Poppy Bell | Climate and Environment Fellow
United Nations 23rd Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (15 April 2024). Image sourced from U.S. Department of the Interior via Flickr.
As the world looks ahead to COP29 in November 2024, the conversation around climate action is evolving. It is no longer enough to focus solely on “green” goals – there is growing recognition that this transition must also be just and equitable. In practice, this has unfortunately not been the case, with Indigenous communities often left behind or actively harmed by the implementation of climate solutions, a phenomenon coined “green colonialism”. COP29 is a critical opportunity for these concerns to take centre stage, as nations confront the need for a more inclusive approach to climate action. This could include measures such as benefit-sharing, compensating Indigenous environmental stewards, and setting an international standard for climate reparations.
Green Colonialism and Indigenous Peoples
Green colonialism intensifies colonial legacies, normalising the erasure of Indigenous perspectives as a by-product of achieving a “sustainable” future. Many global climate solutions have disproportionately harmed Indigenous communities, such as through physical displacement from traditional land, cultural degradation, and political disempowerment. This has devastating consequences for communities already facing a long history of forced displacement, assimilation, cultural erasure, and even genocide.
The USA is a key example of a country who has rushed to meet net-zero goals at the expense of Indigenous populations. Neglectful and exclusionary planning and consultation processes have resulted in the fast-tracking of over 70 lithium mining applications on the lands of the Shoshone-Paiute Tribe, without their free, prior, and informed consent. This is a direct transgression of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Indigenous populations in Brazil have found that some of the most aggressive land seizure is done by conservation organisations branding forests as carbon offsets and deeming it off-limits to its traditional inhabitants. These examples underscore how exclusionary processes often sacrifice Indigenous rights under the guise of environmentalism.
COP29: A Critical Opportunity
At the 22nd United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in 2023, Indigenous leaders underscored the neocolonialism of international climate strategies, prioritising environmental goals over the rights and autonomy of marginalised communities, and demanded change. As the world prepares for COP29, this demand is growing louder. If this event is to be a turning point, a more inclusive approach must be adopted. States should recognise that Indigenous populations are not only victims of current climate solutions, but also hold untapped potential to contribute to the movement. By actively involving Indigenous communities in green project execution, more equitable outcomes can be produced. A truly just green transition is possible, but requires a comprehensive remodelling to ensure that vulnerable populations are not unjustly exploited. Key potential solutions include knowledge and benefit-sharing, compensation of stewards, and climate reparations.
Knowledge and Benefit-Sharing
A clear solution lies in collaboration and benefit-sharing with Indigenous communities when developing conservation and green energy projects. Their vital knowledges of local ecosystems is crucial for designing effective solutions. Mandated consultation and ongoing benefit-sharing or co-ownership schemes ensure Indigenous communities reap the benefits of the green transition playing out on their traditional land. For example, in Australia, initiatives like the Aboriginal Clean Energy Partnership champion First Nations equity and management. Benefit-sharing can also include initiatives to upskill Indigenous communities to assume roles in green projects, building long-term capacity.
Compensating Environmental Stewards
Another effective measure is compensating Indigenous and local communities for the environmental services they provide as stewards of their land. A report by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the Fund for the Development of Indigenous Peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean (FILAC) discovered that the Indigenous peoples of Latin America are the best guardians of the regions’ forests, with deforestation rates up to 50 per cent lower in their territories. Compensating these communities for the services they provide, as seen in countries like Ecuador, Mexico, and Peru, has successfully reduced deforestation. Expanding such programs globally could both protect ecosystems and attract international funding, preserving vital ecosystems, supporting the livelihoods of Indigenous communities, and actively recognising their contributions to mitigating climate change.
Climate Reparations
Climate reparations should be a central pillar of any equitable climate policy. Indigenous communities are disproportionately affected by the impacts of climate change despite contributing the least to it. Climate reparations seek to address such financial injustices by holding major polluters accountable. At COP28, countries established a Loss and Damage Fund, pledging nearly $700 million to address the destruction caused by climate-related disasters and support communities experiencing acute climate harm. However, this only covers current climate impacts and excludes liability for past harm. A more comprehensive reparations system is needed to address systemic wealth inequality driven by carbon emissions. COP29 offers a pivotal opportunity to devise a scheme where reparations cover past harms and future climate resilience efforts for marginalised communities.
Beyond Green Promises at COP29
As global leaders convene at COP29, there is an exciting opportunity to redefine climate action in a way that honours Indigenous rights and knowledges. The struggle against climate change is a global one and should unite communities, not deepen inequalities. If the international community truly seeks to establish sustainable human life, it is critical to consider who is perpetuating the problem, who has the resources to solve it, and who the “just transition” truly serves. This requires authentic engagement with those most affected, the incorporation of traditional knowledges, and tangible support for Indigenous communities.
Poppy Bell is the Climate and Environment Fellow for Young Australians in International Affairs. She is a Chancellor's Scholar at the University of Melbourne, pursuing a Bachelor of Arts (Politics & International Studies, Economics) and Diploma in French.
As a Public Affairs Analyst for international renewable energy developer CIP, Poppy engages with Government on environmental legislation and develops stakeholder engagement strategies for renewables projects across Australia and New Zealand. This experience has honed her understanding of the complex interplay between climate action, environmental policy, and cultural considerations.
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