Climate Change and Pacific Rim Indigenous Nations Northwest Indian Applied Research Institute, The Evergreen State College (Olympia, Washington)

Beginning the discussion

Carbon emissions from fossil fuels… …trap heat in the atmosphere the atmosphere Climate change is already here

Indigenous Peoples: Miner’s Canary of Climate Change “Like the miner's canary, the Indian marks the shifts from fresh air to poison gas in our political atmosphere…” Felix Cohen (1953) “Indigenous Peoples are like the miner’s canary. When their cultures and languages disappear this reflects the profound sickness in the ecology.” Paul Havemann & Helena Whall (2002) “I say canary in the coal mine because the Arctic is one part of the world that is experiencing faster impact from global warming.” Al Gore (2006)

Early warnings in the Arctic

Early warnings in the Pacific xxxxxxxxxxx

May 2005 June 2005

Early warnings in North America

Harvesting rights in North America

Impacts on water resources

Impacts on forest resources

Climate change: potential Culture Killer

Traditional Ecological Knowledge

Climate stresses on culture

Indigenous cooperation

XXXXXXXXXXXXXxxxxxxxxxxx United Nations Framework Convention

Environmental treaties

Community = Survival

RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Gather information

2. Secure water sources

3. Secure food sources

4. Adapt to new foods

5. Cooperate in local planning

6. Cooperate to reduce emissions

Adopting renewable energies

7. Protect local habitats

8. Assert tribal powers globally Asia-PacificEconomicCooperation (APEC) countries Indigenous NGOs at the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

9. Involve tribal youth

10. Work with other Indigenous

The Indigenous Nations Treaty

Contact Dr. Alan Parker, Director, Northwest Indian Applied Research Institute (NIARI), The Evergreen State College, SEM 3112, 2700 Evergreen Parkway NW Olympia, WA USA Phone: (360) Fax: (360) Web: Climate Change and Pacific Rim Indigenous Nations program Web: Report: Powerpoint: