IPSI Handbook

The International Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative (IPSI)
Charter
Operational Guidelines
StrategyPlan of Action 2013-2018

IPSI Handbook: The International Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative (IPSI) Charter, Operational
Guidelines, Strategy, Plan of Action 2013-2018
Printed: July 2015
This publication should be cited as:
IPSI Secretariat (2015) IPSI Handbook: International Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative (IPSI)
Charter, Operational Guidelines, Strategy, Plan of Action 2013-2018. United Nations University Institutefor the Advanced Study of Sustainability. Tokyo.
Printed and designed by: SANNICHI PRINTING CO., LTD© United Nations University 2015
Published by:United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS)
5–53–70 Jingumae
Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-8925, Japan
Email: isi@unu.edu
Web: http://satoyama-initiative.org/
The views expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect theviews of the United Nations University or UNU-IAS.
The designations employed and the presentation of material throughout the publication do not imply theexpression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of UNU-IAS concerning the legal status of any
country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or, concerning its frontiers or boundaries.

Contents
Foreword ............................................................................................................................................................................. 2
Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................................ 3
CHARTER of the International Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative .............................................................. 8
OPERATIONAL GUIDELINES of the International Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative ....................... 12
STRATEGY for the International Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative (IPSI) ............................................. 18
PLAN OF ACTION: 2013-2018 for the International Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative (IPSI) ........ 26
Appendix: The Paris Declaration on the “Satoyama Initiative” ............................................................................ 38

1 1

Foreword
This year marks the fifth year since the International Partnership for the Satoyama
Initiative (IPSI) was launched in 2010, at the Tenth Conference of the Parties to theConvention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP 10). In this time, the partnership hasgrown in both size and significance. Its expanding membership has brought a broader
scope, encompassing multiple sectors and reaching new issues and parts of the world.
The partnership continues to develop, and I am very pleased that we are now seeing it
enter a new phase. Until recently IPSI had been gradually finding its feet through its
planning and nascent phases, but now the focus is shifting towards implementation, tobring about the IPSI vision “to realize societies in harmony with nature”.
This booklet is a key step in this transition, providing a basis for IPSI activities, andguidance for its members in their efforts to realize the vision. While the IPSI Charter andOperational Guidelines outline the partnership’s organization and operations, and theStrategy provides overall guidance on its future direction, the Plan of Action 2013–2018 lays out a path for the ongoing progress of the partnership as it grows and responds
to the issues facing the world.
The forward-thinking spirit and dynamic approach of IPSI are both evident in the
documents in this booklet, which will continue to be reviewed and refined over time. I amvery much looking forward to leading IPSI to further growth and success in this exciting
new phase.

July 2015
Kazu Takemoto, Director
Secretariat of the International Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative (IPSI)
United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS)

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2

Introduction
The International Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative (IPSI) is a global partnership oforganizations working to contribute to the revitalization and sustainable management of areas
affected by human production activities – agricultural, pastoral, aquacultural and others – with thepremise that these areas, when well managed, can help to conserve biodiversity while at the sametime providing humans with sustainable ecosystem services.
The partnership was created to implement the Satoyama Initiative, a global effort to realize
societies in harmony with nature. The concept that human production activities can actually
benefit rather than harm ecosystems while providing sustainable livelihoods and other social andcultural benefits is at the heart of the Satoyama Initiative.
The Satoyama Initiative came about through a number of research projects and workshops, leading
up to a Global Workshop held at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France in January 2010 whereparticipants produced the Paris Declaration on the Satoyama Initiative, included as anappendix to this volume. As background to calling for the creation of an international partnership,
the Paris Declaration contains basic information about the concept of “socio-ecologicalproduction landscapes and seascapes (SEPLS)”.
SEPLS are defined in the IPSI Charter as “dynamic mosaics of habitats and land and sea uses where
the harmonious interaction between people and nature maintains biodiversity while providing
humans with the goods and services needed for their livelihoods, survival and well-being in asustainable manner”. SEPLS can be found all around the world under different names and withdifferent styles of management, either inside or outside of protected areas, and are deeply linked
to local culture and knowledge.
SEPLS have, however, come under increasing threat in recent years from climate change, pollution,
urbanization, industrialization of agricultural practices, and abandonment of rural areas. To help
counter this degradation and encourage revitalization and sustainable management of SEPLS, theParis Declaration called for the establishment of an international partnership, leading to thecreation of IPSI.
IPSI was launched at a ceremony held as a side event to the tenth meeting of the Conference of
the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP 10) in Nagoya, Japan on 19
October 2010, as an international platform for all organizations dealing with the maintenance andrebuilding of SEPLS for the benefit of biodiversity and human well-being. 51 founding organizations
entered into the partnership at its launching ceremony.
Between 2010 and 2015, IPSI’s membership more than tripled, while the range and scope ofactivities carried out under the partnership has continued to grow. The partnership has beenrecognized in decisions of every CBD COP since 2010 for its contributions to CBD processes,
and its mechanisms for collaborative activities between members and for the collection of SEPLSrelated case studies around the world have shown real results on the ground.
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As the partnership has grown both in size and efficacy, it has required more clarity in its strategicplanning and organizational structure, leading to the development of the documents collected inthis volume.

Documents in this volume
The documents collected in this volume comprise the basis for the operations of IPSI. All of the
documents were endorsed by the IPSI General Assembly in order to fulfill certain roles in
directing the partnership’s ongoing strategic direction.






The IPSI Charter embodies the basic principles behind the partnership, including its
purposes and a general outline of its governance.
The IPSI Operational Guidelines contain more detailed rules for the normal operationsof the partnership, including membership procedures, details of its governance andguidance for activities carried out under the partnership.
The IPSI Strategy establishes general strategic direction for the partnership by laying out
its vision and mission, as well as strategic objectives meant to guide IPSI activities.
The IPSI Plan of Action 2013-2018 was created in 2013 in order to provide more
specific guidance for working toward the strategic objectives established in the Strategy
over the five-year period, including priority actions for each objective.

The partnership and its activities
Vision and mission
As established by the Charter (p. 8), the vision of IPSI is “to realize societies in harmony withnature”, and its strategic mission is to:Work together within the partnership and with other networks and/or organizations
dealing with socio-ecological production landscapes and seascapes (SEPLS) for thepromotion and support of the concept and practices of SEPLS.
Maintain or enhance the contribution of SEPLS to the objectives of the Rio Conventions
and related agreements, to the achievement of sustainable development goals such as theMillennium Development Goals and, in general, to livelihoods and human well-being.
Promote concrete benefits to the environment, livelihoods, and community well-being on
the ground.

Approach and perspectives
Discussions at various forums and events on the Satoyama Initiative leading up to IPSI’s launch in2010 resulted in the development of the “three-fold approach” to realizing its vision. The
three-fold approach consists of:

4Consolidating wisdom on securing diverse ecosystem services and values;
Integrating traditional ecological knowledge and modern science to promote innovations;4

Exploring new forms of co-management systems or evolving frameworks of “commons”
while respecting traditional communal land tenure.

Six perspectives have also been developed to guide specific activities under this approach. The
six perspectives are:







Resource use within the carrying capacity and resilience of the environment;
Cyclic use of natural resources;
Recognition of the value and importance of local and indigenous traditions and culture;
Multi-stakeholder participation and collaboration in sustainable and multi-functional
management of natural resources and ecosystem services;
Contributions to sustainable socio-economies including poverty reduction, food security,
sustainable livelihood and local community empowerment;
Improved community resilience to achieve multiple benefits, including ecological, social,
cultural, spiritual and economic benefits, inter alia through ecosystem-based approaches
for climate change mitigation and adaptation activities.

