indigenous rights
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Biden administration safeguards millions of acres in Alaska from industrial harm
The Biden administration announced protections for 28 million acres in Alaska, blocking industrial activities to preserve Indigenous communities, wildlife and ecosystems.
In short:
- The Interior Department has blocked a 211-mile road essential for a planned copper and zinc mine, citing potential harm to Alaska Native communities and wildlife.
- The protected lands include critical habitats and have been at the center of a long-standing debate over industrial development versus environmental conservation.
- Alaska lawmakers are pushing back, with some introducing legislative measures to counter the administration's decisions.
Key quote:
“D1 lands in the Yukon-Kuskokwim region are vital to our people’s way of life — these protections ensure future generations will be able to live safely with and on the land, carrying our customary and traditional knowledge.”
— Anaan’arar Sophie Swope, executive director of the Mother Kuskokwim Tribal coalition
Why this matters:
Protecting these lands helps protect Alaska Native cultures and ecosystems, addressing long-standing environmental and subsistence concerns while increasing the tension between economic development and conservation efforts in the resource-rich region. Read more: Biden’s Arctic drilling go-ahead illustrates the limits of democratic problem solving.
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Indigenous communities leverage clean energy projects for their benefit
Indigenous communities, once sidelined in renewable energy projects, are now finding ways to actively benefit from these initiatives through strategic partnerships and government policies.
In short:
- Indigenous communities in Canada are increasingly involved in renewable energy projects due to supportive policies like Ontario’s feed-in tariff program.
- Barriers such as limited access to capital and insufficient community capacity still pose challenges to broader participation.
- Successful Indigenous-led projects, like the microhydropower systems in Malaysia, demonstrate the potential for sustainable and equitable energy development.
Key quote:
“As Indigenous Peoples, we recognize and support the global shift towards renewable energy. But it can’t happen at the expense of Indigenous people. Right now, we are going towards a new type of ‘clean’ colonialism.”
— Joan Carling, executive director of Indigenous Peoples Rights International
Why this matters:
Indigenous participation in renewable energy projects promotes environmental sustainability and supports their economic empowerment and preservation of cultural heritage. This empowerment also fosters greater respect for Indigenous knowledge and practices, which are often deeply aligned with principles of environmental stewardship.
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UN calls for stronger protections for Indigenous rights and against exploitative green projects
A new UN report emphasizes the need for countries to enhance protections for Indigenous peoples and ensure that green energy projects do not exploit their lands.
In short:
- The United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues calls for greater respect for Indigenous sovereignty.
- The report highlights the risks of carbon credit schemes and other green projects that can harm Indigenous communities.
- The UN advises international bodies to focus on Indigenous rights, avoid diluting their importance, and support conservation efforts.
Key quote:
“The need for sovereignty for all Indigenous peoples is critical, is paramount, to us literally surviving.”
— Makanalani Gomes, Native Hawaiian activist
Why this matters:
Indigenous communities often face exploitation through climate change mitigation projects that overlook their rights and needs. Ensuring their participation in environmental decision-making is vital for both their survival and the success of global climate efforts.
Related EHN coverage:
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Credit: Pacific Southwest Forest Service, USDA/Photo courtesy of Natividad Chavez, BLM/Flickr
Indigenous tribes advocate for co-management of sacred lands
Indigenous tribes in northern California seek greater decision-making power over sacred lands recently protected by a national monument expansion.
In short:
- The Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation and allies have successfully lobbied to include Molok Luyuk in the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument, protecting it from wind farm development.
- Tribes are negotiating a co-stewardship agreement with federal agencies, aiming for stronger management roles over Molok Luyuk, though full co-management requires congressional approval.
- True co-management, as seen in Bears Ears National Monument, grants tribes significant decision-making power, integrating traditional knowledge into federal land management.
Key quote:
“Co-management means decision-making authority. Co-stewardship means one entity still has the decision-making authority.”
— Melissa Hovey, Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument manager.
