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The Promise of Sydney ‐ Draft 1 ‐ 12 September 2014 for comment (see response form)
1.
Vision
We, the 4000 participants from 160 countries in the IUCN World Parks Congress 2014 from 12‐19 November 2014 celebrate the promise of protected areas worldwide to conserve the world’s rich diversity of nature in lands, waters and oceans, to engage people from all walks of life to benefit from nature’s beauty and to contribute inspiring solutions to challenges that the world faces now and in the future. We commit to taking this Promise of Sydney to every corner of our planet, to govern and manage protected areas with respect and justice, to engage and inspire a new generation of custodians and to apply our knowledge and understanding to provide solutions for global sustainability. A decade ago, encouraged by our patrons Nelson Mandela and Queen Noor of Jordan, the Vth IUCN World Parks Congress contributed to the historical agreement of the world’s first multilateral agreement on protected areas at the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in Kuala Lumpur in 2004. These protected areas are making a vital contribution towards achieving the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011‐2020 and to its Aichi Targets. Now in Sydney, inspired by diverse contributions from ……. we commit to accelerating the pace of implementing these plans. Drawing on innovative examples of effective implementation of conservation actions from around the world, we commit to disseminating and applying these inspiring solutions to conservation practice at all levels, inspiring a new generation of protected area and conservation practitioners to invest in effective approaches that achieve results. We also mark a turning point in Sydney, where we have assembled the evidence for protected areas and their many values and functions being placed at the heart of the world’s aspirations for human well‐being and sustainability. We celebrate this new appreciation of the value and role of protected areas and their diverse custodians; we envisage the protected areas of the world as the foundation of a protected planet, where the legitimate needs and aspirations of human society can be met and where protected areas play their essential role in a new relationship in society to secure sustainability. We commit to placing protected areas at the heart of achieving the new Sustainable Development Goals across all of their dimensions. To expedite this Promise, the IUCN World Parks Congress 2014 draws the world’s attention to the imperative of effecting transformative action by: 1. Committing to the conservation of all sites essential for the conservation of biodiversity within and beyond protected areas, in terrestrial, freshwater and marine realms, and drawing the line on activities that degrade them or undermine the relationship of people and nature. The maintenance of ecosystems and the diversity of life within them depend upon the legitimate custodianship of these sites by diverse actors including governments, Indigenous Peoples, local communities, and private actors. It requires the recognition of areas that are conserved, the achievement of quality and integrity in their governance and management, their integration into land‐use and other development plans, and the respect of the rights and obligations of the many agencies and actors involved. 2. Investing in systems of protected areas as nature‐based solutions to the challenges facing society. As the world faces increasing challenges from global climate change, increased risk and vulnerability to disasters, threats to human health and well‐being and shortages of food
Comment [TS1]: These first two pages would be considered the short version, and the long version would include all of the other sections 2‐7 below.
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and water to support human life and dignity, the investment in intact, functional natural ecosystems assumes ever increasing importance. The global system of protected areas with more than 200,000 sites offers a unique complex of situations, institutions and constituencies to address the challenges of sustaining the sites while contributing to the resolution of issues facing those that live in and around them. Enabling protected areas and their custodians to achieve nature‐based solutions to these challenges provides a compelling case for increased recognition and investment in their establishment, equitable governance and effective management. It demands investment in new knowledge and capacity to integrate protected areas into response strategies at local to global scales, while not compromising their conservation objectives.
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Innovative approaches for parks, people and planet
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We draw attention to the diverse contributions made at the IUCN World Parks Congress 2104 that provide inspiring solutions to achieve this vision across eight streams and four cross‐cutting themes, and that now provide a body of evidence and knowledge to overcome barriers to implementation. We commit to communicating and disseminating these innovative approaches, and to working across sectors to recombine and apply promising approaches to addressing existing and new challenges. We offer a suite of recommendations designed to put these ideas into action, through new programmes, partnerships and funding, and commit to taking these into a strategic review of our respective organisations and initiatives.