The three-fold approach and six perspectives are included the IPSI Charter (p. 8).
Structure and administration
Details of IPSI’s structure are described in the IPSI Operational Guidelines (p.12). IPSI isfundamentally administered by three bodies:The IPSI General Assembly
The IPSI Steering Committee
The IPSI Secretariat

The IPSI General Assembly is made up of representatives of all member organizations, and has
the ultimate authority to vote on all major decisions regarding IPSI functions. The IPSI Steering
Committee provides recommendations to the General Assembly for the direction of thepartnership and has the authority to make decisions regarding the normal functioning of thepartnership and its membership (see “IPSI membership” below). The IPSI Secretariat handles the
day-to-day operations of the partnership and its activities, including communications, andcoordinates meetings of the General Assembly and the Steering Committee.
When deemed necessary for certain functions, the Chair of the Steering Committee also has theauthority to appoint sub-committees to facilitate the partnership’s operation.
Membership
The IPSI Charter (p. 8) states that “IPSI shall be open to all organizations committed to promoteand support socio-ecological production landscapes and seascapes for the benefit of biodiversity
and human well-being”, and further that “organizations referred to here include (1) national or
local governmental organizations, (2) non-governmental or civil society organizations,55

(3) indigenous or local community organizations, (4) academic, educational and/or research
institutes, (5) Industry or private sector organizations, (6) United Nations or other internationalorganizations, and (7) others.”
The membership application procedures are specified in the IPSI Operational Guidelines (p.
12). In short, an applying organization must submit an application form to the IPSI Secretariat,
which then forwards completed applications to the IPSI Steering Committee, which in turnevaluates the application and determines whether the organization is accepted as an IPSI member
or not. The Application Form for IPSI is a separate document and is available by request fromthe IPSI Secretariat.
EventsIPSI holds a number of regular and semi-regular events in order to foster partnership andcollaboration and to share information and knowledge regarding revitalization and sustainable
management of SEPLS.
The most important of these is the IPSI Global Conference, required to be held regularly by the
Operational Guidelines (p. 12), consisting of meetings of the General Assembly and the Steering
Committee, and a Public Forum. The General Assembly discusses matters relating to thefunctioning of IPSI at its meeting, while the Public Forum is open to the public as a chance fordiscussion and information-sharing within and outside the partnership.
IPSI also periodically organizes Regional Workshops for the Satoyama Initiative, focusing on
issues particular to SEPLS management at a regional level. The Secretariat and member
organizations also organize seminars, expert workshops, side events at major international
conferences and other events relevant to the partnership and its activities.
Activities
Activities carried out under the partnership are guided by four strategic objectives, as identified
in the Strategy (p.18) as follows:






Objective 1: Increase knowledge and understanding of SEPLS
Objective 2: Address the direct and underlying causes responsible for the decline or lossof biological and cultural diversity as well as ecological and socio-economic services from
SEPLS
Objective 3: Enhance benefits from SEPLS
Objective 4: Enhance the human, institutional and sustainable financial capacities for the
implementation of the Satoyama Initiative

Priority actions for each of these strategic objectives have been identified and collected in thePlan of Action (p. 26).

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In addition to the work carried out by individual members – including research, capacity-building,resource-mobilization, on-the-ground and other activities – IPSI also provides a mechanism for
Collaborative Activities initiated by two or more member organizations, as explained in the
Operational Guidelines (p. 12). IPSI Collaborative Activities can range from organizing
workshops to conducting research on indicators to creating a funding mechanism for on-theground projects, and can benefit from the greater exposure gained through recognition by aglobal-scale partnership. Proposals for IPSI Collaborative Activities can be made using the separate
IPSI Collaborative Activity Proposal Form.
Work plan and review process
Three overall mechanisms to implement the priority actions identified in the Plan of Action are
also proposed (p. 33-36). These are:
I.
II.
III.

Building the partnership, by increasing the number of partners, especially within underrepresented categories, and through further awareness-raising.
Promoting Collaborative Activities, both by encouraging new activities and byreviewing and supporting already-existing ones.
Collaboration with relevant international agreements, initiatives, programmes andnetworks, both by creating new connections to other initiatives and by strengthening
existing connections to CBD and other international processes.

The progress and impacts of activities described in the Plan of Action are subject to review
three years into the process and a final evaluation at the end of the fifth year, with results of bothof these to be used in further developing the strategic planning of the partnership.

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CHARTER of the International Partnership for the Satoyama
Initiative

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Preamble
Whereas socio-ecological production landscapes and seascapes (SEPLS) are dynamic mosaics ofhabitats and land and sea uses where the harmonious interaction between people and nature
maintains biodiversity while providing humans with the goods and services needed for theirlivelihoods, survival and well-being in a sustainable manner, and are found in many places in theworld under different names and are deeply linked to local culture and knowledge;
Whereas the Satoyama Initiative was developed with the aim of enhancing understanding andraising awareness of the importance of SEPLS for the three objectives of the Convention on
Biological Diversity (CBD) – being the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of
its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization ofgenetic resources, including by appropriate access to genetic resources and by appropriate
transfer of relevant technologies, taking into account all rights over those resources and totechnologies, and by appropriate funding – and other international agreements, and for people’s
livelihoods, inter alia through the Paris Declaration on the “Satoyama Initiative”;
Whereas the International Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative (IPSI) was established on 19
October 2010, in conjunction with the tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to theConvention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP 10), to carry out the activities identified in the
Paris Declaration on the “Satoyama Initiative”;
Whereas Decision X/32 of CBD COP 10 recognized the Satoyama Initiative as “a potentially
useful tool to better understand and support human-influenced natural environments for the
benefit of biodiversity and human well-being” and invited “Parties, other Governments andrelevant organizations to participate in the partnership to further advance the Initiative”;
Whereas Decision XI/25 of the eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties to theConvention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP 11) recognized “the contribution that theSatoyama Initiative is working to make in creating synergies among the various existing regionaland global initiatives on human-influenced natural environments”;
Therefore, the following specific provisions are established for the operations of IPSI:Article 1 – Name and Purpose
1.1 The partnership shall be known as “The International Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative”(hereinafter referred to as “IPSI”).
1.2 The vision of IPSI shall be to realize societies in harmony with nature, and its mission shall be
as stipulated in the IPSI Strategy.
1.3 IPSI shall be a partnership to carry out the activities identified through its strategic planningwith the purpose of achieving its vision and mission.

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Article 2 – Membership
2.1 IPSI shall be open to all organizations1 committed to promote and support socio-ecologicalproduction landscapes and seascapes2 for the benefit of biodiversity and human well-being.
Article 3 – Principles of Engagement
3.1 Members shall aspire to uphold and promote the vision of IPSI as described in Article 1.2.
3.2 Members shall assent to the three-fold approach of the Satoyama Initiative, namely to:a. Consolidate wisdom on securing diverse ecosystem services and values;b. Integrate traditional ecological knowledge and modern science to promote
innovations;c. Explore new forms of co-management systems or evolving frameworks of“commons”3 while respecting traditional communal land tenure.
3.3 Members shall also assent to the following six ecological and socioeconomic perspectives,
including gender and the rights of the disadvantaged in society, according to the approachdescribed under Article 3.2:
a.
b.
c.
d.

Resource use within the carrying capacity and resilience of the environment;
Cyclic use of natural resources;
Recognition of the value and importance of local and indigenous traditions and culture;
Multi-stakeholder participation and collaboration in sustainable and multi-functional
management of natural resources and ecosystem services;e. Contributions to sustainable socio-economies including poverty reduction, foodsecurity, sustainable livelihood and local community empowerment;
f. Improved community resilience to achieve multiple benefits, including ecological, social,
cultural, spiritual and economic benefits, inter alia through ecosystem-based
approaches for climate change mitigation and adaptation activities.
3.4 Members shall actively participate in all or part of the activities of IPSI, including attending
meetings of IPSI.
Article 4 – Governance and Management
4.1 There shall be an IPSI General Assembly comprising of representatives of all member
institutions. The IPSI General Assembly shall review overall activities, take decisions on
institutional matters, and elect member organizations to be represented in the IPSI Steering
Committee.
4.2 The Steering Committee shall serve as the executive body acting on behalf of IPSI. Governanceand management functions shall be vested upon the Steering Committee.
4.3 The IPSI Secretariat shall serve the IPSI General Assembly and its Steering Committee.

