[Blog] An Urgent Call for Indigenous-Led Environmental Protection: Healing Our Ancestral Waters
(October 3, 2023)
In the face of a changing climate, the challenges posed by drought have become increasingly severe, affecting communities worldwide. However, it is the Indigenous communities that bear the brunt of these challenges, grappling with the consequences of environmental exploitation and witnessing the decline in air and water quality firsthand. Tributary waterflows play a sacred part in our lives and who we are as peoples. Our cultures, traditions, and livelihoods are at risk.
Inadequate global policies and insufficient protection measures fuel this exploitation, posing immediate health risks and perpetuating systemic injustices. To address these pressing concerns, we must reframe the narrative and embrace an Indigenous-led approach to environmental protection and policy. As the original custodians of our ancestral lands and waterways, Indigenous communities must pave the way for sustainable solutions that benefit the well-being of humanity and the natural environment.
Plans are in full motion for next years’ A Meeting of Sacred Waters, a convergence of Indigenous worldviews, values, and perspectives concerning the health of our ancestral waters. Leaders from across the Pacific will come together in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to expand mindsets, restore balance, and spark local innovation. The global conversation will include keynote presenters and leadership panels with case examples of Indigenous-led policy, law, and stewardship. Watch for more details in the coming weeks and save the date.
Through Indigenous wisdom, relational accountability, and collective action, we can create real, systemic change. We can ignite practices that foster biodiversity, cleaner air and water, and increased food security. We can build a sustainable future for generations to come.
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