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Faculty member in Geography and Native American Studies, The Evergreen State College Lab 1, Room 3012, 2700 Evergreen Pkwy. NW, Olympia, WA 98505 USA Tel. (360) 867-6153 |
CLIMATE CHANGE AND PACIFIC RIM
INDIGENOUS NATIONS PROJECT
Northwest Indian Applied Research Institute (NIARI),
The Evergreen State College (Olympia, Washington, USA)
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PROJECT REPORT (left): Climate Change and Pacific Rim Indigenous Nations (October 2006,) by Alan Parker, Zoltan Grossman, Edward Whitesell, Brett Stephenson, Terry Williams, Preston Hardison, Laurel Ballew, Brad Burnham, Jill Bushnell, and Renee Klosterman. POWERPOINT presentation, by Alan Parker and Zoltan Grossman COMMUNITY ORGANIZING BOOKLET (below): Native Peoples: The "Miner's Canary" of Climate Change (July 2007), edited by Debra McNutt. |
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The Climate Change and Pacific Rim Indigenous Nations project was initiated by the Northwest Indian Applied Research Institute (NIARI) in 2006. Its purpose is to document the existing effects of climate change on Indigenous peoples and their homelands in Pacific Rim countries, describes examples of Indigenous nation responses to local circumstances and at the international level, and recommends future paths for Indigenous nation governments to consider. Particular emphasis is given to discussing options for Indigenous nations to join together to influence the global discourse on strategies to address climate change and the causes of global warming and adaptation strategies in response to its inevitable impacts. The climate change research includes participation by Maori in Aotearoa (New Zealand), Native Alaskans, First Nations in Western Canada, and U.S. tribal nations in the Pacific Basin states.
The Climate Change study is intended to support an international strategy for the development of an Indigenous nation-to-nation Pacific Rim treaty agreement, signed in 2007 in the Lummi Nation by indigenous government representatives from the U.S., Alaska, Canada, Australia and Aotearoa (New Zealand). The "United League of Indigenous Nations" Treaty serves as a structure to address major issues and challenges that are common to the nations including, most particularly joint action plans that address the impacts of climate change on Indigenous nations of the Pacific Rim.
Evergreen State College faculty Alan Parker (NIARI Director) and Zoltan Grossman collaborated in organizing and compiling the research for the 2006 NIARI report Climate Change and Pacific Rim Indigenous Nations: A Report to the Leadership of Indigenous Nations (2 MB). They were joined by Tulalip tribal natural resource staff Terry Williams and Preston Hardison, Maori environmental scientist Brett Stephenson, faculty at Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi (Maori University) and Evergreen graduate students. The 81-page report offers key recommendations to Indigenous nation leadership on possible strategies to confront, mitigate or adapt to the impacts of climate change:
1. Educate tribal membership on the present and future effects of climate change on their own homelands.
2. Secure sources of fresh water now to meet future needs of tribal communities located in drought-impacted areas.
3. Secure a future source of food stocks, long-term storage capacity and production capabilities for crops that can adapt to climate change.
4. Prepare for impacts on culturally significant food and animal species.
5. Develop relationships with neighboring governments and communities regarding land use planning, and emergency plans for the more disastrous impacts of climate change.
6. Consider alliances with local governments to build renewable energy capacity.
7. Consider strategies to unite tribes around habitat protection.
8. Get actively involved as sovereign governments in U.N. climate change negotiations, and pressuring national governments to reduce emissions.
9. Get youth involved in cultural education, and defending the future of their nation from harmful climate change.
10. Work with other Indigenous nations in a treaty relationship transcending colonial boundaries.
In 2007, NIARI produced a Community Organizing Booklet for Pacific Northwest tribal members (edited by Debra McNutt) entitled Native Peoples: The 'Miner's Canary' of Climate Change. The 16-page Booklet (1 MB) translated the technical themes of the longer Report into accessible English, to make the complex issue of climate change understandable to Northwest tribal members, so they could start discussions on their own community responses.
A Powerpoint
summary (17 MB) on the Climate Change and Pacific Rim Indigenous Nations
project has been presented at several regional or national tribal climate
change conferences. A 2008 article on Indigenous
Nations' Responses to Climate Change is also available from the American
Indian Culture & Research Journal.
