Cultural and Biological Diversity: Interconnections in Ordinary Places

Abstract

It is increasingly recognized both by policy-makers and scientists that cultural diversity and biodiversity are not only equally significant for sustainable development, but are also interrelated. International policy documents such as UNESCO’s Declaration on Cultural Diversity (2001) and Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions (2005a), and the UN Convention on Biodiversity (CBD) (UN, 1992), refer to the linkages and analogies between the two, as do the writings of many scholars. In this context, the focus is mainly on the indigenous people, their knowledge, and their role in the maintenance of biological diversity, with cultural diversity often reduced to a few specific cultural practices or symbols, such as languages.