1010Article 5 –Acceptance, Entry into force, Amendment and Interpretation
5.1 The present Charter shall take effect on 4 October 2014.
5.2 Amendments to the present Charter may be made by the IPSI General Assembly after
consideration by the Steering Committee.
5.3 The IPSI Operational Guidelines translate the relevant provisions of the present Charter into
actionable terms and conditions.
5.4 Interpretation of any provision of the present Charter shall be a matter for the Steering
Committee and the Secretariat on behalf of the IPSI General Assembly.
1The organizations referred to here include (1) national or local governmental organizations, (2) non-governmental orcivil society organizations, (3) indigenous or local community organizations, (4) academic, educational and/or research
institutes, (5) Industry or private sector organizations, (6) United Nations or other international organizations, and (7)others.
2The term “socio-ecological production landscapes and seascapes” refers to dynamic mosaics of habitats and land andsea uses that have been shaped over the years by the interactions between people and nature in ways that maintainbiodiversity and provide humans with goods and services needed for their well-being, The term is selected to describe
the targeted areas of the Satoyama Initiative based on the discussions of the Japan Satoyama Satoumi Assessment.
3 “Commons” referred to here excludes international/global commons.

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OPERATIONAL GUIDELINES of the International Partnership for
the Satoyama Initiative

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Preamble
The Charter of the International Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative (IPSI) is the fundamental
basis of the IPSI Operational Guidelines. The present IPSI Operational Guidelines document issubordinate to the IPSI Charter.
Chapter 1 – Membership
1.1 Application for membership shall be submitted to the IPSI Secretariat (referred to in Chapter4), stating the applicant’s intention to become a member organization (hereinafter “member”)
and describing expertise or their activities involving socio-ecological production landscapesand seascapes (SEPLS). Applications shall be submitted using the Application Form for IPSI.
1.2 A new member organization is required to contribute at least one case study report on one
or more SEPLS or other relevant materials in accordance with the Case Study Guidelines
within six months after its entry into IPSI, to demonstrate and share its activities in relation to
SEPLS.
1.3 Acceptance of membership to IPSI shall be decided by the Steering Committee based on
Chapter 1.1 and criteria set by the Steering Committee. Any application for membership shallbe transmitted by the Secretariat to the Steering Committee prior to the meeting of theSteering Committee.
1.4 Membership shall be effective until either the member withdraws its membership of its own
accord, or in case of discontinuation of membership according to Chapters 1.5 and 1.6.
1.5 Any member can choose to withdraw its membership with notification provided in writing to
the Secretariat. In such cases, the Secretariat shall report the withdrawal to the Steering
Committee.
1.6 A member may be considered for discontinuation of membership at the discretion of theSteering Committee after a review process pending the consent of the General Assembly. The
Steering Committee shall also have the authority to suspend membership pending review by
the General Assembly in case of a member organization’s actions in serious conflict with thevision and purpose of IPSI.
1.7 Membership implies the understanding and agreement that participation and endorsement of
IPSI activities are carried out as the member’s own responsibility and that membership does
not express, in any way whatsoever, endorsement by IPSI of the member’s activities, except
for those described in Chapter 5.4.
Chapter 2 –General Assembly
2.1 The IPSI General Assembly shall be attended by the representative(s) of member organizations.
2.2 The IPSI General Assembly shall also receive reports of the Steering Committee and takedecisions if sought and deemed necessary by the Steering Committee.

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2.3 Reaching decisions at the IPSI General Assembly shall be based on consensus in principle.
However, in the event of difficulties in deciding a matter based on consensus, voting can beundertaken to make a decision. A two-thirds majority shall be required for matters regarding
the IPSI Charter, and a simple majority for all other matters.
Chapter 3 – Steering Committee
3.1 The Steering Committee shall (1) review and provide directions on the operation of IPSI
activities, (2) make decisions on its own initiative and/or in response to the request from theGeneral Assembly, (3) review and approve membership applications as provided in Chapter 1,(4) provide recommendations for consideration by the General Assembly, (5) give guidance tothe IPSI Secretariat, and (6) catalyze partnership building and resource mobilization for IPSI.
3.2 Decisions at Steering Committee meetings shall be made in principle on the basis of consensus
to the extent possible. However, in the event of difficulties in reaching consensus, voting canbe done to make decisions, and a simple majority shall be required.
3.3 The Steering Committee shall be composed of at least 11 and not more than 22
representatives from IPSI members. Steering Committee members shall serve two IPSI
General Assembly terms which shall be renewable. Rotation of Steering Committee members
shall be encouraged in principle.
3.4 The Steering Committee members will be selected from among IPSI members, taking into
account the balance of organization types and geographical regions.
3.5 In the selection of the Steering Committee members by the IPSI General Assembly, priority
shall be accorded to those members that have (1) substantive activities related to the
Satoyama Initiative, as well as Collaborative Activities of IPSI, (2) strong links to national/subnational and regional partnerships, (3) capacity to actively participate in the operation of IPSI
as the Steering Committee members, and (4) ability to identify and develop potential windows
and mechanisms to finance the implementation of IPSI-related projects and activities.
3.6 The Steering Committee shall elect its Chair from its members to serve two IPSI General
Assembly terms which shall be renewable.
3.7 The Steering Committee Chair may nominate Vice-chair(s) as he or she deems necessary.
3.8 The Steering Committee Chair shall have the authority to appoint sub-committee(s) for
specific purposes or tasks as he or she deems necessary, subject to the approval of theSteering Committee at large.
3.9 The Steering Committee shall endeavor to hold at least one face-to-face meeting each year,
and also interact through e-mails and other means on a regular basis.

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14Chapter 4 – Secretariat
4.1 The United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS)
shall serve as the Secretariat of IPSI. Relocation of the Secretariat to another member
organization may be made upon agreement to do so and upon approval at the IPSI General
Assembly.
4.2 The Secretariat shall be responsible for (1) the preparation, coordination and arrangement of
IPSI General Assembly and Steering Committee meetings, and any other relevant IPSI-related
activities, (2) receiving new membership applications and liaising with IPSI members and otherstakeholders in general, (3) facilitating IPSI Collaborative Activities, (4) carrying out awarenessraising and public outreach activities and facilitating knowledge-sharing activities, (5)establishing and managing the portal site of IPSI, and (6) in close collaboration with IPSI
members, facilitating partnership-building including resource mobilization for its activities andthe activities of IPSI.
4.3 All official communications on behalf of IPSI shall be handled by the Secretariat.
Chapter 5 – Activities
5.1 Members shall acknowledge that a wide range of ongoing or planned activities can provide
common ground with IPSI.
5.2 IPSI activities shall in principle be in accordance with priorities identified in the IPSI Strategy
and Plan of Action.
5.3 Members shall be encouraged to enhance IPSI's outreach through use of the Satoyama
Initiative logo in knowledge and communications materials, including online and printed
publications and at events, in accordance with the Satoyama Initiative Logo Guidelines.
5.4 IPSI Collaborative Activities are the activities that shall be undertaken by more than one IPSI
member and constitute an important part of IPSI activities with the purpose of fosteringcollaboration within the IPSI membership and implementing the IPSI Strategy and Plan of
Action. The IPSI Collaborative Activities shall be developed and implemented with theendorsement of the Steering Committee in accordance with the Collaborative Activity
Guidelines. Resource mobilization for IPSI collaborative activities shall be the responsibility of
the implementing members in principle.
5.5 IPSI will also build on and promote synergies with ongoing and planned activities of themembers, relevant to IPSI purposes and activities. Members shall provide inputs on theactivities and lessons learned and acknowledge IPSI’s contribution where appropriate.
5.6 IPSI shall regularly convene a Global Conference, which shall be composed of meetings of theGeneral Assembly and its associated Steering Committee, and a Public Forum.

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5.7 The Public Forum will be attended by all interested stakeholders, (1) to strengthen
collaboration and synergies among members as well as between the Satoyama Initiative andother relevant initiatives and programmes, and (2) to enhance understanding and raiseawareness of the importance of SEPLS.
5.8 This Chapter does not impose any binding limits upon individual members’ mandates or
activities.
Chapter 6 – Resource Mobilization
6.1 Members shall strive to mobilize resources to undertake their activities in the context of IPSI.
6.2 Members shall pursue the financing of their activities under the existing financing mechanisms
and programmes while exploring new financing mechanisms.
Chapter 7 - Acceptance, Entry into Force, Amendment and Interpretation
7.1 Acceptance of these Operational Guidelines shall be expressed when the application forjoining IPSI is submitted.
7.2 The present Operational Guidelines shall take effect on 4 October 2014.
7.3 Amendments to the present Operational Guidelines may be made by the IPSI Steering
Committee, except for the provisions of Chapter 2 – IPSI General Assembly and Chapter 3 –Steering Committee, which shall require a decision of the IPSI General Assembly foramendment.
7.4 Interpretation of any provision of the present Operational Guidelines shall be a matter for theSteering Committee and the Secretariat on behalf of the General Assembly.

