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The video, Indigenous People and Climate Change, explains climate change, its effect on Indigenous people in the Asia-Pacific region, and how the REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation forest preservation agreement allows indigenous peoples to have a say on forest use and preservation.
1. How is this representation of climate change similar to the other things you’ve read/viewed? How is different?
The video presents climate change from the perspective of indigenous peoples around the world. It highlights how they perceive the effects of climate change through changes in rainfall and temperature, which affects their crops and their traditional lifestyle. This important perspective contrasts with scientific representations of climate change which show world temperature data, arctic ice area, and rainfall data from specific regions.
The indigenous groups’ concerns about the effects of climate change also differ from the concerns expressed in scientific articles and political forums. While the indigenous groups’ concerns consisted mainly of how climate change affected crops, rainfall and seasons, world leaders and scientists mainly express concerns with rising sea levels, spread of tropical diseases and effects on coral reefs.
Image from: https://nigeldickinson.photoshelter.com/image/I0000QUeQe_c7els
2. Where do you see the influence of Indigenous peoples in this video? Where is it missing?
This video is clearly heavily, and positively, influenced by Indigenous people, as it the entire video is narrated by an indigenous elder, and the question are being asked by other indigenous people. We do not believe that there is any point in this video in which their voice can not be heard.
3. What solutions to climate change does this video propose?
As part of REDD+, industrialised countries have agreed to reduce their carbon dioxide productions. They have also agreed to slow down, if not stop altogether, deforestation. Another aim of the agreement is to bring back traditional flora and fauna, while also reducing poverty in the areas where REDD+ will take place. REDD+'s main solution is to make a tree more valuable to be left standing than to be cut down.
4. Do you agree with the representation of Indigenous peoples and climate change action in the video? Why or why not?
While we agree with the representation of Indigenous people in this video, as it is clearly shown, it is incredibly specific to those Indigenous peoples originating from areas in the Asia-Pacific region and the Americas. This video has no mention of Indigenous groups from other environments such as deserted and non-forested areas, for example the Aboriginal People from Central Australia. In doing so, this video does not talk about all Indigenous peoples opinions and reactions to climate change.
Image from:
http://edition.cnn.com/2017/03/05/asia/gallery/australia-aboriginal/index.html
5. What are the opportunities and challenges in taking seriously Indigenous perspectives of climate change? Consider factors that facilitate or hinder ethical responses to climate change, including social and economic inequities, political dynamics, marginalization, discrimination, state, military/police power, etc.
Indigenous peoples face many challenges when trying to share their perspectives of global issues such as climate change. As indigenous peoples are often minority groups, governments ignore their opinions and their groups are not large enough to sway votes on parties or policies. Indigenous groups also are often comprised of people with a low economic status as a result of their traditional lifestyle, which is not money- oriented. This leads to these groups sometimes being regarded as not important and therefore not being respected and listened to. Lastly, loss of traditional culture caused by forced removal from land and culture, such as the loss of traditional Aboriginal culture caused by the removal of Australian children from their families in the Stolen Generation, results in a loss of traditional values and knowledge, which then cannot be shared.
Image from:
In conjunction with Rhys Simpson and Brendan Ridep-Morris
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1 Comment(s)
Hi you four,
I am glad you seemly got a lot out of these materials. I would love to learn more about the challenges you list in question 5. You list major social/economic/political structures that impact indigenous communities acceptance in the climate change conversation. How do those power relations play out? How do they tangibly impact indigenous communities from participating in this conversation? How are indigenous communities and groups addressing these relationships in their climate change work?
UalbertaKendra
Oct 6, 2017