ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the author focuses on the use of traditional knowledge, the implementation of Indigenous Peoples’ rights in International Environmental Law (IEL), and ways in which the law is helping fulfill the purpose of the sustainable development goals. IPs’ rights are incorporated in various IELs and treaties related to the conservation of biological diversity, in particular the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Nagoya protocol. The CBD’s objectives are to conserve the diversity of living organisms, as well as the “sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources.” The Nagoya protocol helps IPs empower themselves through the principle of prior informed consent, with an emphasis on traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources. By incorporating indigenous rights, indigenous peoples have played an important role in securing biodiversity within the CBD.
