By UN Rep Tara Scott, AWC Ccentral Scotland
This session made it abundantly clear that the voices of Indigenous people must be heard and followed so as a global society we become better custodians of the Earth which has suffered anthropogenic harm for so many years. The Indigenous have long abided by cultural norms of respecting the Earth, however now, they are the ones dealing with the brunt of global warming.
The panel I listened to was comprised of Indigenous people from the Pacific Islands, the Artic Region, North America, Africa, the Amazon and Asia. The moderator was COP President, Alok Sharma. Through their voices, the resiliency, hope, and frustration could be heard.
President Sharma opened the session with three thoughts:
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How can countries best support the Indigenous platform?
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What does COP need to deliver for the Indigenous People?
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We need to be more proactive, champion Indigenous voices and make them a part of much-needed solutions.
Members of the panel enlightened us by sharing their feelings and thoughts. Indigenous people do not see themselves as victims and do not want others to see them in this light. They see themselves as resilient, adept at adapting, and full of knowledge on living in harmony with the Earth. They need a space for their voices to be heard and to have a role in making government policies.
Human rights are tied to climate issues, and there should be strong language in governmental policies to protect Indigenous people. The integrity of their cultures is being impacted by the challenges of climate change. Artic people, the Inuit and the Sami are dealing with the permafrost thawing, oil being extracted, industrial fishing, as well as a suffering from declining biodiversity. Pacific Islanders live with the continuous threat of rising water levels. Indigenous African communities have faced droughts and food shortages. Indigenous communities in North America such as the Hopi have found it more and more difficult to grow corn as they have done for two thousand years.
The Indigenous people have been promised $1.7 billion in funds. Members of the panel asked how they will be able to access these funds. They want to give guidance on how the funds will be used. They feel the funds need to be received at the ground level to reach the communities.
Indigenous people need to have a place at the table when policies on climate are being made. They need to have control over the promised funding, as they know how it can best be used. The respect Indigenous people have for the Earth is how everyone needs to feel for the Earth.