3. Inspiring a new generation of communities to connect and re‐connect with nature to engender a life‐long association for physical, psychological, ecological and spiritual well‐ being. The rapidly urbanising world population could result in the vast majority of the world’s projected 9 billion people living in degraded ecosystems or cities, and divorced from the experiences and value of nature. The many communities that currently depend on and care for nature as part of their identity and tradition can continue to deliver caring, just and long‐lasting conservation solutions. Inspiring and supporting a new generation of conservation conscious communities is an essential investment in the future of sustainability on the planet, and in the quality of life of people everywhere.
Our Promises At the IUCN World Parks Congress, several promises were made to give effect to this Vision, including XXXXX. All patrons, champions, partners, participants and organisations commit to implementing the Promise of Sydney and to making our own promises, commitments and undertakings public. We commend our promises to the newly established Promise of Sydney Intergenerational Leadership Panel, to monitor our progress, and to continue the dialogues that will lead to the fulfilment of our Promises and this Vision.
Comment [TS2]: We will be establishing an on‐line register of Promises, along the lines of the pledges and commitments that have been put in place for other global processes e.g. SDGs, and Clinton Global Initiative Comment [TS3]: It has been suggested that a good result of Sydney would be to establish a panel that can hold all of those entering into these promises to account.
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2. Innovative approaches for parks, people and planet During the Congress, eight streams of participants discussed and debated the major strategic issues involving protected areas, drawing on experiences from around the world to identify and describe innovative approaches that would promote the most progressive shifts in implementation and effectiveness. They integrated a special focus on four cross‐cutting issues that exemplify and determine priorities: marine, world heritage, capacity‐development, and a new social compact for effective and just conservation. These deliberations at the IUCN World Parks Congress 2014 concluded that: [PLEASE NOTE THAT EACH OF THE STREAMS IS CONSULTING WIDELY ON THE PREPARATION OF THESE HEADLINES BELOW AND THAT THESE ARE NOT FINAL STATEMENTS. THEY ARE THERE TO INDICATE THE LEVEL OF AMBITION, THE STYLE OF EXPRESSION AND SOME CONSISTENCY ACROSS THE STREAMS. THEY WILL OF COURSE BE MODIFIED THROUGH THE COURSE OF THE NEXT 2 MONTHS AND ONLY REACH THEIR FINAL FORM IN SYDNEY]
Reaching conservation goals Protected areas are a proven effective and sustainable means to conserve biodiversity and ecosystem services that underpin human welfare and livelihoods. It is imperative that national governments and other stakeholders immediately accelerate work to achieve the Aichi Targets, and particularly Target 11. Protected area systems need to be expanded to incorporate sites of greatest importance for biodiversity, and all protected areas must be governed and managed in the most appropriate and effective way to achieve their objectives. This requires remedial action to increase available resources and improve the efficiency and quality of governance and management. A renewed commitment to sound policy support for protected areas is also needed to ensure protected areas can succeed in the face of rising pressures and threats. But this target is insufficient in the long term, unless a new agreement is reached on the precise requirements for conserved land and sea in every country to sustain the demands of humanity on the planet, to incorporate these into land‐use and development plans, and to defend these life‐support systems in the face of increasing external pressure. [A full outline of the Strategy and Recommendations to be referenced here]
Enhancing diversity and quality of governance Following a decade of unprecedented understanding and appreciation of governance as a fundamental parameter for understanding protected and conserved areas and territories, there is now widespread recognition that diversity, quality and vitality of governance are crucial to consolidating, expanding and securing conservation. In the short to medium term, it remains essential to scale up this recognition and to strengthen awareness, understanding and capacity among both conservation professionals and civil society at large. There is now an opportunity to engage in systematic processes of governance assessment, evaluation and improvement and to develop regional learning networks to support these. There is a need to pursue data gathering and analyses, communication efforts, focused research and new curricula in professional education and training. And it is vital to appropriately recognise and support voluntary conservation practices by indigenous peoples, local communities and landowners ready to make long term commitments, and collaborative governance processes with a variety of agencies. The priority, in all cases, is to deliberately face the political questions that underpin governance and engage society at the landscape scale, such as recognising community collective land and resource rights and