PROJECT LINKS
Project Report: Climate Change and Pacific Rim Indigenous Nations, October 2006 (2 MB)
Powerpoint presentation on Climate Change and Indigenous Nations (14 MB)
Community Organizing Booklet: Native Peoples: The "Miner's Canary" of Climate Change, July 2007 (1.3 MB)
Northwest Indian Applied Research Institute (NIARI), The Evergreen State College
United League of Indigenous Nations Treaty
Indigenous Nations' Responses to Climate Change (Zoltan Grossman, American Indian Culture & Research Journal, Oct. 2008)
Indigenous Nations Include Climate Change in Historic Treaty (by Char Simons, Evergreen magazine)
United League of Indigenous Nations Formed (Indian Country Today, 8/9/07)
Lummi to Host Historic Meeting of the Nations (Indian Country Today, 7/12/07)
Proposed treaty could protect nations (Indian Country Today, 3/21/05)
VIDEO on Indigenous Nations Treaty (6:30)
Indigenous Nations Treaty (Powerpoint & notes presented by Dr. Alan Parker at NCAI conference)
Global climate change--implications for indigenous practices (Lecture notes by Maori environmental scientist Dr. Brett Stephenson)
Climate change--some insights for indigenous peoples (Powerpoint by Maori environmental scientist Dr. Brett Stephenson)
Global Warming (Powerpoint by Dr. Zoltan Grossman with charts, photos, maps, etc.)
Ethnoclimate bibliography (Excel spreadsheet compiled by Preston Hardison, Tulalip Tribes)
Climate Change Implications for Quileute and Hoh Tribes of Washington (Chelsie R. Papiez Master's Thesis, 2009)
Table of Pacific Rim countries
GLOBAL LINKS
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII)
Climate Change and Indigenous Peoples book (Tebtebba Foundation)
Indigenous Peoples Global Summit on Climate Change (Anchorage, April 2009) Release and Declaration
Demystifying Climate Change Negotiations (by Raymond de Chavez)
Statement Regarding Water, Climate Change/Global Warming and...POPs (U.N. Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, 2005)
Be Worried, Very Worried (Time special report, 4/3/06)
Native Climate Commons (United Nations and Tulalip Tribes)
Dialogue Paper by Indigenous Peoples to World Summit on Sustainable Development (Johannesburg 2002)
Indigenous peoples voice urgency on global warming (Indian Country Today, 1/5/06)
Climate Alliance of European cities and rainforest indigenous peoples
It's Getting Hot in Here: Dispatches from the Global Youth Climate Movement
The Canary Project (photos of changing landscapes)
Globalization: Affects on Indigenous Peoples (world map pdf)
State of the Salmon (maps)
NORTH AMERICA LINKS
National Congress of American Indians (NCAI)
National Tribal Environmental Council (NTEC)
Tribal Lands Climate Conference (Cocopah Nation AZ, 2006)
Assembly of First Nations (AFN)
First Nations Summit (B.C.)
Coast Salish Gathering (B.C./Washington)
Indigenous Environmental Network (IEN) Climate Justice Campaign
Community Alliance & Peacemaking Project (CAPP), Seattle
Circles of Wisdom: Native Peoples - Native Homelands Climate Change Workshop (U.S. Global Change Program, 1998)
Native Communities and Climate Change: Protecting Tribal Resources as Part of National Climate Policy (University of Colorado Natural Resources Law Center, 2007)
American Indian & Alaska Native Climate Change Working Group
Planning for Seven Generations: Indigenous & Scientific Approaches to Climate Change (Boulder, 3/08)
Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States (U.S. Global Change Research Program/NOAA, 6/09)
Native Americans Move to Forefront on Climate (John C. Topping, Jr., President, Climate Institute)
Bridging divides at climate change symposium (Indian Country Today, 3/31/08)
Lakota Chief Arvol Looking Horse on global warming (10/06)
Arctic Indigenous Peoples Unveil Statement on Climate Change (6/12/05)
Inuit Circumpolar Conference (ICC) climate change petition to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (12/7/05)
(Description, Summary, Full text)
Climate Change and Inuit Human Rights (ICC resolution, 2003)
Native Energy (fighting climate change through Native renewable energy)
Native Wind (wind energy on reservations)
Bering Sea Climate is Shifting (Los Angeles Times, 3/10/06)
Environmental Justice and Climate Change (EJCC) Initiative
Native Americas Special Issue on Global Warming, Climate Change & Native Lands (Fall/Winter 1999).
PACIFIC LINKS
South Pacific Forum (SPF)
Asia-Pacific Network on Climate Change (APNet)
South Pacific Organizations Coordinating Committee (SPOCC)
Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS)
Republic of the Marshall Islands climate change website
Climate Change and the Pacific Islands (Ministerial Conference on Environmental & Development in Asia & the Pacific, 2000)
Sinking Feeling (Time, 8/01)
Climate Convention (1999)
Pacific Worlds (Indigenous regional geographies)
SUMMER 2006 EVERGREEN RESEARCH PROGRAM
Group research to study impacts of climate change on Pacific Rim Indigenous nations:
* Maori in Aotearoa/New Zealand
* Native Hawai'ians
* Native Alaskans
* First Nations in Western Canada
* Native American nations of the U.S. West Coast
Students will be working with a faculty team from the Master's of Public Administration (MPA) program, the Master's of Environmental Studies (MES) program, and Native American and World Indigenous Peoples Studies (NAWIPS) to analyze the impacts of climate change on indigenous peoples located in the Pacific Rim. This will be the first phase of a multi-year project involving environmental scientists from Aotearoa/New Zealand, Hawai'i, Alaska, Canada and the Pacific Northwest, as well as indigenous nation political leaders. Particular focus will be on development of a united representation of indigenous nation concerns independent of the national governments through negotiation of compact. The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) Special Committee on Indigenous Nation Relationships has begun the process of developing an Indigenous Nations Treaty, and has taken the proposal for a League of Indigenous Nations to the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) in Canada (see below).
