‘A radical shift’: IUCN welcomes UN Special Rapporteur’s report on Cultural Rights in Conservation

‘A paradigm shift needs to take place so that the protection of biodiversity is linked to the protection of cultural diversity, and vice versa’. So states the UN Special Rapporteur’s report on Cultural Rights in Conservation, which was presented to the UN Human Rights Council in February 2026. The report shines a spotlight on the special role of cultural rights in securing equitable and effective conservation outcomes, whilst noting the gaps that exist between policy and implementation. In particular, the report notes how the ‘protection of biodiversity necessitates cultural diversity, cautions against the fortress conservation model that has led to severe cultural rights violations and urges States to ensure that their bodies, as well as donors, apply a cultural rights-based approach’ in nature conservation.  

The Special Rapporteur's investigation draws on feedback collected from 30 stakeholders, including a formal submission by IUCN in November 2025. 

“IUCN welcomes the landmark report on 'Nature conservation and cultural rights' from the UN Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights, Alexandra Xanthaki. Her findings resonate deeply with IUCN's commitment to rights-based conservation,” said IUCN Director General, Dr Grethel Aguilar. “The report makes a timely and compelling case that cultural rights are central to conservation.  IUCN is founded on the diversity of nature and peoples, as a Union spanning governments, civil society and Indigenous Peoples' and local community organisations.  We recognise cultural diversity, including the many knowledge systems, world views and stewardship practices of different people, as the foundation of just, equitable and effective conservation policy and practice, and we are committed to carrying the Special Rapporteur's recommendations forward in our work.” 

Culture and Nature – two sides of the same leaf 

The Special Rapporteur’s report sets out how ‘people relate to nature in diverse ways based on their unique cultural understanding of the world, traditions, education, access to scientific knowledge and histories’, highlighting the plurality of ways in which ‘nature’ and ‘conservation’ are perceived around the world. The way in which nature is used and protected is grounded in cultural viewpoints that reflect a specific relationship between humans and nature. Conservation strategies have often (ironically) ignored this plurality, imposing uniform, externally designed models, violating cultural rights and diminishing the knowledge and governance systems that effectively conserve.  

Work on the intersections of nature and culture has become an integral part of IUCN’s approach to conservation in recent years. The already diverse Union was significantly strengthened by the creation of a new category of membership for Indigenous Peoples Organisations in 2016, alongside the allocation of two seats on the IUCN Council to Indigenous Councillors. Numerous Resolutions have sought to connect approaches to culture and nature conservation, including the recognition of the diversity of concepts and values of nature, integrating culture and cultural diversity into IUCN's policy and Programme. and recognising cultural and spiritual significance of nature in protected and conserved areas. From highlighting the value of linguistic diversity to sacred places and supporting territories of life, the value of culture was recognised throughout IUCN Congress 2025. 

Beyond the Union, IUCN has played a key role in advancing understandings and practice around cultural and biological diversity. As an Advisory Body to the World Heritage Convention, IUCN has worked closely with UNESCO, ICOMOS and ICCROM to integrate cultural perspectives into the assessment of natural heritage. Elsewhere, IUCN has supported the establishment of the new Subsidiary Body on Article 8j and the associated Programme of Work, aimed at supporting the full integration of the rights, knowledge systems and belief systems of Indigenous Peoples and local communities into the Convention on Biological Diversity. 

Key areas of action from the Special Rapporteur’s report 

The report outlines a series of recommendations aimed at upholding cultural rights, targeted to the full range of actors engaged in environmental conservation, including donors, States, and conservation organisations. Crosscutting these recommendations is the recognition that ‘respecting, protecting and fulfilling cultural rights is critical for effective environmental protection and biodiversity conservation, with cultural practices, traditional ecological knowledge and local governance systems being essential for positive conservation outcomes’, whilst recognising that the key challenge lies not in policy, but above all, in implementation. All actions must be undertaken through a ‘cultural rights-based conservation approach’ and overturn the ‘fortress conservation’ model that restricts rights and participation. 

The IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) acknowledged the report's findings and stated that:

WCPA calls on States and conservation actors to adopt effective grievance mechanisms and to guarantee the free, prior and informed consent of Indigenous Peoples and local communities. Respect for and recognition of human and cultural rights are essential for effective conservation.

Other key recommendations from the report include a call on States and conservation actors to adopt grievance mechanisms and investigate grievances promptly and objectively; develop and standardise requirements for assessing the impact of nature conservation projects on cultural rights, cultural diversity and cultural heritage; and guarantee the free, prior and informed consent of Indigenous Peoples and local communities. Supporting projects to record oral traditions, crafts and agricultural practices linked to biodiversity, as well as recognising the traditional, cultural and scientific knowledge of minorities, are highlighted as key tools for nature conservation through approaches that uphold cultural rights. 

In doing so, the Special Rapporteur advocates that ‘a paradigm shift needs to take place so that the protection of biodiversity is linked to the protection of cultural diversity, and vice versa.’ The full list of recommendations is available in the report. 

IUCN's commitment to advancing the report's recommendations 

The report is an important reminder of the importance of culture and cultural rights to the work of IUCN and our Members in achieving equitable and effective conservation results. The Union is founded upon diversity, composed of +1,600 Members that comprise diverse perspectives, knowledge and value systems pertaining to nature and the natural world. The Special Rapporteur's findings remind IUCN that all actors have a role to play in ensuring a cultural-rights based approach to conservation, and that further work is needed to ensure equitable spaces for participation, decision-making and benefit sharing.