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responsibilities, fighting against wildlife crime and corruption and taking firm “no go” decisions for extractive industries and conservation‐incompatible developments. Ultimately, efforts to enhance the vitality of governance for the conservation of nature may also advance new dimensions of human well‐being. [A full outline of the Strategy and Recommendations to be referenced here]
Respecting indigenous and traditional knowledge and culture Territories and areas cared for by Indigenous Peoples and local communities are some of earth’s oldest protected areas, now critical for reviving, sustaining, and strengthening biological and cultural diversity, governance and social‐ecological resilience, as well as spirituality for present and future generations. Indigenous and local community stewardship of land and seascapes has at its heart a respect for cultural diversity and the innovative application of traditional knowledge that will improve and enrich conservation practice. Future actions in and around protected areas will be the opportunity to recognize and fully apply the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. In the short to medium term, efforts will focus on the recognition of the traditional rights, responsibilities, knowledge and values that Indigenous Peoples and local communities bring to the conservation sector and their role in governance and stewardship. In particular, efforts to secure land tenure and ownership for Indigenous Peoples, the full protection of sacred natural sites and territories, and the right to free, prior and informed consent in territories and areas involved in conservation programmes, will be prioritized through engagement in policy processes and particularly in practice at national levels. [A full outline of the Strategy and Recommendations to be referenced here]
Improving health and well‐being For millennia, people have understood that nature is essential for human health and well‐ being. Today, more than ever, protected areas that nurture healthy ecosystems are essential for improving people’s mental, physical, cultural, and spiritual health and social well‐being. The benefits include decreasing both non‐communicable and contagious diseases, provision of medicines and providing enjoyable settings for physical activity and calm contemplation. Accelerated global action is required to restore and safeguard those ecosystems that contribute to people’s health and well‐ being and support livelihoods to meet Aichi Biodiversity Target 14 by 2020. We will make it our priority to mobilize the conservation, human and animal health, and research sectors to work together, alongside governments and businesses, under a new common approach that strives to reduce vulnerability and improve the health of ecosystems and of people. [A full outline of the Strategy and Recommendations to be referenced here]
Supporting human life Protected areas must be are recognised as a key tool for sustainable development, through their role as critical suppliers of ecosystem services, including the conservation of genetic resources; sustainable production of food and materials; reliable supply of pure water; and disaster risk reduction. As a result, they should beare routinely integrated into both land and water use plans and national development plans. We will strive for nNew, more inclusive approaches to protected area planning, establishment, management and governance to ensure have an essential role in effective delivery of ecosystem services from protected areas, without undermining their primary nature conservation role. A priority will be to gain a bBetter understanding of the socio‐economic costs and
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benefits of protected areas to will build understanding, involvement and support for their establishment and management, from governments, industries, indigenous peoples and other communities in and around protected areas, thus assuring their long term survival. [A full outline of the Strategy and Recommendations to be referenced here]
Responding to climate change The conservation world has attained a new understanding of the planning and management actions need for adaptation to the impact of climate change on protected areas, and how to maintain their functions and values in the long‐term. Deliberate learning, the application of new technologies and capacity development in the sector is an immediate priority. Beyond this, there is increasing recognition of the role of natural ecosystems in climate change mitigation and adaptation, and a striking opportunity to position systems of protected areas to be important agents of change, to apply and validate new ecosystem‐based approaches to complement other planning and development responses being implemented across development sectors, and to communicate more broadly that there are solutions within our grasp. In Sydney, the realisation that investment in protected areas and in the capacity of protected areas to be part of the solution to challenges that the world faces, creates the promise of new relevance and a new hope for a world faced with rapid and irreversible global change. [A full outline of the Strategy and Recommendations to be referenced here]
