Convivial conservation offers a radical alternative to dominant approaches to biodiversity conservation, grounded in 10 central principles. Together these make up our manifesto intended to help guide activity in pursuit of convivial conservation in policy discussions and diverse local spaces. This manifesto has been drafted by a global team dedicated to furthering a convivial conservation paradigm that redirects conservation politics, policy and practice in support of systemic change.
The manifesto is a continual work in progress; these are the principles as we see them now. Convivial conservation is but one stream in a broader river of movements, struggles and ideas that seek to transcend the unsustainable and inequitable status quo. As the movement grows, new voices and perspectives are encouraged to join and refine the manifesto. To dive deeper into each principle, you can read more here. Want to join us? Stay in touch!
As convivial conservationists, we commit to:
- Promote integrated spaces where humans and other species co-exist respectfully and equitably
- Understand conservation as the stewardship of a global commons, collectively owned and managed by and for all life on the planet
- Decolonize conservation policy and ensure that the interests, voices and territories of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs) are central in conservation planning
- Challenge dominant perspectives to incorporate non-Western, diverse worldviews and forms of knowledge into research, policy-making and practice
- Challenge dominant forms of political power to practice inclusive deliberation and decision-making
- Place most decision-making power at the local level, with higher-level processes supporting local autonomy
- Decommodify biodiversity to treat life on earth as a public good that should not be subjected to financialisation, extraction or off-setting
- Value species and ecosystems because they are important in themselves, or have a spiritual meaning or cultural significance, not just because of their economic value and the services they provide to people
- Fund conservation through equitable redistribution of the wealth and resources we already have, including through historical reparations, instead of relying on financial growth
- Confront broader social, political, and economic influences and powerful systems that inhibit the cultivation of convivial relationships