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The landscapes inhabited by the world’s big cats are complex social-ecological systems. While big cats are apex predators vital to ecosystem health, their habitats are increasingly under pressure from poorly planned development, climate change, and habitat degradation. Traditional conservation models are often top-down and highly restrictive, failing to account for the intricate relationships between local communities and their environments, leading to prolonged conservation conflicts and the undervaluation of natural capital.
The International Snow Leopard Trust, through its partnership with the intergovernmental Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection Program and other conservation organizations, has so far helped create fourteen thematic policy advisories in partnership with different organizations, with the help of local and international thematic experts on topics considered to be of high importance and relevance to the conservation of snow leopards and their habitat.
This new set of advisories results from the culmination of several rounds of deliberations at multi-country meetings and Conferences of the Parties (COPs).
The draft advisories were shared with the respective snow leopard range country governments for their inputs.
The following policy advisories, developed collectively by experts and government representatives, can be downloaded here in English, Russian, Nepali and Mongolian languages:
No. 13. Sustainable Economies and Community-Based Enterprises
This advisory is an updated version of the advisory released earlier in 2022 and highlights the approach focusing on empowering communities through conservation-led economic development and Community-Based Enterprises (CBEs). It outlines strategies for diversifying livelihoods, establishing equitable benefit-sharing, and creating eco-friendly markets that incentivize biodiversity conservation.
No. 15. Managing Conflicts Related to Wildlife-Caused Damage
This advisory reframes “human-wildlife conflict” by addressing the underlying ecological drivers and socio-cultural dimensions of wildlife-caused damage. It provides policy guidance on moving beyond reactive measures toward holistic, community-centric coexistence strategies that balance conservation goals with local livelihoods, safety, and well-being.
No. 16. Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Nature’s Contributions
Discussing what is the valuation of ecosystems and how it is a macroeconomic necessity rather than just an environmental choice, this advisory provides guidance on integrating natural capital into decision-making.
No. 17. Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation (PM&E) in Conservation Landscapes
Shifting away from traditional top-down monitoring, this advisory advocates for PM&E as an ethical imperative. It outlines how local communities must be engaged not merely as data sources, but as active partners who co-design indicators, collect and analyze data, and guide adaptive management.