Biodiversity in German development cooperation after the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework: greater attention to the rights and contributions of Indigenous Peoples and local communities?

Abstract

The biodiversity crisis of rapid species extinction is met with conservation measures on a global scale. The current thesis examines the case of German development cooperation as the biggest financier of biodiversity conservation in the Global South, focusing on the in-volvement of Indigenous Peoples and local communities (IP&LC) in the planning and imple-mentation of biodiversity projects in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Based on inter-views with practitioners in German development cooperation and the protocol of a Bundes-tag hearing it is worked out how German conservation approaches often (still) follow a logic of ecological modernisation. On the other hand, the involvement of IP&LC is gaining sali-ence. By applying a post-colonial political ecology perspective, it is shown that on the imple-mentation level German development actors are aware of the importance of integrating the rights, worldviews and contributions of IP&LC into conservation. However, when it comes to policymaking, IP&LC are often still excluded due to structural obstacles. This bears the risk that IP&LC are merely included for the implementation of Western-designed conservation projects. Conversely, there is a chance that the growing awareness for IP&LC will translate into more participatory conservation that places human well-being at the centre.