Reconciling development challenges Sustainable development is about improving human well‐being without undermining environmental processes, natural ecosystems or compromising our future. Governments and societies are often faced with difficult choices and trade‐offs while aiming for food and water security, ensuring jobs, economic development and sustainable livelihoods. Sustainable development requires policies and economic incentives, practical tools and safeguards to ensure that protected areas and healthy ecosystems sustain critical ecosystem services, and promote resilience and human well‐being. Nature‐based solutions and protected areas can provide answers to some of the challenges of development delivering significant environmental, social and economic benefits to society. In the short term efforts will be focused on making protected areas part of our economies and development, and to embed protected areas in development plans and economic decision‐making using new practical tools and processes. In the medium term, it is necessary to transform how development is measured and accounted for, and to provide incentives for responsible investment in natural capital. [A full outline of the Strategy and Recommendations to be referenced here]
Inspiring a new generation Deepening the relationship between people and nature, through direct and meaningful experiences, has a positive impact on every facet of society, including perceptions of, and value and respect for the natural world. The world’s parks and protected areas offer ideal places for nurturing this relationship, particularly against the backdrop of an increasingly urbanized world. The involvement and leadership of young people in Sydney has led to a dynamic new alliance to inspire and enable a
Comment [TS4]: This is the text submitted by Stream 4 leadership, edited by me to ensure that it is consistent with other paragraphs of this draft.
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new generation, through new technologies and other innovative approaches, to connect with nature and take on future challenges and opportunities. As a result, we commit to catalyzing the process of forging a different relationship between people and nature; one that sees all those responsible for parks and protected areas engaging a new generation to connect with nature and empowering a new wave of inspired young conservation professionals. We will promote a process which embodies the importance of connecting people and nature across all sectors of society as a contribution to raising awareness of the values of biodiversity and the steps that can be taken to conserve and use it sustainably. [A full outline of the Strategy and Recommendations to be referenced here]
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3. A focus on marine and world heritage perspectives The IUCN World Parks Congress 2014 concluded that:
World Heritage The World Heritage Convention is of central importance in recognizing protected areas of universal value to all of humanity. The exemplary and effective management of World Heritage sites is the litmus test, as allowing these sites to be degraded would constitute a clear failure of the conservation movement. Despite their iconic status and global recognition, World Heritage sites are often subject to the same threats and pressure facing the wider protected area estate, including a range of very damaging industrial extractive activities. Credible action must be taken to enhance the protection of World Heritage sites and ensure a credible World Heritage List, including: strengthening the Convention’s decision‐making processes to apply best practices in World Heritage nominations, in particular improving engagement of stakeholders to ensure the full involvement of Indigenous Peoples and local communities in accordance with a rights‐based approach; using the newly launched IUCN Conservation Outlook Assessment, as well as civil society partnerships, to monitor and improve management of sites; raising awareness of the values of sites and the serious and increasing threats they face; and developing new tools and guidance to address key issues, such as addressing the indissoluble links between nature and culture involved in these sites and how to implement a wilderness conservation strategy under the Convention.
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[A full outline of the Strategy and Recommendations to be referenced here] The marine realm remains among the world’s most poorly protected ecosystems, including areas from the shorelines to the high seas. With increasing impacts to our ocean from human activities, this situation must be reversed rapidly to maintain essential services and resources at both local and global scales. Several complementary approaches are necessary to maintain the natural marine capital on which human livelihoods, coastal and island security and planetary climate stability depend. These include the immediate designation and effective management of marine protected area networks encompassing 30% of coastal and marine environments; the deployment of new regulatory measures, partnerships and new technologies to ensure sustainable use of ocean resources outside protected areas; and a new international agreement for the effective governance and management of the high seas. It is also necessary to embrace the more ambitious goal of engendering a new global respect and public support for the ocean, reinforced through cutting edge technology that will provide opportunities for connecting virtually and in person to the wonder and vitality of the world’s ocean.
