The global conservation community is facing a critical moment. As climate change and anthropogenic activities such as wars and unsustainable use of resources continue to threaten biodiversity at an unprecedented rate, it is becoming increasingly clear that top–down conservation approaches have been neither sufficient nor ethically sound. Historically, these approaches have led to injustices to and marginalization of local and Indigenous communities, and to compromised long-term conservation outcomes.

An expanding group of conservationists, currently representing 23 countries and with a cumulative experience of 45 decades, working across continents and oceans, have announced the formation of the Partners Conservation Alliance. The Alliance's mission is to help improve how biodiversity conservation is practised worldwide by recognizing and empowering local and Indigenous communities.

The Alliance issued a statement on 2 December 2022, in Kashka Suu village of the Kyrgyz Republic, ahead of the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in Montreal. The Kashka Suu Statement highlights the need to recognize the role of local and Indigenous people in biodiversity conservation. Initiatives built upon respectful, ethical and resilient partnerships with local and Indigenous communities are the most effective and morally defensible conservation approach, not just to address biodiversity loss but also for sustainable economic development. It is noteworthy that community-led biodiversity conservation programmes can address 10–13 of the 17 sustainable development goals set by the United Nations. The Kashka Suu statement was referenced by the government of the Kyrgyz Republic at the Conference of the Parties in Montreal.

During a 5-day workshop in Kashka Suu village, leading to the Statement, a core group of the Partners Conservation Alliance also committed itself to creating and offering training toolkits and resources for conservation practitioners, to help them engage local and Indigenous communities and strengthen their ownership and conservation leadership. The Alliance plans to offer training in various locations, and the first training course was delivered in Kenya in February 2023.

The Partners Conservation Alliance is determined to help strengthen conservation efforts worldwide by empowering local and Indigenous communities and ensuring their voices are heard in the global conversation about biodiversity conservation. It is time for conservation to be rebuilt on a foundation of respect, equity, transparency, accountability and partnership.

The Kashka Suu Statement on Global Biodiversity Conservation is available at globalsnowleopard.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Partners-conservation-alliance-Statement.pdf