About

ICCA Registry

The ICCA Registry consists of two parts:

  1. ICCA Registry Database
  2. ICCA Registry case studies

The ICCA Registry database

The global ICCA Registry was established in 2008 to raise awareness of the significance of Indigenous Peoples’ and community-led conservation practices. It is a global registry of territories and areas that are self-identified and conserved by Indigenous Peoples and local communities. The data in the ICCA Registry is voluntarily provided by ICCA custodians, or through their supporting organisations. It is not yet comprehensive but continues to grow each year, providing a much-needed evidence base to promote the recognition and support of ICCAs worldwide.

UNEP-WCMC works with ICCA custodians and their supporting organisations to document ICCAs as part of a broader global effort to highlight the vital contributions that Indigenous Peoples and local communities have made to conservation throughout history and continue to make today.

ICCA custodians report valuable information on their ICCAs to the ICCA Registry, including information on the characteristics of their ICCAs, how they are recognised and governed, an overview of the reasons the custodian communities care for their ICCAs, their strengths and the challenges they face.

The ICCA Registry database was made available to the public in January 2024 and is now available to download via the ICCA Registry homepage. As of January 2024, over 300 communities have reported information on their ICCAs. Visit this page to explore a summary of the data that has been reported to the ICCA Registry.

ICCA Registry case studies

Many ICCA custodians seek to inform others of their presence, actions, and customary and legal rights, so that they can advocate for recognition of their rights and territories. One way of achieving this is through submitting a case study to the ICCA Registry, which can include media such as photos and links to relevant webpages and resources.

The case study section of the website currently comprises cases studies from over 60 ICCAs across more than 19 countries, providing an opportunity for visitors to the website to read other case studies and understand how communities in other regions and countries manage their ICCAs. Not all ICCAs that are in the ICCA Registry database have a case study online.

The ICCA Registry database and case studies together can provide valuable insights into a diverse range of environmental and social questions around ICCAs.