STATEMENT ON AGENDA ITEM 6(B) - INDIGENOUS AND LOCAL KNOWLEDGE Prasert Trakansuphakon, Centres of Distinction on ILK (Thailand) Thank you Mr. Chairman, for giving an opportunity for this statement on behalf of Centres of Distinction on Indigenous and Local Knowledge. Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities live and manage key biodiversity areas around the world. Our day-to-day decisions and actions significantly contribute to the resilience of biological and cultural systems and the fulfilment of sustainable development goals and the climate agreement. To increase the effectiveness of our work together, we established a network of Centers of Distinction on Indigenous and Local Knowledge. It is composed of organizations implementing programmes of work on traditional knowledge in different global regions and which have a long history of engagement with the United Nations system to deliver policy recommendations, implement projects and provide assessments, such as for biodiversity indicators and community-based monitoring systems. We are an open and inclusive network, with members from indigenous peoples and local communities. IPBES is a very important platform and we value its recognition of diverse knowledge systems, including indigenous and local knowledge in its conceptual framework and work programme.

The approach paper on Indigenous and local knowledge systems needs to build on lessons learned from experiences gained in working with indigenous and local knowledge around the world. We support 
a broad and inclusive definition of indigenous and local knowledge. We offer some comments about the participatory mechanisms proposed in the approach paper, based on our collective experience: 1. Web-based tools need to be complemented with other means of outreach towards indigenous peoples and local communities. The tools need to be well targeted, building on existing communication networks of indigenous peoples and local communities. 2. IPBES needs to engage organisations and networks active in the field of Indigenous and Local Knowledge to better mobilise the contributions of holders, individual experts and groups needed for IPBES activities. As the Centers of Distinction on ILK, we can provide expert knowledge in our different regions of the world. 3. The Centers of Distinction on Indigenous and Local Knowledge would like to serve as strategic partners that can bring our networks to support the work of IPBES. This will require funding and targeted support, including capacity-building activities with our members.

We are very happy to elaborate our views when the agenda item on 6(b) will be discussed in the contact group. STATEMENT ON AGENDA ITEM 6 (d) We note progress made and welcome the reports on deliverable 3 (d) on diverse conceptualization of multiple values of nature and its benefits and the classification of nature's contributions to people and the Workshop on Relational Values. However, we believe complementary work needs to be done on people's contribution to nature and the concept of cultural ecosystem services. For indigenous peoples, nature, biodiversity and ecosystem services are participatory and values are co-created through interaction. In a rapidly changing world, we need to create a positive vision of humans interacting with biodiversity and ecosystem services in both natural and human-dominated systems. We also need a deeper understanding of cultural ecosystem services. The activities to date are a good start, but we propose a workshop to bring together indigenous peoples' and local community views and data on values and cultural ecosystem services.