Kayaktivism at COP13

The thirteenth session of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) began on Sunday in Mexico, and will continue until the 17th of December. The CBD came into force in 1993, and is a legally binding agreement between 193 parties on the sustainable use and conservation of biodiversity.

The main focus in Mexico this year will be the implementation of the CBD's strategic plan and to negotiate agreements towards meeting its Aichi targets by 2020. Around 10,000 participants will meet in Mexico this year, including representatives of indigenous groups. Last year, a 'floating protest' was held by indigenous delegations at COP21 to demand respect for indigenous rights, voices and knowledge at the conference. The video below provides a summary of the event, and the ideas behind this form of demonstration. This year at COP13, the 'kayaktivism' will continue on the 11th of December, to raise awareness of their role as guardians of the forest. You can follow the action on twitter with the hashtags #GuardiansOfTheForest and #GuardianesDelBosque.