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1. Political Declaration

Para. 25[A/Conf.199/L.6/Rev.2/Corr.1] states: “We reaffirm the vital role of indigenous peoples in sustainable development”. It should also be recalled that as a recognised ‘major group’, indigenous peoples are concerned by references throughout the political document to ‘major groups’.

2. Plan of Implementation

Traditional knowledge is mainstreamed throughout the WSSD Plan of Implementation. Specific entries on ‘traditional/indigenous knowledge’ or ‘indigenous and local resource management’ appears in 19 distinct paragraphs covering a broad range of concerns: poverty eradication [7e, h]; natural disaster mitigation [37f]; climate change [38i]; agriculture [40d, h, r]; mountain ecosystems [42e]; biodiversity [44h, j, k, l, p]; forests [45h]; health [54h]; Africa [63, 64d, 70c]; and science and technology [109a].

Extracts from Key Paragraphs

7(e) … Recognize that traditional and direct dependence on renewable resources and ecosystems, including sustainable harvesting, continues to be essential to the cultural, economic and physical well-being of indigenous people and their communities;

7(h) Provide access to agricultural resources for people living in poverty, especially women and indigenous communities, and promote, as appropriate, land tenure arrangements that recognize and protect indigenous and common property resource management systems; also 40(r)

40(h) Enact, as appropriate, measures that protect indigenous resource management systems and support the contribution of all appropriate stakeholders, men and women alike, in rural planning and development; also 40(d), 44(h), (k), 45(h), 70(c)

44(j) Subject to national legislation, recognize the rights of local and indigenous communities who are holders of traditional knowledge, innovations and practices, and, with the approval and involvement of the holders of such knowledge, innovations and practices, develop and implement benefit-sharing mechanisms on mutually agreed terms for the use of such knowledge, innovations and practices;

44(l) Promote the effective participation of indigenous and local communities in decision and policy-making concerning the use of their traditional knowledge;

44(p) Encourage successful conclusion of existing processes under the World Intellectual Property Organization Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore, and in the ad hoc open-ended working group on article 8 (j) and related provisions of the Convention;

109(a) Increase the use of scientific knowledge and technology, and increase the beneficial use of local and indigenous knowledge in a manner respectful of the holders of that knowledge and consistent with national law.