On the occasion of World Environment Day, the Secretariat of the International Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative (IPSI), launched a documentary on the “Role of indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs) in ecosystem restoration”. At a time when the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration is being launched, this documentary aims at better understanding the role that these communities play in various capacities. This is already evident from IPSI case studies and a variety of on-the-ground activities. Also at a global level, policymaking processes have developed mechanisms for working with IPLCs to explore knowledge systems that can benefit ecosystem restoration, biodiversity, and others, especially considering that many ecosystems are conserved and managed by local communities. 

Since 2010, IPSI has made efforts to understand how the relationships between humans and nature function in production landscapes and seascapes around the world from both social and scientific points of view. Through a variety of views, this documentary shows that a strong partnership of public, private and civil society partners, with IPLCs, can contribute to the implementation of the One Health Approach and create ecosystem-friendly, community-based jobs. 

The IPSI Secretariat hopes this video encourages various stakeholders to work for ecosystem restoration and create healthy societies in harmony with nature, and that the voices in this video give inspiration for discussion on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework under the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Please click here to view the video.