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3 - Decolonising the Dialogue on Climate Change

Indigenous Knowledges, Legal Orders and Ethics

from Part I - Challenges

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 March 2023

By
Deborah Mcgregor  and
Mahisha Sritharan
Edited by
Sandy Lamalle  and
Peter Stoett
Sandy Lamalle
Affiliation:
Concordia University, Montréal
Peter Stoett
Affiliation:
Ontario Tech University
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Summary

Indigenous peoples in Canada score far worse on indicators of well-being than the general public due to historical and ongoing processes of colonisation. It is also well recognised that Indigenous peoples are the most impacted and vulnerable populations affected by climate change. Currently proposed climate change ‘solutions’ are derived from the same Western colonial mindset which caused the crisis in the first place, so it is logical that we look for alternative approaches. Indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) have allowed Indigenous peoples to survive centuries of environmental degradation brought about by European colonisation, as well as thrive for millennia. International declarations have specifically recognised the potential of IKS to help alleviate climate and other environmental crises. Indigenous peoples must therefore be enabled to undergo decolonisation processes, so that we may all benefit from the revitalisation of Indigenous ways of relating to the Earth in mutually beneficial ways.

Keywords

Earth Justiceenvironmental sustainability and justicedecolonisationIndigenous knowledge systemstraditional knowledgeUNDRIPMother EarthepistemologiesAnishinabe inaakonigewin (law)Indigenous lawjustice and concepts
Type
Chapter
Information
Representations and Rights of the Environment , pp. 66 - 86
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2023

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