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STRATEGY for the International Partnership for the Satoyama
Initiative (IPSI)

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I. Introduction
1. Socio-ecological production landscapes and seascapes (SEPLS) are dynamic mosaics of habitats
and land uses where the harmonious interaction between people and nature maintains
biodiversity while providing humans with the goods and services needed for their livelihoods,
survival and well-being in a sustainable manner. These SEPLS are found in many places in theworld under different names and are deeply linked to local culture and knowledge.
2. When they are well managed, SEPLS can make a significant contribution to the threeobjectives1 of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), relevant national policies forsustainable development, and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). While SEPLS
provide a wide range of provisioning, regulating, cultural and supporting services, they cancontribute to combating desertification by protecting land from degradation and to climatechange mitigation and adaptation, among other things, by conserving and enhancing carbon
sinks and reservoirs, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and increasing resilience to adapt to
the negative effects of climate change at the landscape, seascape or territorial scale. SEPLS also
root the identities of indigenous peoples and local communities, who are keepers andmanagers of biodiversity.
3. However, in recent years, many of these SEPLS, which are living cultural heritages, have been
destroyed, damaged or abandoned for various reasons. The loss or degradation of these SEPLS
has inevitably led to a decline in the various ecosystem services that they provide, with serious
consequences for the lives of local and broader communities that rely on them. The Satoyama
Initiative was developed to support or re-instate harmony between societies and nature bypromoting socio-economic activities such as agriculture, fishery and forestry that use theecosystem approach2 or similar approaches, and are in line with natural processes.
4. Multi-stakeholder partnerships in which stakeholders pool their complementary strengths,
resources, assets and knowledge for solving problems in a holistic and synergistic manner,have proved to be powerful and effective mechanisms for achieving sustainable development
goals. With this in mind, a partnership ― the International Partnership for the Satoyama
Initiative (IPSI) ― was established and launched in 2010 on the occasion of the 10th meeting of
the CBD Conference of the Parties, with links to national/sub-national and regional
partnerships, to facilitate and accelerate the implementation of activities under the Satoyama
Initiative.
5. The Partnership is open to all organizations dealing with SEPLS. As of November 2012, IPSI
comprises 126 members3 committed to supporting SEPLS for the benefit of biodiversity andhuman well-being through the implementation of their individual and collaborative activities.
IPSI members include national and local governmental organizations, government-affiliatedorganizations, non-governmental or civil society organizations, indigenous peoples or local
community organizations, academic, educational and / or research institutes, industry or1919

private sector organizations, and United Nations and other intergovernmental organizations.
Not all the stakeholders working on SEPLS are IPSI members, but IPSI is open to collaboratingwith all such stakeholders and to sharing knowledge and experiences with other networks.
6. The large and growing number of IPSI members, their diversity and the wide range of activities
they carry out in diverse geographical, ecological, edaphic, historical, climatic, cultural andsocio-economic conditions, including their coverage of biodiversity at the genetic, species andecosystem levels are key assets for the Partnership. However there is a need to promotecoherence, coordination, cooperation, co-evolution and synergy and thus maximize resource
use and efficiency in implementing the activities under the Satoyama Initiative.
7. The purpose of the present strategy is to establish a platform that can enhancecomplementarity and synergy among the activities of IPSI members, on the one hand, andactivities of IPSI members and of other partners, on the other hand, at the local, national andinternational levels.

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Relationship between the Satoyama Initiative and the International Partnership for
the Satoyama Initiative

Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020,
related conventions and agreements, and Millennium
Development Goals

Satoyama Initiative

IPSI

IPSI members’
collaborative andindividual activities

Financialmechanisms/resources
including innovative
mechanisms

Non-IPSI members’
SEPLS-related
activities
21II. Vision4
8. The vision of the International Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative is to realize
societies in harmony with nature. In such societies, human communities develop andmaintain socio-economic activities aligned with natural processes, bearing in mind, among
other things, the impacts of climate change and desertification. By managing and using
biological resources sustainably and thus maintaining and nurturing biodiversity and ecosystem
resilience, humans will enjoy a stable supply of various ecosystem services well into the future.

III. Mission
9. The strategic mission of the International Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative is to:
(a)

(b)

(c)

Work together within the partnership and with other networks and/ororganizations dealing with socio-ecological production landscapes andseascapes (SEPLS) for the promotion and support of the concept andpractices of SEPLS. Implementation of this mission will require the widest
possible participation of actors that manage and support SEPLS, and will thus buildon the knowledge and experiences of communities and cultures that manage
complex mosaic landscapes and aquatic systems for a range of livelihoods andecosystem services.
Maintain or enhance the contribution of SEPLS to the objectives of the
Rio Conventions5 and related agreements, to the achievement ofsustainable development goals such as the Millennium Development
Goals and, in general, to livelihoods and human well-being. This strategic
mission is particularly relevant during the ongoing United Nations Decade for
Deserts and the Fight against Desertification 2010-2020 and the United Nations
Decade on Biodiversity 2011-2020;
Promote concrete benefits to the environment, livelihoods, andcommunity well-being on the ground.

10. It is expected that the IPSI Strategy will facilitate:
(a)

(b)
(c)

22

Reporting on relevant achievements of the Satoyama Initiative and thedevelopment of communication tools/materials needed for the engagement of all
stakeholders, and the mainstreaming of SEPLS into broader national and global
agendas;Recognition of the value of SEPLS, and the relevance of the Satoyama Initiative andits International Partnership at the global level; andMainstreaming of the objectives and approach of the Satoyama Initiative in local,
national and regional sectoral and cross-sectoral strategies and action plans, andthe enhancement of livelihoods and well-being at the individual and community
level.

22

IV. Strategic Objectives
11. In addition to its vision and mission, the IPSI Strategy consists of four objectives. The Strategy
constitutes a framework that integrates all the activities described in the Paris Declaration on
the “Satoyama Initiative” and the five clusters presented in the IPSI Operational Framework6,
namely knowledge facilitation, policy research, indicators research, capacity building and onthe-ground activities.
12. The International Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative will support its members and otherpartners to achieve the following objectives:(a)

Objective 1:

Increase knowledge and understanding of socio-ecological production landscapes andseascapes that are addressed by the Satoyama Initiative and make information widely
accessible that is of relevance to decision-making on their values, history, status and trends
including the factors influencing them positively or negatively as well as the traditional and modern
knowledge that sustained and continues to sustain them, consistent with existing national
legislation and international obligations, in particular Article 8 (j) and related provisions of theConvention on Biological Diversity.
(b)

Objective 2:

Address the direct and underlying causes responsible for the decline or loss of
biological and cultural diversity as well as ecological and socio-economic services fromsocio-ecological production landscapes and seascapes (SEPLS), so as to maintain thosethat are functioning well and/or rebuild, revitalize or restore lost and/or degraded SEPLS.
(c)

Objective 3:

Enhance benefits from socio-ecological production landscapes and seascapes including
by supporting factors and actions that increase the sustainable delivery of ecosystem services forhuman well-being.
(d)Objective 4:

Enhance the human, institutional and sustainable financial capacities for the
implementation of the Satoyama Initiative, including in particular to ensure theeffectiveness of the International Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative. In the samecontext, issues relating to socio-ecological production landscapes and seascapes and their values
are mainstreamed, and appropriate policies effectively implemented.