Why this matters:
Empowering Indigenous tribes in land management enhances conservation efforts and acknowledges their traditional ecological knowledge while honoring sacred sites. Read more: Giving Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante the protection they deserve.
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Credit: Sherwood411/Flickr
A portrait of pollution around Canada’s busiest port
The Tsleil-Waututh Nation is pushing for stricter regulations to protect Burrard Inlet from industrial pollution, as a leaked video highlights the challenges of enforcement.
In short:
- Toxic waste, sewage, and industrial chemicals pollute Burrard Inlet, making shellfish unsafe to eat and limiting recreational use.
- The Tsleil-Waututh Nation has co-developed new water quality standards with the B.C. government to restore the inlet and allow safe seafood harvesting.
- A leaked video of a coal spill at Neptune Terminals raises concerns about unreported spills and ongoing contamination.
Key quote:
“The establishment of these water quality objectives, using this more risk-based approach that recognizes coastal Indigenous lifeways, I think that’s already a really exciting and important step.”
— Amanda Giang, assistant professor in the Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability at the University of British Columbia
Why this matters:
Addressing the severe pollution in Burrard Inlet is important for public health and the environment, reflecting the conflicting industrial pollution and Indigenous rights. The successful implementation of new water quality standards could serve as a model for other polluted waterways. Read more: “Stop hurting us:” Protestors plead for their health outside a Pittsburgh gathering of coal and steel execs.
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Activists meet with Canadian official to discuss concerns about Line 5 pipeline
Activists have called on a Canadian consular official to close the Line 5 oil pipeline, citing environmental and Indigenous rights concerns.
In short:
- An international coalition presented a letter to a Canadian consular official, urging the revocation of a treaty that supports the operation of Line 5.
- The pipeline, which traverses tribal lands, has been deemed trespassing by a court, with orders for partial closure by 2026.
- Enbridge disputes these claims, citing a 1992 easement and arguing against treaty violations.
Key quote:
“It’s hypocritical and irrelevant for the Canadian government to invoke the 1977 treaty while ignoring the long standing treaties they have with First Nations.”
— Andrea Pierce, Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians citizen
Why this matters:
Line 5, part of a network operated by Enbridge Inc., runs under the Straits of Mackinac, connecting Lake Huron and Lake Michigan. This location is pivotal for its natural beauty and as a vital freshwater resource. Critics argue that any potential oil spill could devastate these waters, which are important for local ecosystems and the millions who rely on them for drinking water.
The pipeline also crosses areas significant to local Indigenous communities, who have raised alarms about the infringement of their sovereign rights and the risks to their lands.
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Native elder from Texas fights against industrial development
Tribal elder Juan Mancias is battling industrial encroachments on ancient tribal lands in Texas in opposition to large fossil fuel projects.
In short:
- Juan Mancias, chairman of the Carrizo/Comecrudo Tribe of Texas, confronts fossil fuel developments threatening ancient burial sites and village grounds in the Rio Grande Delta.
- The region faces significant industrialization threats from projects like Texas LNG, which plans to build on a site with deep historical significance.
- Despite the lack of federal recognition, Mancias advocates for the protection and recognition of his tribe's ancestral lands and their cultural heritage.
Key quote:
"They almost annihilated us and that genocide continues. To destroy the environment you have to destroy the people who protect it."
— Juan Mancias, chairman of the Carrizo/Comecrudo Tribe of Texas
Why this matters:
The lands in question, steeped in centuries of history and tradition, are home to sacred sites and are rich in biodiversity, acting as crucial habitats for local wildlife. Mancias’s opposition is fueled by concerns that extend beyond sovereignty. The environmental repercussions of such projects—increased emissions, potential spills, and habitat destruction—pose a significant threat to the local ecosystems and to the broader health of the planet. This is particularly poignant in an era where the impacts of climate change are becoming more unpredictable and severe.
Related EHN coverage:
- Americans have a tragically strong track record of punishing those who speak out.
- Colonialism, the climate crisis, and the need to center Indigenous voices.
- Why Indigenous women are risking arrest to fight Enbridge’s Line 3 pipeline through Minnesota
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