru. The report highlights a critical gap in land tenure, noting that only about half of the lands customarily held by Indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs) are legally recognized. Furthermore, violence against environmental defenders reached a record high in 2019, with 212 killings reported globally.

The report highlights the environmental and social devastation caused by soy expansion in the Brazilian Cerrado, where 50% of the original area has been destroyed. It identifies a high concentration of market power in the 'ABCD' group of traders (ADM, Bunge, Cargill, and Louis Dreyfus), who control 56% of global exports. The authors criticize French banks—notably BNP Paribas, Société Générale, BPCE, Crédit Agricole, and Crédit Mutuel—for providing billions of dollars in financing to these traders despite voluntary climate commitments. The report calls for financial actors to mandate a 'cut-off date' of January 1, 2020, beyond which soy from converted lands is no longer accepted, and to implement full traceability and independent monitoring.

The report examines Indigenous community broadcasting in 19 countries across Africa, Asia, North America, Central America, South America, and Oceania. It finds that while community radio is generally recognized, specific legal status for Indigenous-led stations is rare, with only four of fifteen countries that recognize community radio also recognizing Indigenous community radio. The study identifies 609 Indigenous community radio stations globally, with Canada and Australia accounting for 42% of the total. Key findings highlight the role of these stations in language revitalization, land defense, and the transfer of traditional knowledge, while also noting significant threats including government repression, criminalization of unlicensed broadcasters, and financial instability.

The update reports that Halcyon Agri has ceased deforestation in Cameroon and implemented a global No Deforestation policy. Key progress includes the establishment of the Cameroon Sustainability Council, the creation of grievance mechanisms for legacy and new issues, and the development of water treatment systems targeting zero effluent at the Sudcam factory. However, a July 2020 latex spill near Kribi highlighted remaining gaps in company responsiveness and transparency. Halcyon has also improved its global ESG transparency, ranking second in the ZSL SPOTT rubber commodity ranking with a score of 69.6%.

The document reports that Halcyon Agri has ceased deforestation in Cameroon and implemented a global zero-deforestation policy. Key progress includes the establishment of a multi-level Cameroonian Council for Sustainable Development and the creation of a grievance mechanism to address community land claims. However, challenges remain, such as a recent latex spill near Kribi and the need for further progress on indigenous rights and employment equity. The company is also transitioning to closed-circuit water treatment systems and improving supply chain transparency through the ZSL SPOTT tool.