by Leon Dulce (Friends of the Earth Philippines)
For Indigenous Peoples and other Forest Defenders in the frontlines of the Philippines, the journey of the CBD COP has so far demonstrated a justice gap that fails to safeguard our human rights, and consequently undermines our ability to enact real solutions.
The Global Review’s findings are telling: Only 18% of Parties submitted targets for the full protection of Environmental Human Rights Defenders, and only 29% made targets for access to justice to Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities.
We suffer this reality on the ground. Friends of the Earth International’s recently launched report, "Permission to Destroy: how biodiversity commitments fail on the ground" looked into the case of the Kirinteken-Ilentungen Menuvu tribe in Southern Philippines. A 195-hectare banana plantation owned by Kennemer Foods International is being developed as a potential carbon forest and biodiversity offset project linked to a global value chain across the Netherlands, France, and various other countries in the Global North.
The plantation, however, grows on disputed lands belonging to the Kirinteken-Ilentungen Menuvu tribe, annexed through the Philippines’ colonial land titling regime. Their continuing struggle to reclaim land comes with great cost–since 2020, two of their Datu or tribal chieftains have been killed, at least three harassment charges have been filed against their members, and multiple incidents of threats and intimidation, including an attempt to fence them out of their land last May 2026, have been recorded.
Parties to the CBD must urgently close this justice gap.
We must remind world leaders that neither development nor life can sustain if the praxis and culture of Indigenous and other environmental defenders, regarded by the IPBES to be among the most transformative factors in protecting Nature, is not given its due commitment, ambition, protection, and action. We must unconditionally support the rights-based solutions of Indigenous Peoples and forest defenders.