By Betty Ross, Tribal Client Services Deputy Director
Life is cyclical, weather is cyclical, and some things never change…then there is change. Since the 1970s, discussions on the climate appeared in the news and in politics. In 1988, Dr. James Hansen, Columbia University’s Climate Scientist, testified in a Senate hearing on the greenhouse effect. Since then, there are interrelated crises of climate issues and wildlife issues within Alaska and throughout the world. In Alaska, the fish are fewer (some areas not coming back at all), there are fewer birds, less caribou, moose, and other wildlife.
Rather than talk about change, why not talk about adaptation? According to an article published by the Natural Resources Defense Council, a recap of the Inter-Governmental Science Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) stated that we need to pass on a livable planet to future generations. This requires a shift in how we look at nature and a break from any destructive ideas around economic progress.
The IPBES encourage:
- Trash the 200+ years of economic thinking
- Stop destroying and degrading carbon- and species-rich ecosystems
- Increase conservation actions
- Stop the subsidizing the destruction of biodiversity by governments
- Reject false climate change solutions
Indigenous Tribes throughout the world encourage:
- Reliance on Indigenous knowledge and respect of nature rather than economic progress
Protection of all aspects of life and any habitat to combat the climate & biodiversity crisis - Protection of all land, water, air, and all ecosystems by restoration
- Prevention of land use when warranted – avoid exploiting land/air/wildlife for commercialization
- Reliance on Indigenous knowledge and ways of life that have been passed down for over 2,000 years
Indigenous nations must help co-manage lands, wildlife, and all ecosystems by protecting and restoring the land, the air, the wildlife, the marine life, etc. This will require communities to adapt to the changes occurring now and allow Indigenous Leadership to work collaboratively as equals to consider opportunities to restore the environment for future generations. Tribes are not going anywhere, and co-management and stewardship will lead to better outcomes for sustainability.
For more information, check out the following resources:
- Indigenous Climate Action:
https://www.indigenousclimateaction.com/ - Indigenous Climate Resilience Network:
https://www.icrn.us/about - U.S. Geological Survey:
https://www.usgs.gov/ - Natural Resources Defense Council:
https://www.nrdc.org/