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The International Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative
CHARTER
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 ofits 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 transferof relevant technologies, taking into account all rights over those resources and to technologies, andby 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 ParisDeclaration 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 ofbiodiversity and human well-being” and invited “Parties, other Governments and relevantorganizations 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 the Convention
on Biological Diversity (CBD COP 11) recognized “the contribution that the Satoyama Initiative isworking to make in creating synergies among the various existing regional and global initiatives onhuman-influenced natural environments”;
Therefore, the following specific provisions are established for the operations of IPSI:Page | 2Article 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.

Article 2 – Membership
2.1 IPSI shall be open to all organizations 1 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. Resource use within the carrying capacity and resilience of the environment;b. Cyclic use of natural resources;
c. Recognition of the value and importance of local and indigenous traditions and culture;d. 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.
1The organizations referred to here include (1) national or local governmental organizations, (2) non-governmental or civil societyorganizations, (3) indigenous or local community organizations, (4) academic, educational and/or research institutes, (5) Industry orprivate 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 and sea uses that havebeen shaped over the years by the interactions between people and nature in ways that maintain biodiversity and provide humans withgoods and services needed for their well-being, The term is selected to describe the targeted areas of the Satoyama Initiative based on thediscussions of the Japan Satoyama Satoumi Assessment.
3“Commons” referred to here excludes international/global commons

Page | 3Article 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.

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 SteeringCommittee and the Secretariat on behalf of the IPSI General Assembly.