University of Oxford researchers have launched new guidance on conservation and human rights at the United Nations biodiversity conference.

The publication, co-authored by experts from the university's Department of Biology and the Forest Peoples Programme, was introduced at COP16 in Colombia.

The guidance is designed to assist in the implementation of a human rights-based approach to conservation, a commitment made by almost 200 countries in 2022.

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Professor Dame E.J. Milner-Gulland, head of the Interdisciplinary Centre for Conservation Science (ICCS) at the university, said: "It's been really inspiring to be part of a project that brings together Indigenous communities and international conservation scientists, to co-develop guidance that we hope will be useful to both parties in forging a path to more effective and equitable future engagement."

The new guidance aims to address gaps in awareness of international human rights law and rights-based approaches among conservationists.

The publication contains comprehensive information and case studies on international human rights norms and standards, and how these apply to conservation.

It also introduces several practical tools and approaches that conservation professionals can use to shift to rights-based conservation.

Dr Helen Newing, research fellow in the Department of Biology’s ICCS, and lead author, said: "Several changes will need to take place in the conservation sector for this shift to a human rights-based approach to happen.

"These include institutional changes to switch away from outdated forms of conservation, and changes in our norms about how conservation can be achieved most effectively.

"However, one underlying requirement is a much better understanding amongst conservationists of international human rights law, how it applies to conservation, and what a human rights-based approach means in practice.

"Our new publication is designed to help meet this requirement."

The publication presents a comprehensive overview of international human rights instruments and frameworks, discussing their applicability to conservation.

It sets out relevant human rights of indigenous peoples and local communities, women, and environmental human rights defenders, who are affected by conservation.

The publication is part of the indigenous-led Transformative Pathways project, a six-year collaboration between researchers in the Department of Biology, Forest Peoples Programme, indigenous organisations, and others.

The project aims to strengthen actions by indigenous peoples for self-determined sustainable land and resource governance and conservation.

Anouska Perram, senior human rights lawyer at Forest Peoples Programme, and co-author, said: "Conservationists should not think about human rights law first and foremost as a framework that constrains their actions, but as one which can serve as a guide for how to do conservation well and effectively from the bottom up, in collaboration with indigenous peoples and local communities – which also happens to be the most effective form of conservation."