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We’re excited to share the very first newsletter from the Alliance
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The Ethical Conservation Alliance has been created to transform the way nature conservation is practiced across the world’s lands, oceans, and air.
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This growing professional alliance of conservation leaders, currently from 30 countries, is committed to creating a global movement in ethical nature conservation by sensitizing and training conservationists, governments, and other stakeholders.
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Photo credit: Justine Alexander & Ewaso Lions
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What is ethical nature conservation?
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Committing ourselves to stronger ethics in the way we view and treat wildlife and people in conservation
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Protecting biodiversity while promoting social justice, and helping enable indigenous peoples and local communities, typically bearing the costs of inequitable conservation approaches, to become its most important leaders and beneficiaries
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Acknowledging the historical wrongs in our nature conservation approaches, and committing to doing right by indigenous peoples and local communities
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A brief history of the Alliance
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On December 2nd, 2022, ahead of the 15th Conference of Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD CoP) in Montreal, conservation leaders from around the world issued the Kashka Suu statement, calling for establishing respectful, ethical and resilient conservation partnerships with indigenous peoples and local communities. The statement was referenced at the CBD CoP by the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic, where the village of Kashka Suu is located. Following this, the Ethical Conservation Alliance was formally launched on 6th November, 2023 at the People for Planet Summit in London, United Kingdom.
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Steering Committee constituted
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Our alliance currently has 46 members from 30 countries, representing 36 organizations.
Our current Steering Committee members are: Dr. Alifereti Tawake (Fiji), Dr. Hotlin Ompusunggu (Indonesia), Mr. Manfred Epanda (Cameroon), Dr. Rachel Graham (Belize, Panama), Dr. Rodrigo Medellin (Mexico), Dr. Shivani Bhalla (Kenya), and Ms Vatosoa Rakotondrazafy (Madagascar), supported by Ms. Bayarjargal Agvaantseren (Mongolia; ECA Coordinator) and Dr. Charudutt Mishra (India).
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Latest News
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Photo credit: Whitley Fund for Nature
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Ethical Conservation Alliance launched on 6th November, 2023
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The Ethical Conservation Alliance was launched in London on 6th November, 2023, at the People for Planet Summit.
“Across the world, conservation efforts have historically been founded on injustices to local and indigenous communities, and they continue to be so even today…Through trainings, awareness, policy interventions and international cooperation, we aim to transform the way biodiversity conservation is practiced across the earth’s lands and oceans by making it more ethical.”
See Dr. Charu Mishra’s full speech at the launch here.
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Photo credit: GSLEP/ Convention on Migratory Species
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Session conducted for sensitizing Governments
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A dedicated session on ethical conservation was held for government representatives of Asia’s snow leopard range countries in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on February 11, 2024. At the 8th Steering Committee Meeting of the intergovernmental alliance of Environment Ministers, called the Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection Program, participating ministers and senior civil servants were informed about the Ethical Conservation Alliance, and the alignment of our mission with globally ratified conventions such as Convention on Biological Diversity, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and the Convention on Migratory Species. Principles and best practices in ethical conservation were shared, and the officials were informed about how the Ethical Conservation Alliance can serve as an impactful resource for all governments. The Samarkand Resolution, which is currently in the process of endorsement by the 12 snow leopard range countries, explicitly states the desire of the respective governments to explore synergies with the initiatives and the goals of the Ethical Conservation Alliance. We expect such interactions with Governments to set the stage for policy interventions and new laws in support of ethical conservation.
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Photo credit: Manfred Epanda Aime
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Training workshops conducted for conservationists
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The Alliance has so far conducted 10 introductory or full training workshops (including training of trainers) in various countries including Brazil, Cameroon, Finland, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, and Mongolia, where 162 conservationists from more than 40 countries enhanced their skills in ethical and effective community engagement. We thank our members who conducted these workshops: Ms. Bayarjargal Agvaantseren (Mongolia), Ms. Benazir Kabaeva (Kyrgyzstan), Dr. Charu Mishra (India), Mr. Epanda Manfred Aime (Cameroon), Ms. Estelle Balian (France), Ms. Jennifer Snell Rullman (USA), Dr. Juliette Young (France), Dr. Justine Shanti Alexander (France), Dr. Koustubh Sharma (Kyrgyzstan), Dr. Micaela Camino (Argentina), Dr. Nadia Mijiddorj (Mongolia), and Dr. Shivani Bhalla (Kenya).
Any organization interested in receiving training in community engagement for nature conservation is welcome to contact us.
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Resources
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Visit our website to freely access videos and other resources related to effective and ethical local community engagement for conservation.
Stay tuned for a new trainer’s manual for conducting training workshops in PARTNERS Principles for community conservation.
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From the Field
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Photo credit: Micaela Camino
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Sharing PARTNERS Principles with conservation leaders from Latin America: Dr. Micaela Camino
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“In August 2023, I had the pleasure of introducing the PARTNERS principles to 15 dedicated conservation professionals from the Americas. We conducted this workshop at the renowned Instituto de Pesquisas Ecológicas (IPE) in São Paulo, Brazil. It’s one of the most respected institutes in the field of conservation, both regionally and globally. This workshop was a part of a training course organized by the Whitley Funds for Nature. Our participants were individuals who have received the prestigious Whitley Award and work passionately in conserving endangered species and environments, often in collaboration with local communities.”
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Do you work with indigenous people and local communities, and are facing issues you would like to discuss, or get assistance on?
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Photo credit: Farwiza Farhan
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Spread the message
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We request you to please forward this newsletter to at least ONE more person who might find it useful
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Photo credit: Sonam Tashi Lama
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Support us
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If you’d like to make a donation to the Ethical Conservation Alliance, please write to us here
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Ethical Conservation Alliance is financially supported by:
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