COP 15 Outlook of Indigenous People, Local Communities and Sustainable Use of Wild Species against Climate Crisis

Reading this article, you will get to know the following, 

• Sustainable Consumption of Wild Species
• Sustainable Livelihood Practices with Wild Species
• Importance of Wild Species
• Threats and Challenges on Utilization of Wild Species
• Conservation of Wild Species and COP15 Sustainable development goals

We often need to pay more attention to how essential forests are for jobs and livelihoods. However, forests provide 86 million green jobs, and 1.6 billion people depend on forests worldwide, according to UN-REDD. In addition, various utilities of wild species include food, energy, materials, medicine, recreation, inspiration and many other vital contributions to human well-being.  

The 15th Conference of Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity adopted the “Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework” (GBF), including four goals and 23 targets to be achieved by 2030. Primarily, indigenous people, local communities and sustainable use of wild species were considered. Hence, we carried out a more in-depth evaluation of this.

Sustainable Consumption of Wild Species

Wild plants are fundamentally used as a food source or medicine.Wild foods contain various nutrients, including wild herbs, wild fruits, wild yams, flowers and honey, wild fish, meat, and wild mushrooms.

Wild food plants (WFPs) are “species that grow spontaneously in self-sustaining populations outside cultivated areas, in field margins, forests, woodland, riverine, and wetlands, independently of human activity.”

Most plant parts are eaten directly in fresh forms. But some plants that grow in the forest, especially mushrooms and yams, contain toxic substances. But, traditional people understood the plant parts to be eaten and how to use them for medicine. Hence, they had no reason to worry about plant poisoning and allergens.

There was a strong belief, mainly by the indigenous people, that wild food has a greater capacity to maintain good health conditions for those who depend on them. During our investigation, we discovered that research agreed that wild food plants (WFPs) have exceptional nutrient values and are a  good source of vitamins, fibres, minerals, and fatty acids.

Most wild edible plants were eaten as alternative foods rather than as regular meals. However, there are also beautiful recipes for making dishes. Among the methods used by the traditional people, including the ‘Vaddah community’ of Sri Lanka, fresh salad dishes, dried or roasted yams, honey induced meats are on top of the list.

Diet and Fitness Expert Dr Melina Jampolis, a Physician Nutrition Specialist, said. 

 “Wild game such as deer, elk and antelope tend to be very lean due to their active lifestyle and natural diet. Their meat, therefore, is lower in total and saturated fat than red meat.”

On top of everything, the Medicinal value of wild species is more imperative in the present.About 50,000-70,000 plant species are used worldwide in traditional and modern medicines.

Sustainable Livelihood Practices with Wild Species

One in five people rely on wild plants, algae, and fungi for their food and income, and 2.4 billion rely on fuel wood for cooking, according to the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) report 2022. All jobs are at somewhat risk due to climate change. However, better conservation and land management actions offer a feasible, cost-effective option to mitigate climate change.

Traditional people continue their livelihoods while some work with business experts or entrepreneurs, and some work under experts. Forests provide 86 million green jobs (UN-Redd), which shows how vital wildlife is.

Improving the adaptation knowledge supporting nature-based solutions is critically important to practice sustainable methods among local communities.

Knowledge sharing among indigenous or local communities with developed nations is the most important. That’s because they always make fabric, jewellery, equipment and almost everything they need in an environmentally friendly way.

Importance of Wild Species

NCBI research study reported that rural communities in Ethiopia use wild edible plants to survive, especially during droughts, famines and other calamities. Wild edible plants have high nutritional content, including proteins, vitamin B2, and vitamin C, which can be used as alternatives to conventional plant-based human diets.

Wild species are cheap and are alternative sources of healthy and nutritious food. Children living in rural areas can benefit greatly from it.

Moreover, Wild species fill seasonal food shortages and serve as emergency food during famine. They are also suitable for household food security and provide nutrition in some rural areas.  

The genetic diversity of wild species adds health benefits to both humans and animals.

Threats and Challenges for Utilizing Wild Species.

Wild species face many challenges currently. Expansion of agricultural lands, developmental activities, urbanisation, and habitat destruction are primary anthropogenic challenges. In addition, prolonged drought and irregular rainfall patterns created by climate change further worsen the life of the wilderness.

We are now driven to “peak human population” since there are 8 billion people worldwide. This insinuates that 8 billion people are currently searching for food. Overharvesting and overgrazing natural resources. These are the main factors that reduce the diversity and density of wild edible plants.   

Over the past decades, we have experienced a steady increase in temperature. That leads to the spread of invasive species that thrive in new ranges, putting more pressure on fragile ecosystems.

Pollution is a significant driver of wild species loss. In addition, plastic and polythene usage, fossil fuel burning, and industrial waste dumping threaten the air, water and soil quality.

Please read our article on Sri Lankan medicinal plants under threat due to climate change for further information on medicinal plants and their status. 

Conservation of wild species – COP 15

Illegal and unsustainable trade fuels biodiversity loss threatening the status of species, ecosystems and the well-being of individuals who depend on wild resources for their livelihoods. 

Agroforestry systems may protect against complete deforestation for intensive agriculture, thus preserving wild ecologies to a degree while maintaining local access to forest foods.

Political, social, economic, cultural values and religious beliefs also play a prominent role in the consumption of wild species. Therefore, an upsurge in public awareness is worthwhile and delivers the message to the next generations. More can be read from here .Archived

Science, technology and education play a crucial role in conservation because effective regulation of wild species is vital.

COP15, GBF’s four goals include restoring declined ecosystems, and supporting the achievement of sustainable development, for the benefit of present and future generations by 2050 as the second goal (GOAL-B).  

The third goal (GOAL C) includes that traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources, as applicable, are shared fairly and equitably, as appropriate with indigenous peoples and local communities, to be substantially increased by 2050 while ensuring traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources is appropriately protected.  

From these statements, we can say the COP 15 biodiversity conference paid more attention to wild species conservation for the future.   

In a Nutshell

Wild species have always provided essential and widespread utilities.  They are used as food or an energy source, materials, medicine, or any other vital contributions to human well-being.  One in five people rely on wild species, providing 86 million green jobs worldwide. Wild species are healthy and cheap alternatives, but climate change, urbanisation, habitat destruction and many other factors are already threatening wild species. Sustainable livelihood practices, including sharing knowledge of indigenous people, are more urgent to protect wild species for further usage.