Magali de Bruyn on TEK, data science and AI, and Indigenous data sovereignty at COP16

Last month DSE participated in the United Nations Biodiversity Conference in Cali, Colombia (COP16). COP16 was the world’s largest biodiversity event to date. It builds on the inaugural COP in 1994 and the global conferences that have followed since. 

Magali de Bruyn, DSE’s Data Scientist/Research Software Engineer, represented our team to help illuminate our work at the intersection of traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), conservation, data science and AI, and Indigenous data sovereignty. Read on for Magali’s reflections on how DSE and other researchers in this field can help advance Indigenous data sovereignty within environmental stewardship. Check out her photo gallery below!

DSE: Hi Magali! Can you help set the stage for us - what was unique about this year’s COP? 

Magali: COP16 followed COP15 in 2022, when the UN made the historic decision to stop human-induced destruction of biodiversity and ecosystems. This was also when the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) was adopted. This year’s COP16 focused on defining measurements, assessments, and funding for GBF implementation. Significantly, at COP16, Article 8(j) was adopted, which was a huge win in the recognition of Indigenous peoples and local communities, including Afrodescendent communities, as key environmental stewards. Also important was the establishment of an official subsidiary body for Indigenous peoples and local communities to participate in biodiversity decision making. 

Colombia was a significant setting for this COP given its proximity to the Amazon, which is one of the most biodiverse regions in the world. Colombia is a “megadiverse” country and in total hosts close to 10% of the planet's biodiversity. 

DSE: You’re part of our team working on Indigenous environmental stewardship and data sovereignty. We know these issues were top of mind for COP16 participants! Can you tell us more about the events, convenings, and conversations DSE hosted at COP16 on these topics?

Magali: Yes! I was astounded by the number of events at COP16 on Indigenous environmental stewardship and data sovereignty. DSE engaged with these topics on three fronts: 

(1) We hosted a participative share-out discussion through our side event Tech for TEK: Implementing Biodiversity Conservation with AI, Traditional Ecological Knowledge, and Indigenous Data Sovereignty moderated by Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim;

(2) I gave a talk for academic researchers titled How to implement Indigenous digital sovereignty in AI for biodiversity monitoring; and

(3) I attended upwards of 50 Indigenous-led events and conversations on environmental stewardship, traditional ecological knowledge, international policy priorities, youth advocacy, mining threats, etc. 

Through these events I met and built relationships with deeply inspiring Indigenous leaders, groups, and allies. 

DSE: What were your takeaways from these collaborations?

Magali: I’m honored to have learned so much from our collaborators and fellow researchers in this space. Some take-aways include:

• Data is translation. Indigenous peoples know what needs to be done – what needs to be protected, what is endangered, what is going wrong, and how to go about solving it. Data and technology serve as means to convince governments and non-Indigenous entities of the problems and solutions for environmental stewardship (for example, prescribed burns). Data and related technologies are communication tools and can help translate this traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) into a language that will be heard by governmental decision-makers, corporations, and the public. Ideally TEK would be recognized for the authority it has on environmental stewardship. However, for now, this translation can be helpful to get the point across to those in power and bring recognition towards Indigenous knowledge systems. As an Indigenous leader at COP16 commented, whenever we are doing scientific research or data work, we are repackaging traditional knowledge. 

• Green is the new gold. At COP16 this was referred to as biopiracy. By establishing funding mechanisms for biodiversity and its ecosystems, we are monetizing something (the existence of wildlife, of plants, of “green”) that previously was not part of the financial market. This paves the way for extraction, for making money off of local communities’ backs. As the world looks to monetize biodiversity (as we’ve done with carbon), we – especially organizations that are making metrics, selling credits, promoting these markets, or using these – need to make sure measurements are coming from the communities themselves rather than being defined top-down. These biodiversity indices and credits need to be grounded in local dialogue, deep understanding, and context and approved by the whole of the community or a representative body (not just a contact or two). The benefits must go directly to the community, and any third-party organizations involved in the process must make that tractable.

• We shouldn’t be talking about “conservation.” Indigenous leaders emphasized a reframing of “conservation” as co-living, co-loving. The conservation narrative enforces a problematic “protector” vs “protected” dynamic. Nature, rather, should be seen as fellow. We are interconnected with nature, not dominators. This fits in with the concept of rights of nature, which Indigenous communities have been spearheading. 

DSE: Looking forward, in what ways can DSE apply these takeaways to our work in environmental and data science?

Magali: It is critical that we stay in conversation with Indigenous communities on what is required in environmental stewardship. One need that was vocalized and that we’re excited to explore is local fellowships for international Indigenous youth to integrate their TEK with  technology and data science and inform these fields globally. In this vein, we’re looking at building out a partnership in the Amazon, specifically with La Red de Adolescentes y Jóvenes Indígenas de Amazonas. 

Because the context in which environmental stewardship occurs is inherently place-based, it’s important that DSE continues to deepen our on-the-ground collaborations with Tribes. We must continue interrogating the role of tech in advancing stewardship, and the challenges this brings for different Indigenous people and local communities. As we look to build more partnerships with Indigenous groups, it is essential we partner with other local groups that play a key role in environmental stewardship. For example, Afro-descendant communities are critical stewards of the environment in Latin America. At the same time, they may not receive the same official recognition from national institutions as Indigenous communities. Finally, DSE should continue finding ways to elevate this work to the international UN agenda and work with decision-makers at this level to inspire change. 

DSE COP16 Photo Gallery