Monday brief · week of 26 October 2026
Synchronicity Earth sharpens focus on justice, neglected species, and Indigenous voices in biodiversity work.
Written each Monday from this funder's own recent publications. Every point links to the sentence it rests on.
What they're leaning into
The funder is leaning into closing the 'justice gap in biodiversity,' emphasizing that addressing inequality is essential to solving the biodiversity crisis (4).
Locally led and Indigenous-led conservation is a priority, with calls to empower frontline organizations and devolve decision-making to grassroots communities (2, 5, 12).
“Before you can conserve a species, you must empower local conservation organisations – they are the front line of conservation.”Five messages from COP17 · 2026-10-26 ↗“I think we need the global discussion to be devolved. I urge the CBD Secretariat and all stakeholders to collaborate with local government agencies, who in turn work closely with communities at the grassroots level.”Five messages from COP17 · 2026-10-26 ↗There’s renewed attention on 'neglected species' and targeted, on-the-ground recovery efforts, as seen in recent accelerator awards (3, 7).
Framing to consider
Grantseekers might frame their work as 'rights-based conservation' that centers Indigenous governance, knowledge, and biocultural heritage, aligning with the funder’s language of respecting what communities have already conserved (10, 11, 14).
“This report matters because restoration must begin by recognizing what Indigenous Peoples have already conserved, and by respecting their rights, governance, knowledge and leadership wherever restoration is truly needed”The guide to ecosystem restoration with Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities is here! 🌱 · 2026-10-21 ↗“conservation is not a project or a time-bound intervention; it is a way of life, carried across generations and deeply embedded in our knowledge, cultures and biocultural inheritance”The guide to ecosystem restoration with Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities is here! 🌱 · 2026-10-21 ↗Projects could highlight how they address the 'justice gap' by embedding equity in biodiversity solutions, particularly through devolved decision-making and local ecological knowledge (4, 5, 9).
“We’re facing a critical implementation gap. But to address that, we need to address the justice gap – the injustice and inequalities that are underpinning the current biodiversity crisis.”Five messages from COP17 · 2026-10-26 ↗“I think we need the global discussion to be devolved. I urge the CBD Secretariat and all stakeholders to collaborate with local government agencies, who in turn work closely with communities at the grassroots level.”Five messages from COP17 · 2026-10-26 ↗