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[A full outline of the Strategy and Recommendations to be referenced here]
Marine
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4. A focus on capacity development The IUCN World Parks Congress 2014 concluded that:
Capacity development for professional protected area management Capacity development is the principal tool for enabling professional protected areas management and remains a global priority, as protected area management in a rapidly changing world demands a complex set of competences and skills at the institutional and individual levels involving a diversity of disciplines working together. Yet there remains no comprehensive curriculum, few accredited educational opportunities, and inadequate professional recognition to support this. In Sydney, a new integrated strategic framework for professionalising capacity development was agreed to ensure that protected areas are governed and managed by effective institutions and qualified professionals to achieve their objectives. The approach contains three broad components: (i) standards for achieving a full comprehensive cycle of education of protected area professionals, institutions and higher level government decision‐makers, including a comprehensive curriculum based on essential core competences; (ii) the design and production of accredited learning resources based on the state of the art body of knowledge on protected areas issues, as well as tools and methods to support implementation by competent institutions and certified professionals; and (iii) a Global Partnership for Professionalising Protected Areas Management with education and training partners to provide an institutional basis for taking this approach forward from Sydney. [A full outline of the Strategy to be referenced here]
5. The new social compact for effective and just conservation The IUCN World Parks Congress 2014 concluded that: A sustainable future for humankind depends on a cooperative and nurturing approach to conservation and nature brought about through frank dialogue that acknowledges that protected areas and conserved areas are located in contested human relationships and in the context of global challenges, including climate change, health and security. Dialogue is the foundation for building a new social compact for effective and just conservation to deal with issues such as the inequity of costs and benefits of protected areas, and assumptions about culture, identity, stewardship, duties, culture and values. As a result, we will strive for an ethical framework of custodianship, that recognises the many vulnerable communities who hold sophisticated indigenous and traditional knowledge, and to seek a harmonious relationship of science, management capacity, diverse knowledge systems and human value systems. We commit collectively to promote novel and innovative ways to increase the relevance and effectiveness of protected areas across the world, and to measure conservation outcomes as well as increased strengthening of human well‐being, dignity and fundamental rights. [A full outline of the New Social Compact to be referenced here]
Comment [TS5]: Please note that this is a synopsis of a longer text submitted by the NSC cross‐cutting theme (also attached). Your comments are requested on both of these, please.
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6. Leadership dialogues 6.1
World Leaders’ Dialogues
The IUCN World Parks Congress 2014, having convened panels of distinguished experts in diverse fields to consider issues of profound importance to protected areas and to the world at large, acknowledged the priority of the following issues to be considered in all protected area strategies and approaches in the following decade: [A synthesis of the top 5‐10 issues and imperatives to go here, supported by a full attachment of the outcomes of the dialogues]
6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5
High‐level Ministerial Dialogue
International Organisations’ Dialogue
Philanthropic organisations’ Dialogue
African Leaders’ Dialogue
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7. Promises At the IUCN World Parks Congress 2014, a call was made for voluntary promises, commitments and undertakings from participants, agencies in attendance, and the broader community to consider in which ways they could support and give life to this Promise of Sydney and to submit these commitments for inclusion in the Promise of Sydney register on the Congress website.
At the Congress, the following voluntary promises and commitments to give effect to the Promise of Sydney were announced:
7.1
Union of the Comoros
[The President of the Union of the Comoros, President Ikililou Dohinine, announced that the country’s new development strategy would follow a fundamentally new path, where economic opportunity would be based on the wise use of the country’s rich biodiversity resources that support all human life, and to this end unveiled a new conservation plan that would double the area of marine protected areas by XXXX and expand the terrestrial protected area network to address all ecological gaps.]
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8. The Promise of Sydney Panorama of Inspiring Solutions The IUCN World Parks Congress 2014 agreed to the establishment and maintenance of a Promise of Sydney web platform to continue the process of identifying and disseminating case studies of Inspiring Solutions among networks of protected area managers, conservation agencies, funders and partners. All relevant case studies, e‐posters and other outputs of the IUCN World Parks Congress, will be able to be uploaded in series of standardised formats onto the Promise of Sydney Panorama of Inspiring Solutions, and will become part of an active learning network of practitioners who are able to analyse and apply these approaches in new geographies, sectors and scales.