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V. Monitoring and Reporting
13. IPSI will develop a system for assessing progress in the implementation of the Strategy and theSatoyama Initiative. Among other things, the system will include process and outcome
indicators, including indicators of resilience in SEPLS under development. Progress reports onachievements could be presented to the Steering Committee and information on theseachievements could be disseminated at important meetings and used to guide follow-up
activities.
1 The three objectives of the CBD are: the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components,
and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources, including by
appropriate access to genetic resources and by appropriate transfer of relevant technologies, taking into account all
rights over those resources and to technologies, and by appropriate funding.
2 The ecosystem approach is a strategy for the integrated management of land, water and living resources that
promotes conservation and sustainable use in an equitable way. […] It recognizes that humans, with their cultural
diversity, are an integral component of ecosystems (See CBD COP decision V/6 and VII/11 at
http://www.cbd.int/ecosystem/).
3 For a current list of IPSI members, please visit: http://satoyama-initiative.org/.
4 Considering the role of the International Partnership to facilitate and accelerate the implementation of the activities
described in the Satoyama Initiative, this vision is basically the same as that stated in e.g. the Paris Declaration.
5 Rio Conventions are: the Convention on Biological Diversity, the United Nations Convention to Combat
Desertification and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
6 Since the original publication of the IPSI Strategy, the IPSI Operational Framework has been superseded by the IPSI
Charter and Operational Guidelines, included in this volume.

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24

25
25

PLAN OF ACTION: 2013-2018 for the International Partnershipfor the Satoyama Initiative (IPSI)

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26

A. Background
I: The Satoyama Initiative and International Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative(IPSI)
1. Protecting biodiversity entails not only preserving pristine environments, such as wilderness,but also conserving human-influenced natural environments, such as farmlands and secondary
forests, that people have developed and maintained sustainably over a long time. These
human-influenced natural environments are often inhabited by a variety of species adapted toand relying on them to survive; hence they play an important role in sustaining and enhancing
biodiversity. But these landscapes and seascapes – and the sustainable practices andknowledge they represent – are increasingly threatened in many parts of the world, due forexample, to urbanization, industrialization, and rapid rural population increase and decrease.
Measures are urgently needed to conserve these sustainable types of human-influenced
natural environments through broader global recognition of their value.
2. The Satoyama Initiative was proposed to tackle this critical issue, and promotes activities
consistent with existing fundamental principles including the ecosystem approach. IPSI was
launched at the Tenth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on
Biological Diversity (CBD COP10) in October 2010, and aims to carry out the activities
identified by the Satoyama Initiative. The Partnership is open to all organizations committed
to promoting and supporting socio-ecological production landscapes and seascapes (SEPLS)
for the benefit of biodiversity and human well-being to foster synergies in the implementationof their respective activities. As of September 2013, IPSI has grown to include 155 diverse
member organizations with activities in countries around the world and spanning a broad
range of different sectors.
II: Strategic Planning Process
3. While the IPSI Strategy formalized the vision, mission and strategic objectives of thepartnership, there was a call from the members for a Plan of Action to be developed toprovide a supportive framework for implementation. Following IPSI-3, the Steering
Committee (SC) began initial discussions and steps towards drafting such a Plan of Action foreventual review and endorsement by the membership.
4. The ‘Regional Workshop on the Satoyama Initiative’ held in Kathmandu, Nepal (May 2013)
brought together a wide range of stakeholders including both IPSI members and nonmembers to share the relevance of their own experiences to the Satoyama Initiative. A statedobjective of the regional workshop was to contribute to the further preparation of the Planof Action, and by sharing their experiences and discussions, participants directly supported
this process. An SC meeting held directly following the regional workshop provided an
opportunity to further consolidate these lessons and reflect them in the Plan of Action.

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27

5. The Plan of Action is envisioned for a five-year timeframe as an action-oriented document
subject to regular adjustment and revision, as appropriate. To monitor the effectiveness of
the Plan of Action, an interim review will be conducted three years into this timeframe and asecond evaluation will be conducted after the fifth year.
6. The Aichi Biodiversity Targets contained within the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-20201
provide an important overarching framework for the Plan of Action. Activities under the
Satoyama Initiative contribute to many of the Aichi Biodiversity targets in a variety of ways
depending on their individual contexts, with a policy paper2 identifying contributions theSatoyama Initiative is already making to nine of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets (Targets 4, 6, 7,
11, 13, 14, 15, 18 and 19). The objectives contained within the IPSI Strategy and the priority
areas identified in this Plan of Action will strengthen IPSI’s contribution to achieving the Aichi
Biodiversity Targets as well as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the post-2015
development agenda.

Priority Actions Based on IPSI Strategy
7. The IPSI Strategy, unanimously endorsed by the member organizations at the October 2012IPSI Assembly (IPSI-3) in Hyderabad, India defines that the vision of IPSI is to realize societies
in harmony with nature.
8. As defined in the IPSI Strategy, the mission of IPSI is to:a. Work together within the partnership and with other networks and/or organizations
dealing with socio-ecological production landscapes and seascapes (SEPLS) for thepromotion and support of the concept and practices of SEPLS;
b. Maintain or enhance the contribution of SEPLS to the objectives of the Rio
Conventions and related agreements, to the achievement of sustainable development
goals such as the MDGs and, in general, to livelihoods and human well-being;c. Promote concrete benefits to the environment, livelihoods, and community wellbeing on the ground.
9. Four strategic objectives are described within the IPSI Strategy, and are listed in a shortenedformat below, and in their entirety in the following pages:
a. Objective 1: Increase knowledge and understanding of SEPLS.
b. Objective 2: Address the direct and underlying causes responsible for the decline orloss of biological and cultural diversity as well as ecological and socio-economic
services from SEPLS.
c. Objective 3: Enhance benefits from SEPLS.
d. Objective 4: Enhance the human, institutional and sustainable financial capacities forthe implementation of the Satoyama Initiative.

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10. IPSI’s diverse multi-stakeholder membership has positioned it well to be a practical tool andplatform for promoting the sustainable use of natural resources. This, in turn, yields a rangeof beneficial outcomes related to issues such as poverty reduction, enhanced food security,and sustainable development. Four strategic objectives were endorsed within the context of
the IPSI Strategy and priority actions are described here as an indicative list of activities towork towards achieving these objectives over the coming five-year period (2013-2018).
I: Increasing Knowledge and Understanding (Strategic Objective One)
11. Objective 1: Increase knowledge and understanding of socio-ecological production
landscapes and seascapes that are addressed by the Satoyama Initiative and make information
widely accessible that is of relevance to decision-making on their values, history, status andtrends including the factors influencing them positively or negatively as well as the traditionaland modern knowledge that sustained and continues to sustain them, consistent with existing
national legislation and international obligations, in particular Article 8 (j) and related
provisions of the Convention on Biological Diversity.
12. Current situation within IPSI: One of the key knowledge management mechanisms
under IPSI has been the collection and publishing of case studies on the Satoyama Initiative
website. There has, however, been limited strategic or systematic follow-up on the 66 casestudies published to date (as of September 2013). A policy report synthesizing lessons fromthe case studies and their relevance to the green economy agenda was published in 2012 andlaunched at Rio+20 (Gu and Subramanian, 2012)3. Another policy paper based on these casestudies and looking at how sustainable use of biodiversity can be mainstreamed into
production landscapes and seascapes was published in 2013 (Okayasu and Matsumoto, 2013)4.
In addition, the Secretariat has continuously sought to raise awareness about SEPLS and theSatoyama Initiative by developing and disseminating informational materials and by delivering
presentations at relevant meetings and other events.
13. Priority actions:a. Develop a comprehensive communications and knowledge management strategy
targeting a range of levels including policy and decision makers, and local stakeholders.
b. Promote mechanisms for effective knowledge sharing, utilizing the full range ofcommunication materials from organizations working with SEPLS.
c. Build on and further map SEPLS around the world at local, national, regional and global
levels to further enhance knowledge generation and sharing, and communicate lessons
and experiences.
d. Further promote existing studies and analysis on SEPLS and promote similar analysis
on different thematic issues.
e. Support indigenous peoples and local communities to produce case studies andrelevant materials to increase the understanding about traditional systems of landscapeand seascape management.

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f.

