“The notion of the inextricable link implies not only that biological and cultural diversity are linked to a wide range of human-nature interactions, but also that they are co-evolved, interdependent, and mutually reinforcing.”
by UNESCO 2008

Policy

“We have ... achieved a better understanding of the nexus between the diversity of living beings and the diversity of cultures - which together make up the diversity of life on the planet. Nurturing human diversity through culture-based conservation, maintenance of traditional knowledge, revitalization of local practices of natural resource use and governance have become equally important objectives of IUCN as those of conserving species and ecosystems - because ultimately they are profoundly linked realities.”
by IUCN 2008

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Over the years, we have actively promoted the development and implementation of international policies that recognize the vital importance of the diversity of life in nature and culture. By working with larger organizations, including WWF, UNESCO, UNEP, IUCN, and the CBD, we have been instrumental in putting the links between biological and cultural diversity on the international agenda.

Today, the programs of work of many of these organizations acknowledge that biodiversity and cultural diversity go hand in hand and are mutually supportive, and that conservation efforts need to include both. At IUCN’s 4th World Conservation Congress (2008), we co-sponsored three bioculturally relevant resolutions that were adopted by the Members’ Assembly. Our work has also contributed to a variety of international processes, such as the World Summit on Sustainable Development, the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, the Millennium Development Goals, the Biodiversity Indicators Partnership, UNEP’s Global Environmental Outlook, and others. We have written numerous policy-relevant documents, statements, and reports on biocultural diversity.

The challenge now is to translate these advances into concrete action to sustain biocultural diversity. We continue to work toward this goal in various policy contexts, such as the 2010 Year of Biodiversity and the CBD’s 2010 Target.

Terralingua’s Key Activities in BCD Policy

  • Policy for Biocultural Diversity: Where Are We Now? policy_matters_17___front_cover_29894Article: Policy Matters, Issue 17. Policy for Biocultural Diversity: Where are we now? by Luisa Maffi. A brief history of the work that has been done to implement BCD into policy over the past 15 years. "It is arguably critical for advocates of biocultural diversity to continue to rise to the challenge and strive for concrete steps forward at the international and national levels that can, in turn, support and be influenced by local initiatives for biocultural diversity conservation."
  • 4th World Conservation Congress, Barcelona IUCN, Barcelona, 5-14 October 2008. Terralingua Collaborators Luisa Maffi, David Rapport, Ellen Woodley, David Harmon, and Jonathan Loh traveled to Barcelona, Spain to present Terralingua's current projects and contribute to key resolutions in this IUCN congress. This is a historical event in field of biocultural diversity, as it was recognized by the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) as a key issue, and an entire 'stream of events' concerning biocultural diversity were presented.
  • Sustaining Cultural and Biological Diversity in a Rapidly Changing World: Lessons for Global Policy Co-organizers (with American Museum of Natural History and IUCN), international conference “Sustaining Cultural and Biological Diversity in a Rapidly Changing World: Lessons for Global Policy”. American Museum of Natural History, New York, 2-5 April 2008. 
  • Policy Matters: Issue 13 PM_13_coverPublication: History, Culture, and Conservation, Policy Matters 13 special issue, G. Borrini-Feyerabend, K. MacDonald, and L. Maffi (eds.). “We are dealing with complex and interlinked biocultural phenomena, and the time is ripe to understand them better and apply that understanding in the practice of conservation." Luisa Maffi co-edited this issue of Policy Matters which includes for the first time, the instigative maps of Rick Stepp, Terralingua, and WWF. These maps are the first ever to show correlations between language, culture and environment. Section III: Understanding and Measuring Biocultural Diversity, contains articles by Luisa Maffi, Rick Stepp, David Harmon and Jonathan Loh, making this a must read for Terralingua enthusiasts and researchers in the field of Biocultural Diversity. The full issue of Policy Matters 13, can be downloaded here.
  • Indigenous and Traditional Peoples of the World and Ecoregion Conservation WWF-TL_report_coverPublication: Indigenous and Traditional Peoples of the World and Ecoregion Conservation: An Integrated Approach to Conserving the World's Biological and Cultural Diversity, by G. Oviedo, L. Maffi, and P.B. Larsen and companion map Indigenous and Traditional Peoples and the Global 200 Ecoregions. Gland, Switzerland: WWF-International and Terralingua. A Key Terralingua Publication. From this link you are able to down load the publication as well as the map.
  • U.N.E.S.C.O. Conference on Linguistic Heritage in India and Asia. Report on the U.N.E.S.C.O. Conference on Linguistic Heritage in India and Asia, March 2000, Mysore, India.
  • Cultural and Spiritual Values of Biodiversity Cultural and Spiritual Values of BiodiversityArticle: Linguistic Diversity (by L. Maffi and T. Skutnabb-Kangas with J. Andrianarivo). In Cultural and Spiritual Values of Biodiversity, D. Posey (ed.). Pp. 21-57. London/Nairobi: Intermediate Technology Publications/UN Environment Programme. Weaving together philosophical, historical, legal, scientific and personal viewpoints, this book gives a rich sample of the vast web which makes up our cultural, spiritual and social diversity.
  • Indigenous Peoples: Education and Language Accredited participants, 16th Session of UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations, Geneva, Switzerland, 27–31 July 1998. Statement “ Linguistic Human Rights in Education ” (UN doc. E/CN.4/Sub.2/AC.4/1998/2)submitted to 16th Session of UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations, Geneva, Switzerland, 27–31 July 1998, Principal Theme “Indigenous Peoples: Education and Language”.

Policy Relevent Links

Natural Justice - http://www.naturaljustice.org/