• Acknowledgements
• About the Authors
• Introduction
• Dimensions of Diversity
• Indigenous Peoples, Local Communities and the Convention on Biodiversity
• From Policy to Implementation?
• Executive Summary of COP5 Decisions
• Executive Summary of COP6 DecisionsReferences

Conclusion

The purpose of this section has been to identify challenges and opportunities that indigenous peoples and local communities may wish to discuss in developing strategies and frameworks for engagement with the Convention on Biological Diversity. As we have seen, these opportunities are considerable and provide an important set of possible options to pursue respect for the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities under the Convention from the local to the international level. Nevertheless, it is equally clear that very considerable challenges remain in securing respect for the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities under the Convention. Until such time that the Convention recognises the existence of indigenous peoples as peoples and the rights of indigenous peoples as set out under international law, its promise is likely to remain unfulfilled.