Promote a dynamic collaboration between modern science and traditional knowledge
systems, considering particularly prior informed consent and other appropriate
traditional knowledge safeguards, and collect and use best practices to enhancelinkages among cultural diversity, traditional knowledge and management of SEPLS.
g. Exchange knowledge and lessons learned, including from case studies, member
activities and Collaborative Activities, and feed synthesis into relevant policy
discussions.
h. Share information and material on IPSI and the Satoyama Initiative at relevant meetingsand other events.
II: Addressing the Direct and Underlying Causes (Strategic Objective Two)
14. Objective 2: Address the direct and underlying causes responsible for the decline or loss of
biological and cultural diversity as well as ecological and socio-economic services from socioecological production landscapes and seascapes (SEPLS), so as to maintain those that arefunctioning well and/or rebuild, revitalize or restore lost and/or degraded SEPLS.
15. Current situation within IPSI: Although IPSI member organizations are working on
SEPLS individually, they have noted the need for enhanced collaboration towards undertaking
on-the-ground activities aimed at rebuilding, revitalizing and restoring SEPLS. The Community
Development and Knowledge Management for the Satoyama Initiative (COMDEKS)
programme has been established as a Collaborative Activity, and there are also examples ofcases in which activities have coalesced into collaborative action under IPSI, such as
Collaborative Activities focusing on the development and testing of indicators and therestoration and revitalization of communities in Japan’s tsunami-affected northeastern region.
In addition, although the Japan Satoyama-Satoumi Assessment (JSSA) provides an analysis of
the underlying causes of lost and/or degraded SEPLS, corresponding efforts have not been
undertaken at the local, national or sub-global level for SEPLS outside of Japan. Currently,
there is also no system in place for consolidating information and lessons learned by thevarious stakeholders, including IPSI members, working with SEPLS around the world. Likewise,
there is no mechanism for collecting and analyzing information about underlying causes
identified within national and local biodiversity strategies and action plans (NBSAPs/LBSAPs).
16. Priority actions:a. Fully utilize diversity of IPSI membership to conduct research on identifying thedirect and underlying causes that are impacting SEPLS, including through analysis of
NBSAPs/LBSAPs and taking into account the direct and indirect drivers of change
identified within the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment.
b. Undertake assessments at various levels of SEPLS, building on the Japan SatoyamaSatoumi Assessment (JSSA)5.

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c. Use solid evidence and scientific arguments through mechanisms such as NBSAPs,
national reports, and National Adaptation Programmes of Action (NAPAs) toinfluence national and global processes addressing the direct and underlying causes
for the decline or loss of biological and cultural diversity, as well as those aimed atmaintaining, restoring, revitalizing or rebuilding SEPLS.
d. Facilitate and promote on-the-ground activities to empower local communities toevaluate, assess and manage SEPLS.
e. Contribute to rebuilding, adaptation and revitalization of areas in which SEPLS
have been lost or degraded due to negative impacts from natural disasters, climatechange and other causes, including human activities.
III: Enhancing Benefits (Strategic Objective Three)
17. Objective 3: Enhance benefits from socio-ecological production landscapes and seascapes
including by supporting factors and actions that increase the sustainable delivery of ecosystemservices for human well-being.
18. Current situation within IPSI: The multi-sectoral nature of IPSI holds the potential fordeveloping and implementing innovative cross-sectoral approaches to enhance the benefits
provided by SEPLS; some of the IPSI members have piloted multi-sectoral approaches inseveral countries. Such efforts, including those that would incorporate a positive interaction
with the private sector, could be further replicated and upscaled within IPSI. At the sametime, collaborative work on developing and testing indicators of resilience in SEPLS has
provided insight emphasizing how social and ecological aspects contribute to resilience.
19. Priority actions:a. Support indigenous peoples and local communities to govern and manage theirresources, and sustain or improve social cohesion and local economies.
b. Continue building on the existing work with indicators of resilience in SEPLS byadditional testing in a broad range of landscapes and seascapes, and further refiningof the set of indicators to enhance community empowerment and engagement, In
addition, develop linkages with other relevant processes, including among others,
the indicator framework under the CBD.
c. Explore opportunities for certification and branding of products derived fromSEPLS, including through potential partnerships with the private sector and thefurther development of market linkages.
d. Further promote analysis of multiple benefits related to SEPLS, including theircontribution to disaster risk reduction and towards realizing the objectives of thethree Rio Conventions, the MDGs, post-2015 development agenda, and otherrelevant agreements.
e. Promote adaptive management of SEPLS to increase and enhance the benefits forindigenous peoples and local communities.

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f.

Promote benefits for people and biodiversity in SEPLS by using a holistic approachin the implementation of climate change adaptation and mitigation plans as well as
reducing habitat conversion, over-exploitation, pollution and impact of invasive
species.

IV: Enhancing Capacities (Strategic Objective Four)
20. Objective 4: Enhance the human, institutional and sustainable financial capacities for the
implementation of the Satoyama Initiative, including in particular to ensure the effectivenessof the International Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative. In the same context, issues
relating to socio-ecological production landscapes and seascapes and their values are
mainstreamed, and appropriate policies effectively implemented.
21. Current situation within IPSI: IPSI has made efforts to develop individual and institutional
capacities through its global conferences, regional workshop and other forums. It has also
identified existing and developed new financial mechanisms to support management of SEPLS.
However, IPSI member organizations continue to face a range of challenges in implementing
activities in line with the Satoyama Initiative vision of achieving societies in harmony withnature. In many cases, this includes a policy environment that is not fully conducive to efforts
towards achieving conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. In many cases, human andinstitutional capacities and financing are still limited, particularly in developing countries, toimplement IPSI activities.
22. Priority actions:a. Identify and develop potential windows and mechanisms to finance SEPLS-related
activities, including through new financing mechanisms.
b. Facilitate efforts to feed and implement the SEPLS concept into key policy
programmes and plans, including NBSAPs/LBSAPs.
c. Increase awareness of policy and decision-makers on SEPLS and IPSI by promoting
education, information dissemination and document production.
d. Strengthen the institutional capacity of the IPSI Secretariat in the context of a
growing membership and the implementation of the Plan of Action.
e. Organize workshops, seminars and other capacity building activities, including theexchange of experiences among indigenous peoples and local communities basedon capacity needs assessment to implement the IPSI Strategy and Plan of Action,
to develop human and institutional capacities of IPSI members and otherstakeholders, to formulate and implement relevant initiatives, and to generate andmobilize necessary financial resources.

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C. Mechanisms to Implement Priority Actions
23. The broad multi-stakeholder composition of IPSI brings together organizations working in adiverse range of landscapes and seascapes, and with cross-sectoral activities. The inclusive
nature of IPSI and its strategy fosters collaboration across these areas, and provides aplatform for effectively sharing best practices and lessons learned. At the same time, several
mechanisms are available to aid the implementation of the priority actions of the four
strategic objectives of the IPSI Strategy. The mechanisms contained within this section only
constitute a partial list of those that can be utilized to achieve the priority actions describedin the previous section, and this list is by no means comprehensive or exclusive.
24. Implementation of the priority actions described within this document will primarily be led by
IPSI member organizations, as appropriate, and in line with the strategy, capacity, andexpertise of individual member organizations. IPSI members may also act as catalysts forestablishing new synergies both within IPSI, and with other relevant initiatives, programmes
and networks to undertake activities towards implementing the Plan of Action, taking into
account the priority actions described within it.
I: Building the Partnership
25. Overall strategic direction: Further build and strategically expand the IPSI membership toenhance balance in terms of regional and organizational representation; simultaneously
increase the quality of member engagement by fostering broader collaboration and dialogue
within the partnership, including across thematic and sectoral areas.
26. Current situation: IPSI is a multi-stakeholder platform open to all organizations committed
to maintaining and rebuilding SEPLS. Currently, there are significant regional andorganizational imbalances within the IPSI membership. For more details, see page 37, “IPSI
membership according to region and organizational type (as of March 2015)”. In addition, IPSI
continues to have very limited representation in terms of organizations working with
seascapes, wetlands and pastoral systems.
27. Planned measures:a. Increase the number of member organizations, especially within underrepresented categories.
b. Translate IPSI publications, promotional materials and other documents into
additional UN languages, particularly French and Spanish.
c. Prepare and share promotional package and materials that are readily available
with potential partners.
d. Encourage organizations working with pastoral landscapes, inland wetland
landscapes and seascapes to join IPSI.
e. Organize side events to promote and raise awareness about SEPLS and theSatoyama Initiative during relevant international events.

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f.

Encourage enhanced participation by IPSI members towards promoting activities
aimed at contributing to implementation of the Plan of Action 2013-2018.

