Indigenous Peoples and Human Rights

November 9, 2021

Indigenous at COP26: 'We're not just somebody to look at'

CNN: Chief Judy Wilson of Neskonlith Indian Band said at COP26: said at COP26: "We're not just somebody to look at and say, 'Oh, you know, there's a presence of Indigenous people.' If you're not hearing our voices, and we're not at the table -- and we're not -- if you're not listening to us, then that's just for show," she said. "ou're talking about our land, you're talking about our water, you're talking about our trees for carbon offsetting ... you should be talking to the indigenous people, because that's whose land it is."

Wilson said she found the way the world leaders' summit was conducted particularly upsetting -- and a good reflection of how climate decisions are made.

"You walk in the room, that's no place for you. When the G20 speeches were going on ... all the wealthier countries, they did their speeches, they said what they're going to do, and then oh, what they might do to help the underdeveloped countries, then they left," she said.

"They didn't stay to hear the whole discussion with Barbados, with Bolivia, all the other countries that [have] solid climate action plans, what they're going to do for their country and what they needed help with," she said. "They weren't in the room to hear it. So to me, that's disrespectful because, you know, if you're going to give your presentation, and you're there to hear others, you should be sitting there listening yourself."
Read article at CNN:



Indigenous activists say the legacy of colonialism has limited their access to COP-26
NPR
Ruth Miller, Alaska: "But, of course, you can't relocate your grandparents' graves. You can't relocate your ancient sacred sites. You can't adapt to the places that are lost due to climate change. This past year, when I was forced to watch our sitka, our salmon dying in our streams of heatstroke, it was heartbreaking."

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