A/73/176 56. Indigenous peoples have been participating actively in the processes that led to the development of the 2030 Agenda and in the review of its first years of implementation, including in the development of national implementation frameworks and global review processes through the high-level political forum (see E/C.19/2018/2). This participation is led by the indigenous peoples major group, created pursuant to the adoption of Agenda 21: Programme of Action for Sustainable Development at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development of 1992. In chapter 26 of Agenda 21, indigenous peoples were recognized as one of the major groups that would play a vital role in achieving sustainable development. The group advocated strongly with other major groups and some States to ensure that the 2030 Agenda would be grounded in human rights. 57. Indigenous peoples undertake their own monitoring of Sustainable Development Goal implementation at the national and local levels, and of the State reports at the high-level political forum, in particular under the voluntary national review process. Indigenous peoples have proposed ways of using human rights as the lens through which to establish indicators that would measure progress in reaching the Goals. 58. The Special Rapporteur is of the view that part of the monitoring and review process should look into how indigenous governance and decision -making processes are strengthened so as to play a role in the achievement of the Goals, both for indigenous peoples and more broadly. For example, in terms of achievi ng the Goals under review in 2018, 14 the role and robustness of indigenous governance systems will be of great importance. 59. Indigenous peoples’ traditional knowledge and practices relating to land and resource management, as well as their customary laws on land and resource use, access, control and ownership, have a direct link to Goal 15, on life on land, including with regard to the protection and restoration of terrestrial ecosystems and the promotion of their sustainable use, sustainably managing for ests, combating desertification and reversing land degradation and biodiversity loss. There is increasing evidence of the overlap between the territories and areas of indigenous peoples and high levels of biodiversity and healthy forests ( A/71/229). 15 While indigenous peoples occupy 22 per cent of the world ’s landmass, 80 per cent of the world’s biodiversity is found in their lands and territories. A key factor explaining this overlap is in indigenous peoples’ governance systems and customary laws, which define their relationships to their lands, territories and resources. Maintaining collective ownership and management of their lands and resources is one element of those customary laws. 60. Goal 12, on ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns, is also linked to indigenous governance. A cursory analysis of indigenous cultural norms and values reveals the centrality of the values of reciprocity and solidarity to those cultures, especially with regard to the relationship between indigenous peoples and nature or Mother Earth and with the rest of humanity. Those values are reflected in customary laws, which determine the rules for accessing non-timber products from forests (Brazil nuts, rattan, mushrooms, etc.), as well as the methods, other than cash crops and animal husbandry, used in the production of food brought to the market. In some indigenous communities, the use of genetically modified organisms, toxic pesticides and agrochemicals has been regulated by traditional authorities, and campaigns have been launched on the adverse environmental and social impacts of these technologies. Indigenous livelihoods such as reindeer herding, pastoralism, __________________ 14 15 14/23 The Goals under review in 2018 are Goals 6 (clean water and sanitation), 7 (affordable and clean energy), 11 (sustainable cities and communities), 12 (responsible consumption and production), 15 (life on land) and 17 (means of implementation and global partnerships). See also the World Resources Institute and the Rights and Resources Initiative. 18-11856