Dr. Alan Parker, director of the Northwest Indian Applied Research Institute (NIARI) at Evergreen has been developing the research project that would involve the environmental science director at the Maori University (Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi), faculty at the University of Hawaii, University of Alaska-Fairbanks, and the University of British Columbia. We envision creating a network that can exchange information and then plan a weeklong meeting that will lead to issuing a report. Our particular focus will be upon the means of representation of indigenous nations in global environmental regulatory regimes, principally the Kyoto Accords, and what existing Native political structures may be called into play to advance such representation.
For the summer research program, students will be researching existing literature on the impact of climate change on Pacific Rim Indigenous peoples, exisiting efforts by indigenous peoples to address climate change issues at all scales, and the possible mechanisms for Indigenous nations to intervene in global forums to protect their environmental and cultural interests. Together with participating faculty, the students will compile work that can form a basis for a report for Native governments and communities (and for larger academic and general audiences), on how global warming is increasingly impacting Indigenous peoples and the future of their natural resources, how Indigenous nations are reacting to climate change, and how Indigenous nations can in turn make an impact on the global discussion and international regulatory processes around climate change.
Summer 2006 Upper division (4 credits): Native American Studies, Environmental Studies, Graduate Studies
CONTACTS
Alan Parker (MPA) parkeral@evergreen.edu Tel. (360) 867-5075
Director, Northwest Indian Applied Research Institute,
Sem II E2117, 2700 Evergreen Parkway NW, Olympia WA 98505
Zoltan Grossman (NAWIPS) grossmaz@evergreen.edu Tel. (360) 867-6153
Lab 1 Room 1015, 2700 Evergreen Parkway NW, Olympia WA 98505
Ted Whitesell (MES) whiteset@evergreen.edu Tel. (360) 867-6768
Lab 1 Room 3017, 2700 Evergreen Parkway NW, Olympia WA 98505
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
Team 1 (Literature review with Dr. Whitesell): What are the existing and likely impacts of climate change on Indigenous peoples and their homelands around the Pacific Rim?
Team 2 (Research with Dr. Grossman): What are Indigenous organizations, communities and nations presently undertaking to address issues of climate change (at the local, national and international scales)?
Team 3 (Political research with Dr. Parker): What are potential recommendations for research and action by Indigenous nations, to deepen and expand their powers to combat global climate change?
INDIGENOUS DECLARATIONS ON CLIMATE CHANGE
| Year | COP | City | International Indigenous Forum on Climate Change (IIFCC) statement, or other Indigenous declaration |
| 1998 | 4 | Buenos Aires | Albuquerque Declaration |
| 1999 | 5 | Bonn | |
| 2000 | 6 | The Hague | 1st IIFCC (Lyon), 2nd IIFCC (The Hague), Quito Declaration |
| 2001 | 6-B | Bonn | 3rd IIFCC (Bonn Declaration) |
| 2001 | 7 | Marrakech | Indigenous Peoples & Local Communities Caucus |
| 2002 | 8 | New Delhi | Indigenous Caucus Statement on Climate Change |
| 2003 | 9 | Milan | 6th IIFCC (Milan Declaration) |
| 2004 | 10 | Buenos Aires | Buenos Aires Declaration |
| 2005 | 11 | Montreal | Tiohtiá:ke (Montreal) Declaration, Arctic Indigenous Statement, Arctic Youth Statement |
| 2006 | 12 | Nairobi | Statement of Indigenous Peoples to UN Commission on Sustainable Development |
PLAY MOVIE (6:30): Establishing a united League of Indigenous Nations
Dr. Alan Parker, representing the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), presenting the Indigenous Nations Treaty proposal to the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) in Vancouver, B.C. on July 13, 2006. At right are NCAI Vice-Chair Les Minthorn (Umatilla) and University of British Columbia Professor Dr. Graham Smith (Maori). Photo by Dr. Zoltán Grossman.
Program students and faculty meeting with Tulalip Tribes Natural Resources staff (Terry Williams, Daryl Williams, and Preston Hardison) on the Tulalip Reservation on July 17, 2006. From left: Dr. Alan Parker, Dr. Brett Stephenson (Maori environmental scientist from Awanuiarangi University), Renee Klosterman, Laural Ballew and Jill Bushnell. Photo by Dr. Zoltán Grossman.
The headwaters of the Nisqually River emerging from under the Nisqually Glacier on Mount Rainier, Washington.
