Across the world, we see so many indigenous peoples bear the brunt of the negative impacts of climate change and environmental issues, despite their small ecological footprints.
Last month on August 9th was International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. I was lucky enough to be able to interview Stacey Alevarez de la Campa, who is an indigenous Garifuna woman from the Caribbean and works for Common Seas as the Global South Education Project Officer. Being a non indigenous person from Australia, it was so useful for me to get insights for other areas in the world. I have a lot of knowledge about indigenous Australian practices, but learning from others who have different stories and experiences is important for understanding a more diverse range of perspectives.
All over the world, we are seeing indigenous peoples being the first to be impacted by a range of environmental issues, such as increased natural disasters, sea level rise and plastic pollution. Many indigenous communities are vulnerable to these events, as they lack infrastructure, preparedness and resources. According to the World Meteorological Organisation, Pacific Island communities emit less than 0.02% of earth’s greenhouse gas emissions. Why are they the ones experiencing rapid sea level rise and more frequent severe cyclones? As I am researching this topic, more and more issues keep arising – food insecurity, coral dying off leaving islands unprotected from the ocean, coastal erosion, threats to fresh water and temperature rise. For these Pacific communities, solutions such as relocation are not viable. These islands are the ancestral lands of the people who inhabit them. They hold identity, community, stories, traditions and ways of life.
I asked Stacey about the impacts she has seen in Barbados; she talked about the strengthening of hurricanes and storms impacting the Caribbean and how it has been difficult to plan ahead for times like these, but it must be done before islands are flattened. Stacey and I also discussed if she thought the world was paying enough attention to indigenous voices and issues. She told me that often people can listen to indigenous voices because it’s the “fashionable” thing to do. But she also highlighted that there’s much more that the world should be listening to. “There has to be a distinct way to look at climate change and climate action from an indigenous perspective… we have to look at ways we can help each other more collectively and think more long term about how we help vulnerable populations.”
Across the world, we see many indigenous people fighting hard to protect their ancestral lands. They have a deep connection to their country, and vital knowledge for fighting climate change that people all over the world can learn from. An example of this is the practice of cool burning, or cultural burning in Australia. Regular back burning is super useful for preventing bushfires, but it is also damaging to habitats and wildlife. For over 60,000 years, Australian Indigenous people have been cool burning, which is where fires are lit on a much smaller scale, and only tiny patches are burned at once. This is so beneficial, as it preserves the tree canopy and gives wildlife time to escape.
This consideration for the land and those we share it with is something that has been largely lost within Western societies. A major thing we see in indigenous communities all over the world is respect for the place in which they live, and the other things that also share that home. We certainly need to learn to not take too much, so nature has time to regenerate and recover, and also to not waste what you take. We see examples of this in the relationship between Native American peoples, and the Bison they hunted. The Bison were critical to the wellbeing of many tribes, and every part of the bison was used. Some uses included food, clothes, tools, jewellery and shelter. In industrial societies we see so much wastage, not only in the meat industry, but in every industry. We take constantly from the planet, and then throw away most of that stuff.
But Stacey also highlighted how indigenous knowledge and practices can help us to move away from our hyperfocus on material possessions. She raised a great point about putting more research and development into indigenous alternatives to plastic. To me it really stood out when she spoke about more long term solutions, because in industrial societies, so often we see people only focusing on the now: how can we earn more money now, how can I improve my life now? Within Australian Indigenous communities, they hold a great respect for past and future generations, which is something we can all learn from. Protecting indigenous lands is vital for the continuation of traditions and communities. “The more that we tell stories, share our songs and look to create platforms for voices, I think that’s something that will be really helpful”.
Something that stood out to me was what Stacey said about working together to solve problems rather than it being, for example, young people vs old people. Stacey said we need to create bridges between the generations; combining the energy of the youth with the wisdom of people like her, who have more lived experiences. “Because then when you have a problem to tackle it just means that you have more levels of expertise to get it done” Intergenerational collaboration is vital to solving these issues, because we will always have more success when more people are on board, and it is the responsibility of everyone to play a role. It also gives the youth more of a say in the future – the world they will be left with – as we often see older people holding all of the power.
Taking accountability is a vital first step to addressing these issues, especially in countries that are big polluters. In Australia, I am so lucky to have not seen too many negative impacts of climate change. Although the weather has been getting hotter, our infrastructure and resources leave us more prepared. Many people in the Global North aren’t seeing the impacts their actions can have elsewhere, so consciously learning more about this, and taking responsibility is so important. Stacey spoke about how it isn’t just money that indigenous populations need, but also cultural reparations and ensuring all voices are heard. She highlighted how important it is to go into communities and listen to them and their needs rather than just making assumptions. These people know their own situation better than anyone else, and giving them power and autonomy is so important. Additionally, working with governments to create action rather than framing it as an “us vs them” situation is so important for taking further steps – “and don’t be afraid to not be part of the mainstream… don’t be afraid to do the small things.” Stacey also said the best way to start is to look within your own community and investigate local initiatives and people already working on your cause. Go to your local green spaces and learn about the flora and fauna.
Everyone can play a role in reducing the environmental issues that threaten indigenous communities. Everywhere we look there are different examples of people impacted, people who barely contributed to these issues. These situations highlight the importance of action starting now. Even though I started this article just a few weeks ago, another situation has come to light that deserves attention – I’m sure so many people have seen news unfolding about the devastating floods in Nepal. These were the result of a collapsing glacier that was likely destabilised by increased global warming. Sources vary slightly on the exact number, but Nepal emits about 0.05% of global emissions, yet they were impacted by one of the most severe climate related disasters yet. These are the exact types of events that are going to start happening more frequently in the coming years, especially impacting indigenous and vulnerable populations all over the world. The tragedy in Nepal has reminded us of the urgency for stopping climate change, and the importance of listening to the needs of communities on the frontlines.
What has happened in the past cannot be undone, but it isn’t too late to prevent any further damage. Indigenous people across the world deserve to be heard, and deserve to be able to continue living on their ancestral lands without having to worry about the effects of our environmental crisis.
