Governments and corporations spend trillions of dollars in support of mining operations, oil development, hydroelectric dams, and other large-scale projects that threaten the environment, access to clean water, and land treasured by local people.
Policies of resource extraction, land grabbing, and privatization have put basic human rights to life-giving resources at great risk and led to unprecedented deforestation, loss of fresh water, and the displacement of countless communities.
Yet, there are people who stand in the way of these projects, standing up for their rights, cultural traditions and values, and the planet.
Global Greengrants Fund awards resources to Indigenous communities and organizations, and by doing so, helps activists resist harmful development projects, seek legal support, and increase awareness of the threats these projects pose. Because when Indigenous and local communities have a say in the health of their food, water, and resources, they are powerful forces of change.
Want to know exactly why Indigenous people play an essential role in the fight for climate justice? Here are three reasons:
- Everything is changing, and Indigenous peoples are on the frontlines: Worldwide sea levels are rising, temperatures are changing, droughts are more frequent, and natural disasters are increasing in frequency. Especially hard hit is the Arctic, where temperatures are rising more than twice as fast as the rest of the world, leading to melting sea ice and a rush for undiscovered oil and gas reserves. In response, Indigenous communities across the Arctic are mobilizing to defend their ways of life and protect the environment.
- Their struggle transcends borders: While Indigenous communities around the world may differ, there are many patterns in the struggles they face: from resistance against the Dakota Access Pipeline in North Dakota to taking a stand against Chevron in Ecuador. Led by Indigenous climate leaders, efforts worldwide to challenge corporations and protect the environment lead to a powerful movement of collective action.
- Even in the face of failure, Indigenous peoples rise up: As a result of mining and climate change, an entire lake in Bolivia dried up in 2016. The Uru-Murato Indigenous people who survived off the lake’s abundant fish and flamingo populations tried their best to save the lake, but even their best efforts couldn’t reverse years of degradation. Yet, their efforts to prevent further damage to the landscape they depend on continue.
As stewards of the environment, Indigenous peoples are monumental in our efforts to address climate change and allow all people to live in harmony with the planet. Learn more about Global Greengrants Fund’s efforts to invest in Indigenous rights to land, water, and resources.