II: Promoting Collaborative Activities
28. Overall strategic direction: Strengthen and enhance Collaborative Activities and theirimplementation, reporting, and dissemination of best practices and achievements.
29. Current situation: As of September 2013, 29 Collaborative Activities have been endorsedby the Steering Committee. There is limited funding for these activities, and the incentives forworking on them are unclear. These activities have spanned all five cluster areas6, and to date,outcomes of this collaboration have included, among other things, joint scientific publications,the production of videos, the organizing of a joint meeting, and community development
activities.
30. Planned measures:
a.

b.

c.
d.

e.

Review and further elaborate the Collaborative Activity mechanism to clarify thesteps towards the development, proposal and financing of the activities as well as
paths to further strengthening existing collaboration.
Review previously endorsed Collaborative Activities to assess how they arecontributing to the achievement of the strategic objectives, and provide
suggestions on how to address gaps in their implementation.
Encourage and support IPSI members in the identification, development andimplementation of Collaborative Activities in a more synergistic manner.
Drawing on the Collaborative Activities, document and share relevant
achievements and lessons learned regarding the conservation and sustainable useof biodiversity with the CBD and other relevant processes.
Operationalize the Satoyama Development Mechanism as one of the means to
support Collaborative Activities.

III: Collaboration with Relevant International Agreements, Initiatives, Programmes
and Networks
31. Overall strategic direction: Enhance synergistic collaboration with relevant initiatives,
programmes and networks that are undertaking activities that complement those of IPSI and
its member organizations.

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32. Current situation: The importance of the Satoyama Initiative collaborating with otherinitiatives and programmes working on SEPLS-related matters has been recognized (Box 1).
To raise awareness about the Satoyama Initiative and to seek synergies, the IPSI Secretariat
has taken part in organizing activities to encourage collaboration, including the eleventhmeeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 11) of the Convention on Biological Diversity,
as well as actively participating in and contributing to events organized by parties listed here,
such as the 2012 IUCN World Conservation Congress, 2013 Globally Important Agricultural
Heritage Systems (GIAHS) International Forum, and multiple events organized by UNESCO.
33. Planned measures:
a. Develop, maintain and expand a list of networks and other relevant initiatives andprogrammes working on issues related to SEPLS, including through knowledge
sharing.
b. Establish collaboration with key networks, initiatives and programmes working on
issues related to SEPLS.
c. Strengthen collaboration with CBD and establish collaboration with
Intergovernmental science-policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services(IPBES) and other relevant processes, including through reporting IPSI’s progressin accordance with the items on their respective agendas.
d. Enhance collaboration with other relevant initiatives, programmes and networks,
including those dealing with climate change and sustainable land and water
management issues.
e. Invite IPSI members and relevant stakeholders at local, national, regional and global
level to consider implementing this Plan of Action, including through themainstreaming and harmonization of the proposed priority actions with relevantplans or appropriate processes.

3535

D. Monitoring, Reporting, and Evaluation
34. Monitoring: A simple reporting and monitoring mechanism will be developed to evaluate
the progress and impacts of IPSI member activities in line with the actions described in thePlan of Action, and their overall contribution to achieving the four strategic objectives.
35. Reporting: Based on reporting from IPSI members as well as activities by the Secretariat,
annual reports will be prepared, published and disseminated to describe the Partnership’s
progress towards achieving the four strategic objectives in line with the Plan of Action.
36. Evaluation: An interim review will be conducted three years into this timeframe, and asecond evaluation will be conducted after the fifth year to determine the effectiveness of thePlan of Action. Lessons from the evaluation can feed into further development of the Plan of
Action.
37. Additional monitoring mechanisms, including indicator development will be explored asnecessary.

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IPSI Membership according to region and organizational type (as of March 2015)
Organizational Representation:
head offices)7Type of Organization
National Governmental
Organizations
Other Government-Affiliated
Organizations
Local Governmental Organizations
Non-governmental or Civil Society
Organizations
Indigenous or Local Community
Organizations
Academic, Educational and / or
Research Institutes
Industry or Private Sector
Organizations
UN, Intergovernmental
Organizations and other

Geographical Representation (of
#
16
5
13
59
9
32
18
15

By CBD Region
AfricaAsia/Pacific
CEE
GRULAC
WEOG
International Organizations

27
87
5
13
21
14

By Continent
AfricaAsia/Pacific
EuropeNorth America
South + Central America
International Organizations

27
89
19
5
13
14

1 https://www.cbd.int/sp/

2 Okayasu, S. and Matsumoto, I. (2013) Contributions of the Satoyama Initiative to Mainstreaming Sustainable Use of

Biodiversity in Production Landscapes and Seascapes. Institute for Global Environmental Strategies. Hayama, Japan.

3 Gu, H. and Subramanian, S. (2012) Socio-ecological Production Landscapes: Relevance to the Green Economy Agenda.

United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies. Yokohama, Japan. See also: Belair C., Ichikawa K., Wong B.Y. L.,
and Mulongoy K.J. (Editors) (2010). Sustainable use of biological diversity in socio-ecological production landscapes.
Background to the ‘Satoyama Initiative for the benefit of biodiversity and human well-being.’ Secretariat of theConvention on Biological Diversity, Montreal. Technical Series no. 52, 184 pages; Secretariat of the Convention on
Biological Diversity, Global Mechanism of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification and OSLO
consortium (2013). Valuing the biodiversity of dry and sub-humid lands. Technical Series No.71. Secretariat of theConvention on Biological Diversity, Montreal, 94 pages.
4 (see Endnote 2)
5 The Japan Satoyama-Satoumi Assessment (JSSA) looked at interactions between humans and terrestrial-aquatic
ecosystems (satoyama) and marine-coastal ecosystems (satoumi) in Japan, using the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
framework for sub-global assessments (http://bit.ly/15julxq)
6 IPSI Activity Cluster: (1) Knowledge Facilitation; (2) Policy Research; (3) Research for Indicators; (4) Capacity Building;(5) On-the-ground Activities
7 Acronyms within the CBD regional chart are as follows: Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC); Central andEastern Europe Group (CEE); Western European and Others Group (WEOG)

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Appendix: The Paris Declaration on the “Satoyama Initiative”

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1. The Global Workshop on the Satoyama Initiative was held at the Headquarters of the United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Paris from 29 to 30
January 2010. It was organized by the Ministry of the Environment of Japan (MOE-J) and theUnited Nations University-Institute of Advanced Studies (UNU-IAS), and co-organized by
UNESCO, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the Secretariat of theConvention on Biological Diversity (SCBD). The Global Workshop built on the two
preparatory workshops held in Asia, the first in Tokyo on 25 July 2009, and the second in
Penang, Malaysia, on 1-2 October 2009 (see reports at www.satoyama-initiative.org).
2. The objectives of the Global Workshop were to discuss the Satoyama Initiative’s concept anddefine the elements of activities to be included in the Initiative. Participants in the workshop
included members of the Bureau of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Convention
on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Bureau of the CBD Subsidiary Body on Scientific,
Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA), and biodiversity and community development
experts from intergovernmental and governmental agencies, academic institutions, and nongovernmental organizations, in particular those working very closely with indigenous and local
communities. The meeting was open to the public and co-chaired by Prof. Kazuhiko Takeuchi,
Vice Rector, UNU, Dr. Spencer L. Thomas, Chair of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific,
Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA), CBD, Ms. Somaly Chan, Director, International
Convention and Biodiversity, Department of the Ministry of Environment, Cambodia, and Prof.
James H. Seyani, Director General, National Herbarium and Botanic Gardens of Malawi.
3. Participants of the Global Workshop welcomed with appreciation the efforts of theGovernment of Japan and UNU-IAS in developing and putting forward the Satoyama Initiative.
Opportunities for the participation of Parties, other governments and relevant organizations inthis initiative were noted. The Government of Japan and UNU-IAS have developed andmaintained an internet-based portal site for the Satoyama Initiative. They have conducted
more than 20 case studies based on literature review and through local stakeholder
workshops held in Malawi, Cambodia, Mexico, Peru and other countries during 2009.
4. The primary outcomes of the Global Workshop were the Co-Chair’s Summary and this Paris
Declaration, which broadly reflect the discussions among participants, and not necessarily theopinion of their respective countries or organizations. The annex to this declaration contains a
description of the Satoyama Initiative, its objectives, headline activities and mechanisms for its
operationalization. Participants at the Global Workshop requested the Co-Chairs to jointly
submit this Declaration to the Fourteenth Meeting of the SBSTTA, to be held in Nairobi from10 to 21 May 2010, and the Tenth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to theConvention on Biological Diversity, to be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from 18 to 29 October
2010.

