Harry Jonas, Natural Justice, explained that the legal review commissioned by the Indigenous Peoples’ and Community Conserved Areas and Territories (ICCA) Consortium investigated how law and jurisprudence both supported and hindered indigenous peoples and local communities (ILCs) in their conservation efforts, and explored how ILCs engage with these legal frameworks. He underlined key conclusions of the global review, including that legal recognition and support of ICCAs remain weak or absent, and that IPLCs often have difficulties accessing judicial systems.

Colonel Souleye Ndiaye, Director of National Parks, Senegal, discussed community-managed natural reserves and sacred sites, observing that there is limited judicial recognition of how well-managed these Protected Areas (PAs) are. He illustrated how local communities have used decentralization laws to formally establish ICCAs, and stressed the importance of incorporating local and gender-based institutions in conservation governance.

Samson Pedragosa, Philippine Association for Intercultural Development (PAFID) illustrated how remaining forest-cover, PAs, and ICCAs overlap in the Philippines. He provided an analysis of how the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act, and the Philippine Mining Act impact Indigenous peoples’ rights and their ancestral domain delineation claims, often in contradictory directions. He concluded that recent efforts to harmonize overlapping policies often led to an erosion of Indigenous Peoples’ rights.

Dau-Jye Lu, Tao Foundation, stressed the challenge of raising awareness of ICCAs within the legal community, not only in terms of Indigenous Peoples’ rights, but also as a tool for biodiversity conservation.

Neema Pathak Broome, Kalpavriksh, described challenges ILCs have in claiming rights under the Forest Right Act, including: lack of trust, complicated filing processes, inadequate training, and poor facilitation by government departments.

Simone Lovera, Global Forest Coalition, summarized lessons from the Americas. She discussed key recommendations including; the importance of a rights-based approach; the rejection of the colonial doctrine that denies rights to indigenous peoples; and that successful cases are based on the strength of traditional governance institutions.

Roland Melish, TRAFFIC International, and Chauaibou Nchoutpouen, COMIFAC, presented on Central Africa: integrating a bushmeat monitoring system within a sub-regional context. Melish noted that bushmeat is a complex matter guided by the question of whether existing guidelines on food, biodiversity, forestry and health help development and conservation decision-makes to take well informed decisions regarding the harvesting, consumption and trade in wild meat. On actions, he called for the adoption of recommendations from the Liaison Group on Bushmeat as revised by SBSTTA 15.

Chouaïbou Nchoutpouen, COMIFAC, highlighted his organization’s initiatives including: the convergence plan on bushmeat; establishment of transboundary Protected Areas; establishment of a Central Africa Working Group on Wildlife and Protected Areas; and a regional bushmeat monitoring system for Central Africa.

Tahir Rasheed, IUCN-SULI, discussed community-based natural resource management (CBNRM) and sustainable use of wild meat, highlighting CBNRM a key approach to re-aligning human and conservation interests. He observed that in the Congo Basin, over exploitation dynamics and responses are driven by rapidly growing commercial urban markets, and a breakdown of traditional tenure systems and local rules.

Noelle Kümpel, Zoological Society of London (ZSL), presented options for bushmeat alternatives noting the aim was to explore options in order to reduce harvesting to sustainable levels and also protecting those who depend on bushmeat. She presented a case study on Equatorial Guinea, where ZSL is working in 12 sites looking at bushmeat issues from an urban as well as a rural community perspective. She discussed potential bushmeat alternatives including: new sources of income and protein; community forest management; and improved regulation of bushmeat hunting, trade and consumption.

Johannes Stahl, CBD, provided an overview of the CBD electronic media tool kit on bushmeat, which will be launched in December 2012. He explained that the objective is to broaden and mainstream the discussion on bushmeat by providing resources, information as well as relevant contact points.

Opening the event, Neville Ash, UNEP, provided a brief introduction on the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) and its main functions. He noted that the current process on IPBES focused on making the Platform operational and preparing the first work programme, including the capacity building function, which would be considered at the upcoming first Plenary Meeting of IPBES in January 2013.

Ivar Baste, Norwegian Directorate for Nature Management, Jeremy Harrison, UNEP-WCMC, and Caroline Petersen, UNDP, jointly presented on the proposed Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services BES-Net capacity building network. Baste introduced the BES-Net proposal, explaining that it would be integrated into IPBES work streams, provide face-to-face activities through a network of networks, and offer an online web portal to facilitate knowledge access and sharing. He also discussed the activities being conducted under the interim secretariat established in Norway to support capacity building for IPBES, including regional workshops and the development of the BES-Net proposal.

Jeremy Harrison, UNEP-WCMC, elaborated on proposed activities to support capacity building under IPBES and how a BES-Net web portal could contribute to these efforts. He explained that a web portal could: provide a “one-stop-shop” to access partner websites, communities of practice, e-learning, and case studies; serve as a brokering service to match needs with available services and resources; access a portfolio of initiatives addressing priority needs identified by IPBES; offer peer-to-peer exchanges and inter-community learning opportunities on best practice; facilitate regional science-policy-practice dialogues; and support a fellowship programme for developing country experts participating in IPBES.

Caroline Petersen, UNDP, walked participants through the structure and main content of the proposed web portal. She stressed that it should be closely tied and targeted to IPBES work streams, and aim to improve linkages between scientists, policy-makers, and local practitioners.

Spencer Thomas, Grenada, facilitated a discussion session aimed at providing the presenters feedback on the proposals for BES-Net and how it could match needs under the CBD. Participants noted: the importance of not duplicating efforts; identifying types of information needed by decision-makers to address the main drivers of biodiversity loss; highlighting IPBES deliverables related to Aichi Targets; mapping the activities of existing networks; including traditional knowledge; and offering a searchable roster of experts.