It is unequivocal that climate change will affect us all. However, there are certain groups of people who are and will continue to be disproportionately affected. Those who are hit the hardest by the impacts of climate change are said to be those who have already been subjected to inequality in society. (1) The inequality they experience is eventually exacerbated by climate change. These groups are more vulnerable to climate threats and the destruction they cause. They also have lessened capability to recuperate from these effects. Indigenous people are one of these groups that are disproportionately affected by climate change. On top of the reasons mentioned above, solutions to tackle the climate crisis may shockingly also have adverse effects on indigenous communities. (2)
Click on the video below to watch a snippet from the Disney movie Moana, in which a Polynesian island is facing an environmental calamity and food supplies are dwindling, making the inhabitants, who are directly dependent on their environment, anxious. Although not explicitly mentioned, I believe that the movie is an allegory of climate change and the great lengths we must go to save the Earth.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSwcu51XehU
Back to the real world now! Well, sadly things aren’t much different…
Indigenous people in the Pacific Islands are threatened as their land is becoming prey to the vicious impacts of climate change; increasing sea levels, higher frequency of storm surges, soil erosion and landslides are resulting in their loss of land area. Low-lying islands such as Kiribati (check out my last blog post for a video about Kiribati) are at risk of vanishing. Livestock and crops are at risk of grave impacts due to emerging illnesses and pests brought about by extreme weather events.(3) Salt water incursions and heat stress in vegetation are also threats faced by crops. (3) It is also because of climate change that indigenous people have to fret about the uncertainty of their access to water. The Indigenous people of Pacific Island, rely greatly on coral reefs and the biodiversity that they host. However, the reefs have been experiencing bleaching due to increased temperatures, endangering the survival of certain species. (3) This could be a possible reason as to why all the fish traps were disturbingly empty in the movie clip from Moana!
Some Indigenous groups are forced to migrate due to climate change (“Climigration”). For example, in Alaska, events such as dwindling sea ice, melting permafrost and more frequent and powerful wildfires are proving to displace the indigenous communities in the arctic and in the Taiga. In the west coast of Alaska, Shaktoolik and Newtok are examples of coastal communities that have to move due to land erosion caused by climate change. (4)
According to the United Nations, discrimination due to their identity is a problem that indigenous communities who move to cities face. (3) Expecting communities to abruptly move from what they know as home, could place them in a perilous situation whereby they are vulnerable to human trafficking. (2)
That is all for now folks! In my next post, I will explore how our efforts to mitigate climate change might actually negatively impact indigenous people.
Cheers,
Divina
References
- Winkel SNIaJ. DESA Working Paper No. 152 Climate Change and Social Inequality October 2017. https://www.un.org/esa/desa/papers/2017/wp152_2017.pdf
- Yeo S. Five ways climate change harms indigenous people. 2014. https://www.climatechangenews.com/2014/07/28/five-ways-climate-change-harms-indigenous-people/
- Nations U. Indigenous Peoples in the Pacific Region https://www.un.org/en/events/indigenousday/pdf/factsheet_Pacfic_FINAL.pdf
- Bronen R, Alaska Uo, Program RaA. FORCED MIGRATION OF ALASKAN INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE: CREATING A HUMAN RIGHTS RESPONSE https://www.oceanfdn.org/sites/default/files/forced%20migration%20alaskan%20community.pdf
Hi Divina, this was an interesting read! In your post, you mentioned that some indigenous groups and coastal communities have had to move due to climate change. From what I have read, I have also heard that one of the climate change adaptation measures that Kiribati has undertaken is to purchase 5500 acres of land in Fiji to relocate to in the case of an emergency. Do you think this is a sustainable measure and what else do you think can be done to help these communities? I would love to hear your thoughts on this.
Hi Sarah! Thank you for stopping by and for the really interesting question! I think it was necessary for Kiribati’s leaders to make that decision to purchase land elsewhere as Kiribati’s survival is really severely threatened by rising sea levels, storm surges and depleting freshwater resources. The former President, Anote Tong’s “migration with dignity” plan however is not something that the current president believes in. While president Tong fought hard to raise international awareness about how his nation is suffering from the impacts of climate change, the current President, Taneti Maamau, refuses to believe that Kiribati will sink (although scientists say that Kiribati might disappear in the next 70 years). He instead has grandeur urbanization plans for Kiribati. However, he does have plans to raise Kiribati’s land. Perhaps, this would be a more appealing strategy for the citizens as they wouldn’t have to be forced to move from the place that they know as home and according to Paul Kench, who is a coastal geomorphologist helping with the plan, this strategy plan is a feasible one. In my opinion, I think Kiribati should also not completely do away with the “migration with dignity” plan, provided how challenging this current plan is. It is however worth trying to raise the land, especially with specialists saying that it is possible. I do also feel that Kiribati should continue in Presidents Tong’s footsteps to pressure other nations to reduce emissions and to combat climate change (for a more long-term solution) instead of arresting people who speak the truth about Kiribati and the climate crisis. (Click on this link to find out about the filmmaker who was kicked out of Kiribati: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/theworldpost/wp/2018/10/24/kiribati/)
References :
https://thediplomat.com/2020/08/kiribati-announces-plans-to-raise-islands-above-rising-seas/
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-wednesday-edition-1.5683498/the-tiny-pacific-nation-of-kiribati-wants-to-raise-its-islands-to-save-it-from-the-rising-sea-1.5682046
https://www.culturalsurvival.org/news/indigenous-peoples-are-agents-change-reach-sustainable-development
https://time.com/4058851/kiribati-cliamte-change/
Hi Divina & Sarah-Ann,
Last year, Anote Tong came to speak at NUS about all this. It was one of the most moving and inspiring presentations I’ve ever seen. Also heartbreaking.
jc
Hello Divina!
Thank you for such an eye-opening post! It pains me to know that people have to leave behind their homes because of factors that are beyond their control. Although providing refuge to climate refugees is a temporary solution to this problem, as the climate worsens, it is only going to increase the number of people who need to relocate. What do you think are some cultural impacts to these people having to move from their homelands? Is there anything we lose in terms of heritage or cultural significance?
~ Yalini
Hi Yalini!
I am extremely sorry for missing out this comment and for the late reply.
Thank you for stopping by and for this very important question!
I think Indigenous groups that have become victims of forced migration would undeniably face significant loses in terms of their culture. For example, many pacific islanders have left behind their homes in Tuvalu to move to Australia and New Zealand due to the environmental impacts that Tuvalu is facing. However, even though they are able to retain their community-based culture via certain events and activities in their new homes, it is said to be weaker due to how their daily lives have to be adapted to living in the new country. Also, residents in Shishmaref, Alaska, who are at risk of displacement due to climate change, are afraid of the loss to their cultural heritage. Annie Weyiouanna, who is the local coordinator for the Shishmaref Tribal Agency said that, “We don’t want to just move to an urban community because that’s losing our identity”.
Climate change in general also results in a huge loss in culture of indigenous communities as climate change severely affects the environment and native species which indigenous people rely heavily on for not only survival but also for cultural and spiritual reasons.
Thank you for bringing up this very significant point about cultural impacts that I have realised that I have failed to talk about. Perhaps I will try to dedicate a blog post on this if possible.
Cheers,
Divina
References
https://unfccc.int/files/adaptation/groups_committees/loss_and_damage_executive_committee/application/pdf/changingclimatechangingculture.pdf
https://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_gtr944.pdf
https://www.thearcticinstitute.org/climate-change-migration-cultures-alaska-foreboding-ghost-village/