Introducing APAC Streams & Themes – Addressing the Challenges & making the “pitch”

This session sets the tone, & will mobilize the audience to focus on what is important. This is an opportunity for participants to look for
sessions to engage & influence. The session will emphasize the Congress with a “Call for Action”, & link the High-level session
(Challenges & Opportunities of Protected & Conserved Areas) to the rest of APAC. The session will be exciting, graphic & visual, with
short films & experts speaking from their hearts with short pitches. There will be no power point presentations or reading of papers. A short
film will be shown between each speaker to highlight Africa’s Opportunities & Challenges. Each will be linked to different streams & cross
cutting themes.
Representatives from the International Steering & Program Advisory Committees will present the rationale for the streams & themes, the
criteria for selection of the thematic areas, briefs on each stream & cross-cutting themes, & what APAC intends to deliver. It is anticipated
that members, for example, Kathy, Imen, Charlotte, Aliou, Patrick, Madhu & the Congress Directors, Fred & Luther (all tbc) present the
content of the Congress, as there is good regional representation, gender balance & diversity of background.
A moderator will lead the discussion as to how the streams & themes will engage with the key challenges of P&CAs, through the following
sorts of questions: What are the key challenges facing P&CAs? How will your stream, theme, workshop, or Pavilion address these
challenges? What sorts of opportunities can you expect to identify in your deliberations? What sort of outcomes do you expect? The
moderator will use such questions to show how important the different streams, themes, workshops, & pavilions are in identifying
challenges & opportunities, potential solutions, & outcomes. Some of the key messages relating to streams & themes include

Stream 1: P&CAs are key ecological nature-based solutions, & to realize their potential requires existing P&CAs to be effectively
managed.

Stream 2: IPLCs should be empowered in their role as stewards & their contribution to conserve biodiversity & protect large areas.

Stream 3: Biodiversity underpins climate regulation so the international importance of PCAs should attract proportionate funding.

Theme 1: IPLCs must be given the rights to make decisions about the resources & benefits that may accrue from the sustainable
management of biodiversity.

Theme 2: Ensure the biodiversity, on which human health, wellbeing & adaptation to climate change depends is not free to exploit at will, &
there is a need to engage IPLCs as respected partners & rights’ bearers.

Theme 3: Greater awareness on the foundation biodiversity plays at local scales for livelihoods & economies.

Theme 4: Universities, governments & research institutes should support bringing formal science & indigenous & local knowledge closer
together so emerging solutions support the most vulnerable.

Theme 5: Public policy should create incentives so investments benefit & not harm biodiversity.

Theme 6: PCAs are essential & a key enabler for integrated sustainable development, such as sustainable food production & resilient,
conservation-compatible infrastructure.