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Annex to the Paris Declaration on the Satoyama Initiative
The “Satoyama Initiative” for the Benefit of Biodiversity and Human Well-Being
1. “Socio-ecological production landscapes”1 are dynamic mosaics of habitats and land uses thathave been shaped over the years by the interactions between people and nature in ways thatmaintain biodiversity and provide humans with goods and services needed for their well-being.
These landscapes have proven sustainable over centuries and are considered living examples ofcultural heritage. A number of studies indicate that management of these landscapes iscompatible with the Ecosystem Approach and the Addis Ababa Principles and Guidelines on
the Sustainable Use of Biological Diversity2 and could be a tool for implementing the post2010 target of the CBD. In these landscapes, natural resources are used in a cyclical manner
within the carrying capacity and resilience of ecosystems; the value and importance of local
traditions and cultures are recognized; and the management of natural resources involves
various participating and cooperating entities and contributes to local socio-economies. Theselandscape management practices are conducive to maintaining an optimal balance of foodproduction, livelihood improvement and ecosystem conservation.
2. Socio-ecological production landscapes are found in many regions of the world under various
names such as muyong, uma and payoh in the Philippines, mauel in Korea, dehesa in Spain,
terroirs in France and other Mediterranean countries, chitemene in Malawi and Zambia andsatoyama in Japan. Some of these areas are formally recognized as protected
landscapes/seascapes under the IUCN protected area category V, World Cultural Heritage
sites, Biosphere Reserves, Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems, and/or Indigenous
and Community Conserved Areas. They all have in common the wise and sustainable use of
biological resources in accordance with traditional and, in some cases, modern cultural
practices.
Benefits
3. Information presented in the workshop and from case-studies in the literature indicates thatwhen they are managed effectively, socio-ecological production landscapes provide a wide
range of provisioning, regulating, cultural and supporting services, and thus contribute tolivelihood and human well-being of local communities, and the achievement of the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs) and relevant national development policies. They also provide
members of local communities a sense of their roots and identity. In addition, they cancontribute to the mitigation of and adaptation to climate change, inter alia, by conserving andenhancing carbon sinks and reservoirs, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and increasing
resilience to adapt to the negative effects of climate change at the landscape or territorial scale.
These socio-ecological production landscapes can make an important contribution to theimplementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity. They can also play an importantrole in achieving connectivity/corridor conservation across wider landscapes by making
linkages between other protected areas.

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4. Some socio-ecological production landscapes have been abandoned as a result of ruraldepopulation and ageing populations, while others are increasingly threatened in many parts of
the world due to various pressures such as unplanned urbanization, industrialization andincrease in population/resource demand. The loss or degradation of these landscapes leads
inevitably to a decline in the various ecosystem services that they provide, with serious
consequences for the local and broader communities that rely on them. In some cases, socioecological production landscapes may not fully provide for the livelihood of local communities
and could thus be abandoned as people move to urban areas in search of employment andbetter living conditions. There is therefore a need for a range of options to support indigenous
and local communities in continuing to maintain these landscapes, as they have done forgenerations.
The Initiative
Overall description and objectives
5. Measures are urgently needed to support and, where necessary, revitalize or rebuild
socio-ecological production landscapes including through broader global recognition of theirvalue and by addressing the issues identified above. The Satoyama Initiative has beendeveloped to respond to these needs. Its overall objective is to promote and support socioecological production landscapes to maintain their contribution to human well-being and thethree objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity.
6. The Satoyama Initiative recognizes the importance of other ongoing initiatives dealing withsocio-ecological production landscapes and seeks to provide a platform for cooperation andsupport.
7. The Initiative can also be considered as a tool, consistent with the Ecosystem Approach, for
the implementation of the proposed post-2010 Strategic Plan of the Convention , in particularthe 2020 targets relating to the sustainable management of all areas under agriculture,
aquaculture and forestry; the reduction below critical ecosystem loads of pollution fromexcess nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) and other sources; the management of themultiple pressures on vulnerable ecosystems impacted by climate change and ocean
acidification; the improvement of the status of crop and livestock genetic diversity inagricultural ecosystems and of wild relatives; the raising of awareness of the role ofbiodiversity; the safeguarding or restoration of terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems
that provide critical services, and contribute to local livelihoods; the guarantee for all ofadequate and equitable access to essential ecosystem services; the protection of traditional
knowledge, innovations and practices, as well as the rights of indigenous and local
communities; and the increase of capacity (human resources and financing) for implementing
the Convention.

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Specific goals/activities
8. The Satoyama Initiative aims to:
(a)

(b)

(c)

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Enhance understanding and raise awareness of the importance of socio-ecologicalproduction landscapes for livelihoods and the three objectives of the Convention.
This goal will be met by:i. Collecting, analysing, synthesizing and comparing case-studies, and distilling
lessons learned for dissemination through a searchable online database andother means, and for use in capacity-building activities;
ii. Undertaking research on ways and means to: (i) promote wisdom, knowledge
and practice which enables us to enjoy a stable supply of diverse ecosystemservices; (ii) build bridges for inter-cultural communication between traditional
ecological knowledge systems and modern science; (iii) explore a “NewCommons” or new forms of co-management while respecting traditional
communal land tenure where necessary; (iv) revitalize and innovate socioecological production landscapes; and (v) integrate results in policy anddecision-making processes;iii. Developing measurable indicators of resilience associated with linkages
between human well-being and the socio-ecological production landscapemosaic, including linkages between wild and anthropogenic components oflandscape and ecosystems; and applying these indicators to contribute to theimplementation of the ecosystem approach; andiv. Increasing awareness by promoting education, information dissemination, anddocument production about these landscapes,
Support and expand, where appropriate and as part of the implementation of the
post-2010 Strategic Plan, socio-ecological production landscapes, building on
activities in subparagraph (a) above. This goal will be achieved by:i. Enhancing capacities for maintaining, rebuilding and revitalizing socio-ecologicalproduction landscapes, including through regional capacity-building workshops
and support for on-the-ground projects and activities;
ii. Collaborating with and/or strengthening synergies with local community
organizations, national governments, donor agencies, and NGOs, other UN
agencies and organizations dealing with socio-ecological production landscapesin the implementation of their respective activities related to the Initiative,
Collaborate with other initiatives and programmes which are operating in this areasuch as inter alia GIAHS and those of IUCN and UNESCO.

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Supporting mechanisms
9. An International Partnership will be established and strengthened, with links to national/subnational and regional partnerships, to carry out the activities identified by the Satoyama
Initiative. The International Partnership will be open to all organizations dealing with socioecological production landscapes to foster synergies in the implementation of their respective
activities, as well as others planned under the Initiative.
10. In order to facilitate the activities proposed for the Satoyama Initiative, it is important to:
(a)

(b)
(c)

(d)

Identify and develop potential windows and mechanisms to finance, including
through innovative financing mechanisms such as the payment for ecosystemservices, the implementation of the Initiative and support the International
Partnership-related projects and activities;
Mobilize the financial resources needed for implementing the Initiative, including
support for the International Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative:
Facilitate consultations among partner organizations, including on the processes ofthe proposed General Meetings for the International Partnership for the Satoyama
Initiative, in order to facilitate cooperation and create concrete collaborative
programmes and activities among partner organizations, including regional
collaboration/cooperation, with a view to generating synergies in the programme
implementation by such partner organizations; andReport on relevant achievements to the CBD SBSTTA and Conference of theParties in accordance with the items on their respective agendas and the multiyear programme of work for the Conference of the Parties, and as part of thereview of the Millennium Development Goals in 2015.

1 Socio-ecological production landscapes are certain kinds of biocultural landscapes. In the context of this declaration,

they include seascapes.
2 Annex II of decision VII/12 of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity.

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For more information, please visit the IPSI website:
http://satoyama-initiative.org
Or contact the IPSI Secretariat:
isi@unu.edu
The IPSI Secretariat is hosted by the United Nations
University Institute for the Advanced Study of
Sustainability (UNU-IAS)
Printed : July 2015