Indigenous people feel the climate crisis Our land is a part of us

November 7, 2021 â€" 12.10pm

While world leaders met behind closed doors at COP26, it’s been the relentless leadership of First Nations people that gives me strength and ignites a fire in my belly.

This global climate conference, labelled the one to save humanity, has been frustrating to say the least. Yet again, we’ve seen political power holders together with their fossil-fuel donors, turn a blind eye to the consequences of their poor leadership and decision-making.

Protestors dressed as US President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson who were among the world leaders to attend the summit.Credit:Getty Images

But as the oceans are rising, so too are First Nations people. We are the first scientists, the first innovators, and we have cared for our lands and waters for thousands of generations.

It was the words of India Logan-Riley, a young Māori activist, who said what many of us have been thinking: “In the face of mediocre leadership, Indigenous people shine through … This COP, learn our histories, listen to our stories, honour our knowledge and get in line, or get out of the way.”

What many people don’t realise is that Indigenous people have been paving the way since before world leaders started these global gatherings to address the climate crisis.

It was Eriel Deranger, a Dënesųłiné woman and the executive director at Indigenous Climate Action Canada, who reminded the conference again of the leading role Indigenous leadership has played in making space for civil society contributions at COP negotiations, which at its core, is a forum designed for state leaders.

Indigenous leaders from the Global Alliance of Territorial Communities meet the Prince of Wales at the Glasgow summit.Credit:Getty Images

Deranger shared how world leaders came together in 1992 to talk about the climate crisis, but preceding this was a gathering of Indigenous peoples who wrote the Kari-Oca Declaration, a submission to the United Nations demanding that civil society and Indigenous leaders have a say in these spaces. It was Indigenous peoples that demanded a place, lobbied, and brought perspectives from the world to the official negotiations.

Across the world, Indigenous people make up less than 5 per cent of the world’s population, yet we protect 80 per cent of global biodiversity. We have looked after our land sustainably for more than 60,000 years.

As a proud Torres Strait Islander woman, already in my lifetime I have seen the impacts of climate change on our islands.

I travelled to COP26 in Glasgow for my people and to stand up for First Nations people, as a representative of both Seed Indigenous Youth Climate Network and Our Islands Our Home, a campaign calling on the Australian government to do more to protect the Torres Strait Islands.

A fisherman, whose livelihood relies on his catch, casts his net from a boat off Hammond Island in the Torres Strait.Credit:Kate Geraghty

As Indigenous people, we don’t just see the climate crisis, we feel it. Our land is a part of who we are, a part of our identity. This connection to our land and one another stems far and wide, across the oceans and seas.

It’s these connections and knowledge of our homelands that is absolutely critical in the collective fight for climate justice.

But while world leaders sit on their hands, going round and round in circles, making empty and misleading commitments, it was a young Samoan woman, Brianna Fruean, of the Pacific Climate Warriors, who issued a caution of the power of the words, noting there is no place for pity in the fight against climate change.

Brianna pointed out “how climate action can be vastly different to climate justice, how two degrees could mean the end, and 1.5 could mean a fighting chance”. She shared a chilling message with world leaders that “in your words, you wield the weapons that can save us or sell us out”.

When I return to Australia, I return with a message I have delivered many times, but now I’m further fuelled by the many First Nations communities I know are fighting with me.

What I say to Australia is this: Get behind First Nations communities. Stand alongside us in our fight for climate justice, for land rights, and for self-determination. These are critical pieces in our fight against the climate crisis. Because colonialism and capitalism have caused the climate crisis, but Indigenous leadership can solve it.

For now, the state leaders have left Glasgow, but we will stay and fight. There is an Indigenous people’s action planned over the weekend, and make no mistake, we are rising.

Tishiko King is the campaigns director at Seed Mob and community organiser for Our Islands Our Home.

Tishiko King is the campaigns director at Seed Mob and community organiser for Our Islands Our Home.

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